Me last August: I'll order slow build wings and get them next year. By the time they show up my Emp will be done already and I'll move right to them.
Vans this spring: Here's your slow build wings and your emp kit like 1 month apart.
Kit Type: RV-14A Empennage
Serial #: 141288
Date- Order Acknowledgement: May 2022
Current Status (as of June 25th): Expected crate date: Oct 6 2022 - Oct 27 2022
5 Months??!!!??
My emp kit was delivered today. About 9 months was the lead time. Excited to continue building!
I’m curious what they charged for shipping to Texas these days for an empennage kit.
Ouch,
( more words added)
Ordered wings, emp, and fuselage kits mid February, serial #141248.
Received email the wings are ready for crating, order 200855. Paid the balance and am standing by for shipping info
Did you received your empanage kit yet?
They shouldn’t take your full payment until they know your parts are there.
It doesn't fix the core issue of delays, but know that we can and will return final payments if asked when a delay occurs. We don't want to hold onto it any more than you want us to. I know our team is talking with you, and this option is of course available should you wish to do so.
We've had some recent QuickBuild kit delays (shipping/labor) as well as some manufacturing damage (anodizing process issues) and some recently delayed parts/materials. This has resulted in a hit on our completion forecasts in some cases. We'll be communicating that information this week. We're unhappy about it, and we know it's very frustrating for everyone.
Greg,
You are right that it doesn’t change the delays. I appreciate that I can get my payment back. It just seems that if you are asking for the payment so the kit can be crated, Vans should know if the parts are there. I called 4 days ago (the last day of my crating window) and was told it was being crated. And today it is pushed back three more months. Someone obviously had bad info.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Vans is a stand up company and makes some amazing aircraft. This is jut the frustration boiling over from being excited, then rejected, then excited again, and then rejected again. I’m sure I’ll be excited again in November.
Doug
Received notice last week that finish kit moved up to Nov - Dec 2022.
Ordered all kits in October 2021.
Will be well before the QB wing and fuse (mid -2023), but guess I will take it.
Just received balance due email for tail kit. Promptly paid! Getting a little more real now.
Had a little bit of confusion with some of the new staff with billing vs. shipping addresses, but got it straightened out. Made my payment last week on my finish kit and it shows assigned to crating today. Order date was October 14, 2021, so just over a year.
I also got my backordered fuse kit items in September (firewall L&R, master cylinders and flap motor).
I still have some outstanding fuselage parts from my delivering in March. Interested which flap motor you received. Is it the new design that is from the -10? I was debating going with the PH Aviation flap motor instead of the stock Van's motor, but I understand the delay may be due to the redesign and that the new design is very similar to the PH Aviation motor.
The flap motor is the ES-85615-10 RV10/14 according to the packing list. It was manufactured at the end of July, and has an engraved "Vans" and 10 on the gear housing. Maybe it is the new design?
Also, I just got my shipping notification from Vans and from ABF just a few minutes ago, looks like they're cranking things out pretty well. A few items on backorder, notably main gear fairings.