I think rubber just might hit the road (or perhaps aluminum/composite hitting the [fill-in-the-blank]) when the American consumer is able to choose to fly in a "made-in-China" aircraft.

Jeff, China is entering the commercial aircraft market. You may get the chance very soon to fly on one.

China Commercial Aircraft

Kevin, I still am using an MC-12, and appreciate the build quality.

It must be that there are not enough folks like us for manufacturers to risk selling more expensive US made products. I call it "The Walmart Mentality". Folks are going to buy the cheapest product no matter where it is made.

Let's assume Outlaw decided that the 998 is going to be built in the US, let's say by ATI. How much more would building it in the US raise the price? Is it 30%, 50% double? I would be willing to spend more on a premium product if it was made in the US, and I bet others would too. SVS had good press when they advertised their subs were made in the US.

There is plenty enough to bash the government about rather than blaming it for your or my greed. The reality is while many American consumers don't care, American corporations (both on the buying and selling side) have sought to maximize their profits and in doing so largely removed the manufacturing location as an item of choice.

Ummm...

I know.

I've been in the aerospace business, on the technology side, for over two decades.

I've seen the Chinese in action first hand during that period.

I've met with hundreds of their scientists, engineers, managers, handlers, and spies.

Because I use my real name on everything I post, that's all I'll say except that while the opinion that I have formed about the danger that is China is personal, my professional life has given me insight(s) that the average person most certainly has not been privy to.

ps. I went through the C919 mock-up at last year's Paris Airshow.

While I'm not in the aircraft business, I can relate to the handlers/spies thing. Nothing like getting followed out from a conference by a couple of guys with earphones who also show up at your hotel, restaurants you visit, etc. The PRC is treating this as a war....while we roll our eyes and treat it as an inconvenience. Sending money to people that are actively trying to hurt us is self defeating. We, as consumers, can either play along or do what we can to not participate.

Re: C919

It was interesting to note that along with the gaggle of Chinese airlines that submitted orders, GE Capital Aviation was among them. Turns my stomach.

Best,

Change our tax laws and regulations and you may get manufactures to comeback to the US, eventually. Just look at the video of Steve Wynn saying that the way to be profitable is to be in China and that it's hard to be profitable here in the US. When I lived in Cali my neighbor was a VC and he sent his sons to China to see how things are being done. Like Wynn he said we could never compete with China with our current laws and regulations.

In the long run we have created this monster ourselves. We convinced the rest of the world that capitalism was the way to go but failed to foresee what would happen when all those countries with lower standards of living and labor costs realized thay could play the game and beat us at it. At the same time we went out of our way to invite cheaper markets here whereas we can't challenge them in their markets (NAFTA anyone). Trying to reverse 40 years of playing dead in the manufacturing arena by refusing to send $$$ to regimes who are competing against us is IMHO futile. When my equipment gives up the ghost or just becomes seriously obsolete, I will look for the best bang for the buck piece of equipment I can buy no matter where it is built or who gets the money.

I don't want this "we" label applied to me. I try very hard to avoid products made in China (where possible and reasonably affordable) and am willing to spend somewhat more for that. As a simple example, I buy Allen Edmund and New Balance shoes that are made/assembled in the USA and don't buy clothes that are made in China. I wish Outlaw would contract with someone like ATI to make their preamps and receivers.

>Outlaw would contract with someone like ATI to make their preamps and receivers.<
That would be nice but do you think ATI could do it sucessfully in the current market? I just looked at their web site and they don't have a current prepro nor does B&K unless I missed it.

Bob

B&K had been trying to develop one when they folded, but it had been severely delayed. I have no idea what sort of resources they had in place that ATI might have picked up when they bought the company.