Sir Reg Empey, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has said it is too early to say how vulnerable the North's aerospace sector would be after the events of September 11th in the US. But trade union leaders fear the growing crisis in the global aviation sector could result in further job losses among the smaller aerospace firms in Northern Ireland. They employ more than 2,000 people and many are suppliers Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian group which plans to axe up to 2,000 employees in Northern Ireland.