Sad state of affairs, but if you are into IC engine powered models soon all you would be able to buy is either Japnese or Chinese engines (ignore the one off low production brand names coming from various parts of the world).

Read this and you would come to know what I mean.
Dear Webra Customer,

We are so sorry to announce you that our company
WEBRA Modellmotoren GmbH & Co. KG in A-2551 Enzesfeld, Eichengasse 9 - AUSTRIA
is in bankruptcy and cease to Thursday, December 23, 2010 its activities for model engines and electronics products.

The reason why this happens was the low cost products made in China which comes more and more for toys as for the real model building. Therefore found the market lower and lower interest in our high quality products.
By this way we will thank you for your good co-operation in past and we will wish you all the best and many business success in future.

Remain with

„Many happy landings“

Yours WEBRA-Team
http://www.webra-austria.at/index1.html

Hmmm

The reference to China should be an eye opener to anyone anyone getting into manufacture or even just sales of RC stuff in India !

Sab china hai. Chinese really are tough competition.

As much for China, the rise of 'Electric Engine' , (where Chinese products actually give more competition) is also much responsible. Even one of my closest RC Pal swears that he would always stick to EP!!
It is really sad to see Garage/Bulk sale on Buy/Sell forum on RcGroups/RcUniverse, where people dispose all their entire Glow/Gasser collection and move to EP.
 

Shall we start a war with the statement... "the future is DEFINITELY electric" ?

Definitely Anwar, may be for commercial road vehicles as the fossil fuels would dry up soon. But many of the R/C flyers/modelers, esp the Balsa ones would still like to meet the wood with the fuel. Not LiPO!.
The thrill of these otherwise messy and moody IC engines would definitely remain.

Yes Anwar, Trust me never to shy away from a good duel. But the oponenent has to be worthy.
What's the point in duelling with someone who has never run a Webra (and probably may not, given the dirth of these engines the closure of the firm may cause)

To echo Ujjwana's sentiment
While people may switch to cheap chinese electric bikes, the thrill of Harley (or RE Bullet) is worth experiencing.

I think the fuel guys are total hypocrites (Dsiclaimer: I run glow engines on all my bigger helis and the only big plane I have ). 

For example, they just totally ignored diesel engines, when the more convenient glow and gas engines showed up !  What will prevent them from discovering the convenience of electrics, and "conveniently forget" fuel engines as a whole ?

Hey Hey Anwar, come and see my engine cabinet, you would find Mills, PAW, Sharma, MVVS, Aurora, Frog, AM, MK(Russian) diesel which do get flown if I manage to get my hands on fuel components. The problem is ether.
(And I am still trying to acquire that elusive original Taplin Twin Oliver Tiger which keeps slipping out of my hands every time)

That is just an unsound argument. Akin to.. "If you have never rode a Bullet, you have no right to talk about petrol bikes, while he may have used many 2-stroke and 4-stroke bikes from other brands" !

There in lies the whole problem You are discussing yourself (one of a kind!), while we really need to talk about the average Joe (or Anil or Ali ).

Sad but fact... Chinese Communist Slavery has cost many other business to almost shut down... Its not that Chinese really are tough competitor its just the slavery & making people work for hours.. & get paid very less.. highest paid salary to the worker is $100, above that you cannot raise your voice in Communism... they may easily kill you.

People visiting China are never allowed to visit the real China to see the other worst side of it..

10 years back I was very happy when i bought something cheap "made in China" But my dad always said always think & understand how things come cheap.. please try to see the other side of it & what problems can it cause to others manufacturers.

Simple fact, products may be cheap but done it in the wrong way.. Put your self in place of a European manufacturer who manufactures top notch RC products & later a Chinese company makes a copy of it & sell it by some other name & less than half price.... They did copy the DA engine & selling it as DLE.. I have read how much efforts the DA engine manufacturer have put in to come up with a absolute performing gas engine.


 

No point in dissing China completely, they can make you stuff with any level of quality (and corresponding price). And you are right in that the labor conditions in China needs to improve... some recent focus on Apple's contract manufacturer Foxconn's factories is an indication of things slowly inching towards the right direction.

May be thanks to China we all can take part in this hobby. Can't imagine buying $80 - $500 AXI BL motors from the Checz republik. May be great quality but no where near reach.

Chinese/HK quality is also very good. Haven't u tried Turnigy Aerodrive or New G series motors? They beat AXI in all terms be it quality or price. I love Hobby King and its products.

Before talking good about Chines products has any one tried Brand company products like Hacker, AXI, Webra, DA ENGINES, Thunder Power Batteries in comparison with china products & what makes them expensive or i would say the right price is the overall quality, metallurgy, precession & above all they all stand by their products & provide customer support not only that they even sponsor top pilots in a RC competition..

I know there are few manufacturer that have moved their factories but they have maintained the quality.... as they were before.

I do buy unbranded Chinese rc products like servos, batteries but thats only for few foamy planes & never wish to use it on my giant scale planes just to see my 2000$ plane go in pieces..