I'd love for all my hobby equipment to be made in America!!! Even though I'd could afford fewer products, I'd be willing to pay higher prices for them, because I know it provides greater economic benefits for America. Just like most Americans, I've enjoyed the apparent increase in my standard of living made possible by the influx of inexpensive foreign products. But, I purchase American rather than foreign products when provided a choice. When it's become less expensive to build a factory in a foreign country to manufacture products rather than produce them in your own country, something has gone terribly wrong. Even though we can't match the labor costs in China, surely technology would allow us to compete with at least the products manufactured in Japan. Given the expectation of enough sales to recover the costs of this technology, Fox, K&B or any American engine manufacturer could produce a product line equivalent to OS or Saito.

It takes a special kind of company to compete with the cheap foreign labor market. A company who's owners and investors seek more than simply maximum monetary return on their investment. One where a percentage of the return on investment, will have to be the sense of pride and accomplishment gained by not only by offering a quality product at a fair price, but also through providing employment opportunities that increase economic security for their local communities. It's admittedly an "old fashioned" business concept, but one I think prevails in the remaining small companies that manufacture in America. It's a concept that lies in stark contrast to most current business plans used by large companies. Business plans that place the extraction of every last nano-cent of dividends to investors first, over the long term growth and security of the company. Ahhhhhh----------hhhhhhggggg [sm=drowning.gif] (falls off soap box)

Perhaps, what we need are some folks who are R/C enthusiasts first and investors second, to take up this endeavor. I for one, would be thrilled to be involved.

DT56