Wichita ? Hawker Beechcraft officials say its Wichita Plant 1 will remain open, saving hundreds of jobs.

The airline manufacturing company had previously announced that it would close two plants in Wichita and move the work to outside suppliers and to Mexico.

But it announced in a memo to union members Thursday morning that it expects to keep Plant 1 open, and it expects to volume of work to remain the same.

The Wichita Eagle reports the decision is part of a joint partnership between the company and the Machinists union that was forged during contract negotiations last year.

Workers in Plant I perform fabrication work, such as the production of small part assemblies.