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On a tangent -
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Given that glider manufacturing is a pretty labor-intensive process, I
wonder when the Chinese glider manufacturers are going to take off?
For awhile it seemed that affordable new gliders were coming from
Eastern Europe because of the depressed currencies and low labor
costs; but economic developments in those areas have changed the
equation. *China is the logical "next place" for this activity, with
an abundance of cheap labor and the ability to ship out a product
globally. *Some composite LSAs are now being built there and many
radio-controlled gliders are as well. *Its only a hop, a skip, and a
jump from there to a Sailplane! *The tough engineering work can be
done separate from the glider manufacturing itself. *Frankly, I'm
surprised this isn't already happening (there may be a few limited
examples of it already occurring; but why isn't it more wide-spread?)

--Noel

So far China has a reputation of making junk when it come so somewhat
sophisticated items. Motorcycles come to mind. China has made
"clones" of many of the Japanese motorcycles and scooters. They cost
less, look good, but fall apart quickly. There is practically no way
to get them to make good on warranty. Spare parts are hard to get
too.

If there were such a thing, I would think long and hard about buing a
Chinese made glider.

I wonder how Cessna will do with their Chinese airplane?

For now I, when it comes to Chinese products, I will stick to Mardi
Gras Beads.......