Aircraft makers try to stay afloat amid virus head winds

Meanwhile in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province in East China, where Boeing built its first overseas completion and delivery center for its single-aisle aircraft, the plant maintains regular production, but the company did not disclose more details about the center.

Boeing's archrival, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus SE, has temporarily shut down some of its aircraft manufacturing plants in Europe, where the pandemic continues to spread. Airbus said it would cut aircraft production rates by about one-third to adapt to the new market environment.

For instance, it plans to cut production rates of its A320 family to 40 per month from a peak of 60 in 2019. It has also started a new aircraft e-delivery process to curb cross infections.

Airbus' Tianjin facility in China, where it owns a completion center for single-aisle A320 and wide-body A330 and A350, has fully resumed regular work, according to the company.

Separately, the aero engine department of General Electric plans to lay off nearly half of its staff, which involves thousands of positions, as falling demand for new aircraft has resulted in declining demand for propulsion systems. Half of its employees in the repair and maintenance department will take a three-month leave with no salaries, the company said.

Brazilian plane-maker Embraer, the world's third-largest aircraft manufacturer, is putting its Brazil-based employees who cannot work remotely on paid leave, the company said.

Besides, Embraer said it is working with companies and research centers on technologies that can increase the availability of equipment to combat coronavirus in Brazil.

The work includes the manufacturing of parts for the ventilator and respirator industry, the development of high-efficiency filtration systems for transforming regular hospital beds into intensive care beds, and studies for the development of portable respirators aimed at rapid implementation and availability.