There's a healthy light aircraft and glider industry here in Germany,
not just airbus. I think France has some too.

and Diamond comes to mind .... an Austrian company (also with a production
plant
in Canada).

Sorry, Martin. Here's more bad news for Europe and Austria:

From AOPA's member news area:
"And with that, Dries dropped a bomb. Diamond, he said, is establishing what
it calls the Diamond China Project, a new manufacturing facility that will
be built "about 300 kilometers east of Beijing." Site construction began one
month ago, and it will be twice the size of Diamond's Austrian facility -
and capable of employing 1,700 employees and building 600 aircraft a year.
Eventually, all propeller-driven Diamond aircraft will be built at the
Chinese plant, starting with DA40s. The first DA40 will roll out the
so-called "Aviation City" factory doors by year-end."

--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"