Middle East a bright spot for Hawker Beech
Despite Hawker Beechcraft announcement earlier this month that it is to lay off 5 percent of its workforce in the face of the global economic slowdown, exe

Despite Hawker Beechcraft announcement earlier this month that it is to lay off 5 percent of its workforce in the face of the global economic slowdown, executives with the U.S. manufacturer here at the MEBA show say the Middle East remains one of the few remaining bright spots for airplane sales. This is why it recently opened a new sales office in Dubai.

 Hawker Beechcraft is slashing around 490 jobs from its workforce of about 9,780 worldwide as part of a cost-cutting initiative, the centerpiece of which is planned production slowdown. The news comes as the U.S. business jet maker announces inroads in the Middle East market, particularly with wealthy individuals who are increasingly viewing the company’s Hawker twinjets and King Air turboprops as economical alternatives to models from other manufacturers.