De Havilland Canada Announces a Phased Return to Work and a Measured Resumption of Activities

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  • The phased return to work follows the temporary suspension of manufacturing operations on March 20 to support international efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited ("De Havilland Canada") announced today that the company has started a phased return to work of employees and a measured resumption of activities. In the first phase, approximately 100 employees have returned to work and De Havilland Canada is focused on resuming pre-flight activities and delivery of Dash 8-400 aircraft. The phased return to work, which follows the temporary suspension of manufacturing operations on March 20 to support international efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, reflects market demand and is being undertaken in consultation with customers.

"In harmony with ongoing efforts to curtail the effects of COVID-19, De Havilland Canada is glad to start welcoming our employees back to work to resume aircraft pre-flight activities and prepare for upcoming deliveries to our customers," said Todd Young, Chief Operating Officer, De Havilland Canada. "The health and safety of our employees, customers and suppliers is of the utmost priority and as such, we will continue to work closely with government agencies and the custodian of the Toronto Site, to ensure that protocols and processes are in place for a safe operational environment."

"The global aviation industry continues to face unprecedented uncertainty as a result COVID-19 and we are all watching for signs of economic recovery. As we move forward, we are adjusting the business to reflect the current market demand, as well as for the foreseeable future, and we will proactively manage costs and streamline our operations in all areas of the business," added Mr. Young.

During the pause in production and delivery of new Dash 8-400 aircraft, De Havilland Canada continued to provide customer support and technical services to owners and operators of Dash 8 Series aircraft around the world, with most teams working remotely. The teams are responding to numerous requests relating to the reconfiguration of Dash 8 aircraft to support aerial transport services and the delivery of essential cargo during the pandemic. As announced by De Havilland Canada on April 23, Transport's Canada's approval of a new Simplified Package Freighter configuration that can quickly transform the Dash 8-400 aircraft passenger cabin to carry light freight provides a sound solution for operators to redeploy aircraft. De Havilland Canada has prepared a Service Bulletin that provides instructions on implementing the reconfiguration.

The company also recently announced that the De Havilland Component Solutions (DCS) program is available to provide component management support to Dash 8-400 aircraft operators, and on April 28, the company delivered the first Dash 8-400 aircraft since the suspension of manufacturing operations.