Charles (Charlie) Johnson, a 20-year veteran of Cessna Aircraft, took on responsibility for all the company's operations last week as the Wichita manufacturer prepares for the departure of Chairman Russ Meyer at the end of the year. Johnson, 60, who logged more than 1,000 hours as an Air Force F-105 pilot during the Vietnam War, is president of Cessna and reports to Steve Loranger, executive vice president and chief operating officer of parent company Textron. Meyer also reports directly to Loranger, who is based in Textron's Detroit, Mich.-area offices with Textron Chairman Lewis Campbell. Meyer, 70, also had been chief executive officer of Cessna and Johnson had been chief operating officer but the CEO and COO titles are no longer used.

Johnson's new role was announced March 8 during the annual meeting of Cessna's Enterprise Leadership Team, comprising some 1,200 management and supervisory employees.

Like his counterparts at other business jet and general aviation manufacturers, Johnson's immediate task is keeping the company on track during a difficult economic environment. Because of the lagging economy and the threat of a war in Iraq, "people are reluctant to spend money," Johnson said. "That's particularly true of big-ticket items like aircraft," he said.

Cessna originally had planned to deliver 250 new business jets this year, but that total was cut to 220 at the beginning of the year and Johnson told BA Thursday that "we are evaluating that." He said officials are looking at aircraft production levels "every week." Despite the economic uncertainty, Johnson said Cessna marketers still are finding customers and still logging orders, but "it is difficult," he said. The company has gradually cut back its work force to slightly more than 11,000 currently from about 12,800 last September.