Look, I'm all about selling out for absolutely no useful social purpose. It's my company and my money.

I just have yet to be offered enough money to make it worth it compared to what I am making by owning it.

Stop thinking long-range, make deals that maximize short-term revenues/profits at the expense of long-term stability and growth, add one or more IBs and you'll be retired in no time!

Yeah, I know what you mean.

"Retired" is a very subjective term. I have a guy who I do business within that sold his company 10 or so years ago. Bought a yacht and a King Air. Told all his buddies to come hang out and go on trips and play golf and hang on the boat etc...... Well, they all had to work and didn't have time. So he sold all his toys and went back to work.

You said it. I was at a very well-known networking technology company when a whole bunch of the early, extremely rich engineering team decided to retire. It's quite incredible how many of them came back a year or two later, bored out of their mind or sick of dealing with kids all day.

Of course, they weren't pilots.

Yeah, I've had many IB firms come talk to me over the last few years. At first I entertained them. Let them go through the books and use up tons of my time. I had visions of $$$ in my head thinking they'd come back with some pie in the sky number like they do in the movies. Yeah, not even close. I understand, they're in business to make money and I guess are always looking for a deal.

I'd explain to them how much the company makes and how I can make the amount of their offer in just a few years so.... Why should I sell? They always say "to take some money off the table". That must be the response they teach at IB school because they all use it.

Now when they call I ask why I should sell and they still use that answer. I always say "look guys, I really have nothing else in life to do but work here". It's true. If I sold out now I'd be Charlie Sheen in a month

Two and a half men and a plane?

It's true. I already find myself taking his side in all of his rants on TV lately.

I´m following this thread with a very big interest because I´m in one of those BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) which supposedely will change the world economy for ever. Well, the Chinese are shopping everywhere -- in Africa, Europe, South America, the US, you name it. They are in search of a good deal. Is Cirrus a good deal? Apparently yes -- or maybe the Chinese are not true believers in a green energy economy, anyway. They do exactly what big American companies (GE, Microsoft, etc) do: they are global operating entities thinking locally. In the case of Cirrus, and viewing the whole issue from my peripheral stand point, it seems to me quite obvious that they think Cirrus is a good deal IN THE AMERICAN MARKET. Which for years to come probably will shape other markets (being overregulation in the US and Europe the main enemy of GA expansion). The discussion repeats some of the arguments of a similar discussion of a generation ago, when Japanese were buying real state in the US (and Europe, and South America, and Africa). When I hear top American CEOs talking (like Jeff Immelt of GE) I have to agree: it´s not written anywhere that the Chinese business modell will triumph -- if (agreed, a big if) innovation and R&D and new technologies are developed.

Interesting perspective, William, but I don't think they'd do this if there were no potential for GA opening up in China. That may not be the most significant factor, but it's got to be an important trigger for this deal.

I hope the Cirrus buyer sees a lot more for potential for US private aviation than I do.

I agree

In this case I also agree.

The Chinese are simply buying something.

In this case they are not strong-arming anyone to give them technology. They simply have cash and a willingness to enter a business with poor short-term prospects but a potential long term payoff.

I don't see any "American" capitol chasing Cirrus.

Well, Embraer is building the Phenom 100 in the US because obviously they want to be where the market is; meanwhile their (Embraer´s) plant in China is doing badly and maybe will be closed. As for the Chinese, they will learn how to build and market small aircraft -- exactly what Honda (among many others) did with cars in the American market.

How come " China" can't get a car or truck here, they have a pickup that looks like a Chevy clone and even have set up dealer franchises here but can't get it through EPA and the crash tests. You would think if theyre so good at cloning and we buy more automobiles than anybody they would figure it out

One tiny bit over information that everyone seems to overlook is that prior to the sale to Chinese, Cirrus was already owned by some Middle Eastern oil sheiks (Arcapita or some such thing). I am not sure which one is worse.