Aircraft manufacturer De Havilland Canada has announced it will pause production of its Dash 8 type.
This comes amid “prevailing industry circumstances”, De Havilland said in the announcement, while mentioning ongoing difficulties in confirming aircraft sales. The company states it will not build new aircraft “beyond currently confirmed orders”.
It was not immediately clear when exactly the production would be stopped and for how long. The move affects around 500 employees at its site in Toronto Downsview, Canada.
De Havilland’s parent Longview Aviation acquired the Dash 8 aircraft programme from Bombardier in 2018. It is currently leasing the production facility from the latter company, but is planning to leave it and move to a different location later this year. “There are a number of excellent production site options in Canada, and the company will be ready to meet new aircraft demand as the industry recovers”, says De Havilland Canada.
The company continues to provide services and support to existing Dash 8 customers around the world. “We fully expect worldwide demand for the Dash 8 to return once the industry has recovered from the pandemic”, said David Curtis, Executive Chairman of Longview Aviation.
Jakob Wert is an aviation journalist from Germany. He built up the website IFN.news and is the Editor-In-Chief of International Flight Network.
