It would be good news if Schweizer were still in the
business. Maybe also for sparrowhawks ? Pity we can't
support a domestic manufacturer.

Ian

At 16:24 25 January 2004, Eric Greenwell wrote:
F.L. Whiteley wrote:
Is there really much good news in this?

Only for the people that want to get out of the sport
and sell their
glider. For the rest of us, it makes it harder for
new people to get
their own glider because old and new are more expensive,
it raises our
insurance costs because we have to insure the hull
for more, and the
factories sell fewer gliders. The instrument makers
sell fewer varios
and flight computers, too. Not many winners when prices
go up.

Last time it got out of whack, the Germans came over
and bought up several
of the used fleet for refinishing. Didn't hurt the
new market much in the
long run, but strained the used market IIRC. Suspect
any factory
sponsorship in that effort?

Was it the factories buying them to refinish, or individuals
(my
recolletion)?
--
-----
change 'netto' to 'net' to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA