Quickbuild - How much do we know......

[kiwiflyer]

Shocked ! Disappointed confused

I am considering buying a RV10 kit and the option of getting a quickbuild kit was really appealing. The idea of buying the kit and having other aviation enthusiastic assembly experts build the most important structural parts of the aircraft was a comforting thought indeed.

My assumption was that the kit was built under the supervision of VAN and his team in the US and that every care would be taken to ensure it was all done to VANS's high standards.

You can understand my absolute shock when I find out that the quick build kits are made by Filipino's on minimum wage. No photos or video are available of the assembly plant in the Philippines or information about who the actual people are that I am putting my family's life in the hands of ? How are the workers trained (hopefully not on our aircraft), whats the staff turnover like, are the workers pilots, are they aviation enthusiasts, are they engineers, how are they selected for their role, what quality control system do they have and who oversees this, how much quality and standards control does VAN have over the plant........are they audited, can I visit the factory,.....how many of them are fluent in english...

Part of me was genuinely motivated in purchasing the quick build kit with the notion that I would be supporting the US economy and that I would play my part in seeing the skilled worker market in US increase and benefit from companies like VAN's showing pride in his US designed product being proudly assembled in the US. (I am a ex South African now living in New Zealand)

I would need some very good comforting information and transparent proof from VANS on the assembly plant, people, standards, quality control, etc as listed above before I buy a quick build kit.

[kevinh]

It's easy: You inspect the workmanship on the kit you receive. I suspect you will find the work is top notch.

Since everything is accessible at that point it is really pretty painless for you as the 51% builder to make sure that the plane is safe.

(and I don't see 'how many of them are fluent in english?' is at all related...)

[tkatc]

The kits come back to Van's right? So aren't they inspected by Van's before shipping to the end user?

[Pat Stewart]

The QB kit is great, occasionally there is an issue but rare. I've built three with the last one a 10. Would not recommend doing it any other way.

[jlfernan]

Originally Posted by Pat Stewart

The QB kit is great, occasionally there is an issue but rare.

Kind of like the guy who posted here several weeks ago where it appeared the "skilled" workers used a razor blade to cut the blue plastic on his wings..It must have gotten past Van's quality control! Ouch!

[KRviator]

I wouldnt get too stressed about the QB quality. It's far and away better than I could do myself. My rivets are certainly "Safe" but there's a couple that aren't "pretty". The only drama's I can recall were a blind rivet that made a meal of a hole in the baggage area when I had to drill itout to route the rudder cable, and the lack of access in a couple of areas to install options such as the aileron trim.

IF Vans were to employ Yanks, Poms or even a bunch of Oztraylians to build their QB's, the cost would certainly double, if not quadruple. The QB spiel lists $8/hr, with Australia's minimum wage being nearly $16.

It comes down to you as the builder signing off on the aircraft, but there's nothing I've found on my QB -9 that has caused me any concern so far, and I'm not that far off from finishing...
Famous last words.

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by kiwiflyer

Shocked ! Disappointed confused
I would need some very good comforting information and transparent proof from VANS on the assembly plant, people, standards, quality control, etc as listed above before I buy a quick build kit.

Would several thousand QB kits safely flying today be sufficient proof for you? And no instances of accidents caused by deficiencies in the QB kits? And nearly fifteen years of QB field history?

I appreciate your concern, but as you become more familiar with Vans the company, their culture and the field history of their aircraft, you will realize why your post sounds to those of us with years of RV experience to be a bit over-wrought.

Buy the QB and rest assured you will receive a safe, high-value kit and gain membership into the world's best experimental aircraft community. Best wishes for an enjoyable journey as you build your magic carpet.

[aturner]

I can only speak with regards to the RV-10 kit, as it is what I know, but I think the term "quickbuild" can be a bit misleading. Yes, you will save time, and by most accounts, the quality of the work is very good. But, the assembly of the wings and fuselage is very straightforward, and for many of us, the most pleasurable part of the build. Left for you to do, in any case, is the more difficult stuff - canopy, doors, windows, cowling, fairings, system installations, etc., etc.. So I wouldn't worry about the quality of the quickbuild work, as you are still doing yourself what is by all accounts the most challenging portions of the build and the portion where quality really differs from one builder to the next.

[Captain Avgas]

Originally Posted by Pat Stewart

The QB kit is great, occasionally there is an issue but rare.

Here's a URL to the massive thread dating back to 2006 (and still running) dealing with leaking QB fuel tanks. There seems to be a disturbing ongoing quality control issue in that area that seems to have affected hundreds of builders.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...uel+tank+leaks

[Neil Rob]

Kiwi Flyer
Should you have some "Shock and Concern" regarding the build quality of any Vans Product then I suggest that you consider building from scratch!

This morning I was in your City of Christchurch N.Z. and then drove the 30 Kms to Rangiora and purchased an 8x4 of .020 Alclad, more @ 40 thou, Nut plates, Rivets, 4130 tube, and Alloy angles, to add to parts all ready built.

I loaded this into my car - and since driven the 550 Kms South to my home town where I'm building a RV-3 from plans, formers, and basic materials.

Being on a"Minimum" Wage" (pensioner) I have to make each part, cut and bend, mark and drill holes, weld steel tubes, and actually it doesn't take that much longer, and I am responsible for the quality.
However if I could afford and there was a quick build kit available I would certainly do so with no hesitation re quality.

With you engineering -management background you could do the same using locally supplied materials (imported from the US) and eliminate the confusion and many unjust concerns you express in your thread.

Neil Robertson
Plans # 11465
Invercargill (Home of the "Worlds Fastest Indian" Film)
N.Z