Van's Air Force
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Laser cut parts??
- Thread starter YME
- Start date
CaptPausert
Active Member
Does anyone know if we are going to need to file a proof of claim as part of the bankruptcy proceedings in order to be on the replacement parts list? for LCP? The letter I received today from BMC seems to indicate that I should. There has been a significant lack of information on this. It is really annoying that they say to contact your lawyer for advice on this. Most lawyers would cost as much to talk to about this as some of us have in LCPs anyway.
pjc
Well Known Member
I am not a lawyer, so this is worth what you paid for it. My understanding is that if you believe you were owed *anything* by Van’s at the time of the Chapter 11 filing, you *must* file a claim to hope to receive any compensation (parts or money). Van’s will not be permitted to satisfy pre-petition debts (obligations) unless specifically identified in the Chapter 11 plan approved by the court. The only way for the court to know you have a claim is for you to file it.
Perhaps Van’s may include replacing pre-petition LCPs in its reorganization plan, and presuming it can convince the judge that this is critical for survival of the business (perhaps to ensure credibility with customers) he might allow it. On the other hand, he may require Van’s to use those resources to pay valid claims duly submitted by creditors in the bankruptcy. Understandably perhaps, Van’s has made no commitments.
In any case, there is no downside to you to file a claim (other than the effort to prepare and submit it).
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MIKE JG
Well Known Member
From the interview published today with the Chief Reorganization Officer, sounds like we'll have solid info in the next two to three weeks on this issue which will be enough time before the claims filing deadline to make an informed decision.
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PilotjohnS
Well Known Member
help is here
I am still available to help those with LCP parts. We will work out a way to rebuild with the new parts.
I am still available to help those with LCP parts. We will work out a way to rebuild with the new parts.
Mike, Thanks for that info. Probably wait those fews weeks.
Cobra427man
I'm New Here
I just received an email update on the laser cut parts from Van's today. Also included was a revised list of effected laser cut parts. It appears that they added HS-01202-1 and HS-01203-1 spars to the list of red parts that need to be replaced. My horizontal Stabilator is complete and getting to the spars is going to be a total tear down. Van's latest correspondence says that they will be reaching out to individual kit owners for specific lcp part impacts. I just hope they are willing to replace all the parts to rebuild the horizontal Stabilator.
Van's just marked up all prices in its store but will now sell us parts to replace our blue and green parts laser cut parts at 25% off, which discounted pricing is likely significantly higher than pre-bankruptcy pricing. They are also only replacing components surrounding a red or yellow laser cut part that may be "impossible or overly burdensome to remove and replace without damage to the surrounding structure." Based on this statement "overly burdensome" removal and replacement is not a cause for replacement. So Van's wants us to do complete tear downs of vertical stabilizers, rudders, horizontal stabilizers, etc.
Tim,
Received my empennage kit back in Sept. but have not started the project. Looks like I dodged a bullet.
See you are near "Wings airfield". Worked there back in the 60's and got my PPL there.
Thinking I might have to replace the 4 "red category" parts of the anti-servo linkage, I ordered them from Van's a couple months ago. I had already built the airframe, de-burring and priming all the parts, and didn't recall if those 4 might have been laser-cut. The replacement parts I got were CNC machined. Closely examining them and the parts I had already installed, I was able to tell that the installed parts were also CNC machined, not laser-cut. So if you want them, you can have them for the cost of shipping. Send me a PM if you want them.
-CT Cole
-CT Cole
Just a reminder that for any part number that Van's listed as a LCP, doesn't necessarily mean that your individual kit received that specific part from a laser cutting process. There may have been sufficient inventory of stamped or CNC cut parts at the time your kit was crated. A good tell-tale sign is if your part arrived with the blue film still covering it, then it was NOT laser cut, and therefore would not need to be replaced. The laser is not compatible with the blue film, so it is removed before the cutting begins. I have several such parts, including parts listed as "Replacement Recommended" that were not laser cut in my empennage kit. This could be checked by referring to photos that you may have taken during the inventory process.
Brantel
Well Known Member
While this is generally a true statement, some folks have posted examples where parts were delivered with blue film and they were LCP’s. Granted they looked horrible and it would have been obvious that those parts are not acceptable.
I've seen no evidence of laser cut parts with blue vinyl. Please share the source on this. I don't believe this to be true based on how the parts are processed (the blue vinyl is applied at Vans and wouldn't be applied by a laser cut supplier and would be a mess if on the part during the laser cut process).
Brantel
Well Known Member
I don’t have time to search for it but it is here in the archives somewhere. It looked like total crap as you would expect but it did make it into someone’s kit.
