PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Cirrus Sold To Chinese
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Old 2nd Mar 2011, 08:28
  #19 (permalink)  
tail wheel
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Join Date: Jan 1996
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To the contrary Wally, that is globalisation. It is re-alignment of the world manufacturing, services and agricultural base, facilitated by cheaper sea and air transport costs and world wide internet facilities.

If you want to buy a car, TV, washing machine, computer or other appliance, do you religiously search out wholey Australian made by an Australian owned company, or do you buy on price and perceived quality and reliability - i.e. buying a "brand" - regardless of country of manufacture?

I'm an average, middle income Australian living in suburbia. I drive an imported Nissan 4WD; my Solarhart hot water system is Australian made; my solar electric generation system has Chinese made panels, US made inverter; my air conditioner is Mitsubsihi manufactured in China; my fridge freezer is LG assembled in Vietnam. My lawn mower is Australian made whilst my John Deere ride-on is US made. The components of my brand name PC appears to be the League of Nations!

Last time I flew internationally, I flew in a European made aircraft, with a mix of nationalities in cabin crew, fuel probably extracted in the Middle East and refined in Singapore, by an airline that is 20% or 30% foreign owned - I travelled on a Qantas Airbus.

I've been around a few years longer than most. Globalisation has brought me a far better quality of life and lower cost consumer goods than my parents could ever dream of. My parents were also middle class with a successful small business. I remember Father had to save for months to buy our first STC fridge and first HMV black and white TV. In 1952 my parents and I travelled between Sydney and Hobart, return, on an Ansett flying boat. The fares for three of us were approximately six months of the average worker's wages. Most people can now travel around the world by air on far less than a month's wages.

I think you fly US made King Airs or Swiss made Pilatus? If you are really wrapped in this Australian made and owned thing, I assume you have demanded your employer replace their foreign made aircraft, with GAF Nomads?

Of course, globalisation is a two way street. Aussie wines dominate on the world market and Aussie minerals, coal, alumina, iron ore, LNG and uranium help to balance the books. Our Aussie farmers are amongst the world's most efficient, able to compete successfully against US and European farm subsidies. Our beef, lamb, game meats and grain exports are major income earners for Australia.

The Chinese business culture is rather unique, it takes a very long term view on investments. I don't know a Cirrus from a bunch of celery, but on past performance by emerging Chinese industries, my gues in time you will see a better Cirrus, with more bells and whistles, at a lower cost than now. And if they can't export them for whatever reason, I'm sure an infinite number could be absorbed into the Chinese domestic flight training market in coming years. And that has to better than Australia ever did with the Victa Airtourer and Nomad!

But globalisation only goes so far - I wasn't happy with a Kiwi son in law and two grand daughters who were born US citizens!

That is life Wally. Enjoy!
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