Since Cessna acquired Columbia aircraft back in December last year, the rebranded Cessna 350 and 400 composite piston singles are now being produced at a faster rate. Cessna is on track to deliver 150 of the high-speed piston singles this year.
Cessna has transitioned the manufacturing facilities in Bend, Oregon to the Textron Production System, which the company says has experienced improved workplace safety, rising productivity and higher customer satisfaction.
“By implementing the Textron Six Sigma and using lean operating tools, our team in Bend is making great progress on streamlining production while maintaining the high quality and reliability of the aircraft,” says Mark Withrow, general manager of the Bend facility.
“We’ve seen a significant reduction in labour hours per aircraft, and Bend is on track to cut the number of factory related incidents in half this year,” he says. “And, most importantly, I’m happy to report that along with a flawless on-time delivery record this year, our employees’ work has received the top score for quality on all post-delivery customer surveys.”
Source: Flight International
