txaviator

Well Known Member
Well, here it is the Memorial day weekend, and I was planning to jump back into the rudder and get it buttoned up. With a 9-day road trip coming up, I was hoping to get the trailing edge setting up with Pro-Seal while I am gone.

As I am about to start riveting, I am missing parts! Crucial parts! The three nutplates that are riveted on the spar for the rod-end bearings!

I did my inventory, but the parts list doesn't break down each little parts bag into the exact contents. The three nutplates I need are not here!

Dang it! :mad: An entire plan 'shot down' due to three little nutplates. Has anyone else found missing parts?
 
Inside the clear bag that held all my hardware bags was a list that contained the contents of each bag. Perhaps you were missing this list, but mine had a list.

My emp kit was all there, but I was missing a couple of AN fittings in my wing kit. Van's was good about sending replacements. Unfortunately, it takes them several business days to ship orders.

I know what you mean about lost time though. It can be frustrating at times.
 
Multitasking

The trick I've used to keep the project moving forward when I'm missing parts - almost never Van's fault - is to work on multiple parts of the project at the same time. This way my shop time is more productive, and I don't get blocked waiting for shipping.
 
rv8ch said:
The trick I've used to keep the project moving forward when I'm missing parts - almost never Van's fault - is to work on multiple parts of the project at the same time. This way my shop time is more productive, and I don't get blocked waiting for shipping.
I agree about it not often being Van's fault. I have "misplaced" several things so far and have ordered replacements. It wasn't until I was missing an entire bag that I had marked off as having been present during the inventory that I remembered I purchased a new set of storage drawers. They were not in the normal place of my other drawers and I finally forgot about them.
When I missed the entre bag, my somewhat fading memory was jogged and I found ALL the "missing parts".

wiping egg off face....

-Mike
 
Nope, I didn't misplace them, unfortunately. The bag that is supposed to contain the correct platenuts DOES include some of these, but they are microscopic (a toothpick might fit through the hole, NOT a 3/8" rod-end bearing).

ALL of my small parts were still in their respective paper sacks, with the exception of rivets. I have looked 4-5 times, and they are not here. Oh well......more building of elevator stiffeners while watching "The Deadliest Catch" (marathon) on Discovery!
 
I had the same thing happen.

I was looking for the nut plates for the rudder rod end bearings and keep looking at the little ones in the bag. I finally put together the -06 vs the -6 part numbers and am waiting for the new parts to arrive from Vans. I didn't see the detail inventory sheet for the bag parts either. I will definetly get one if I don't see it in the wing kit. I hope to get the new plates this week or I will get some from Aircraft Spruce to get back on track.

Tom Yeomans

RV-9 empennage
New Mexico
 
I have been shorted HW in the past, but to date I still have never been shorted any parts. If you look at the shear volume of parts/HW that go into a complete airplane kit, the error rate is very very low! That is one thing that has impressed me from the very start about Van's.

Ron
Rv-9A Almost ready to move to the airport!