New Sailplanes For the American Soaring Market?

The value of the US dollar compared to the Euro has dropped 24% during the
past year. Therefore the price of sailplanes manufactured in Europe has
risen a corresponding 24%. In fact, a similar impact is being felt in all
countries outside Europe.

Will this end the purchase of new sailplanes by Americans - and others?

Will the European manufacturers die - like LS?

Is our soaring sport on the way to extinction?

Scary thought but if the damned dollar doesn't do something soon the
European manufacturing centre may well become focussed on the eastern block
countries. Their prices just happen to be about 20% lower than the Germans!
Of course the cost of Euopean goods may well have to come down to continue
to export into the U.S. too.

Ian



"Dan Dawson" wrote in message
...
The value of the US dollar compared to the Euro has dropped 24% during the
past year. Therefore the price of sailplanes manufactured in Europe has
risen a corresponding 24%. In fact, a similar impact is being felt in all
countries outside Europe.

Will this end the purchase of new sailplanes by Americans - and others?

Will the European manufacturers die - like LS?

Is our soaring sport on the way to extinction?

Maybe it's time to switch to SZD Diana, Puchacz, or SZD-55 at least as =
long as the Poland isn't in the Euro zone?
Just count it...

Regards,


--=20
Janusz Kesik

visit www.leszno.pl - home of the www.css-leszno.it.pl

Eureopean manufacture will not die. The actual manufacture will just move to
areas of lower costs...just like "back office" jobs of US companies are
acutally located in India and the Philippines. This already in place as the
production of "German" gliders is actually taking place in Slovenia and other
countries. Also, I would imagine that there is a large enough demand in Europe
to keep companies in business for a while longer, at least until the cycle is
completed, the Euro drops, US$ strengthens, and Americans start buying
sailplanes again...

Cheers, Charles

Janusz Kesik wrote:

Maybe it's time to switch to SZD Diana, Puchacz, or SZD-55 at least as long as the Poland isn't in the Euro zone?
Just count it...

Maybe the Europeans should take advantage of the strong Euro and buy
sailplanes from an American manufacturer: Windward Performance, with
it's SparrowHawk, priced in dollars!

--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Are fluctuations in the American market that critical
to the German manufacturers? I genuinely don't know
- but America is a fairly small gliding country (with
a roughly similar number of glider pilots to UK that
has 20% of the US population) compared to the whole
of Europe. There are still long waiting lists for
'German' gliders.

John Galloway

At 14:36 10 January 2004, Vorsanger1 wrote:
Eureopean manufacture will not die. The actual manufacture
will just move to
areas of lower costs...just like 'back office' jobs
of US companies are
acutally located in India and the Philippines. This
already in place as the
production of 'German' gliders is actually taking place
in Slovenia and other
countries. Also, I would imagine that there is a large
enough demand in Europe
to keep companies in business for a while longer, at
least until the cycle is
completed, the Euro drops, US$ strengthens, and Americans
start buying
sailplanes again...

Cheers, Charles

you might want to let the Geman manufacturers know this!
they apparently are unaware of this waiting list....
tim

"John Galloway" wrote in
message ...
There are still long waiting lists for
'German' gliders.
John Galloway

They aren't seem to be convinced about that it's a good deal and still =
are buying the european gliders without any currency risks from which =
suffer imports addicted economies.

JK

"Dan Dawson" wrote in message ...
Will this end the purchase of new sailplanes by Americans - and others?

Will the European manufacturers die - like LS?

Is our soaring sport on the way to extinction?

Even more worrisome, I've heard rumors that the sky is falling.

The sky falling will have a terrible effect on soaring, and all other
forms of aviation.

Certainly our current crop of sailplanes can last at least thirty years

Liam Finley wrote:
"Dan Dawson" wrote in message ...

Will this end the purchase of new sailplanes by Americans - and others?

Will the European manufacturers die - like LS?

Is our soaring sport on the way to extinction?


Even more worrisome, I've heard rumors that the sky is falling.

The sky falling will have a terrible effect on soaring, and all other
forms of aviation.