I do hope we get more info on laser cut parts. I’ve always heard that the heat makes it prone to cracking. I’m fully confident Vans has investigated and determined it’s safe, but I would love for them to put my wandering mind at ease! Haha
While I do appreciate Vans creating that video as a direct result of the talks on this forum, I can honestly say it didn’t give me the warm and fuzzies. Call me hard to please.
Obviously for these kits to go together with prefabricated holes, precision of manufacturing and quality control are of the utmost importance. Outsourcing these procedures are ripe for quality issues if not kept under a very watchful eye.
I’m not quite sure how good I feel about my build being the test bed for a new method of manufacture either. I really hope these methods have been throughly tested and proven. Could you imagine assembling one of these planes only to find years later that the methods employed to create kits at a faster rate were actually detrimental to the project as a whole!? Cracking and precision of manufacturing are a real concern.
My guess is the quality issues from corrosion problem has put a delicate supply chain issue to the brink of possible disaster.
I agree. I also was thinking about the transition to final size holes. Will laser require us to drill again?
I do hope we get more info on laser cut parts. I’ve always heard that the heat makes it prone to cracking. I’m fully confident Vans has investigated and determined it’s safe, but I would love for them to put my wandering mind at ease! Haha
... Hopefully with the new facilities in Brazil they have experienced Vans people from the US overseeing operations. My guess is the quality issues from corrosion problem has put a delicate supply chain issue to the brink of possible disaster...
Are any of you other pilot guys and gals here planners…??? :-D
Greg,
Did I hear that the pre Dec 15 2021 ordered QB kits would have the freight surcharge rolled back? Or was the comment referencing that it had been rolled back to what was emailed ($375 surcharge I think?).
I hope some of the changes they mentioned in the video that will allow automated date estimates come to pass quickly.
... The team is working on ability to provide info for everyone's orders, but the kits that are closest to being ready on the list are the first priority for establishing and communicating dates right now. ...
Greg,
Can you provide any information on what you would consider "closest to being ready"?
Can we glean any information from the fact we have no estimates on KitStatus page? For example, would it be at least 2 month, 3 months or even 6 months out as it isn't "close in" with date estimate given?
Greg, thanks. Operating overseas with well intended economics sounds nice and it could be the preverbal win-win. I’ve seen it over and over someone comes up with an idea that seems to make since, even improve quality and turns into a disaster. All well intended. Glad you have boots on the ground. We have found that if we did not have permanent employees in Asia now with Covid restrictions almost impossible to have them travel back and forth. This is mostly an issue in our China operations.
… but nothing regarding what that looks like for customers. Something (and window of dates) would be better than nothing. …
Again, I understand the delays, I just don’t understand the inability to give a date range for SB stuff while giving date ranges for the QB kits next year.
Jeremy Fradet
This is what we’re all hoping to see soon. A broad estimate at a minimum rather than a completely unspecified open-ended indefinite “stand by.” As of now I suppose I have to just assume the entire lead time posted for a new order is what I’m in for until we hear otherwise.