B

Bob Axsom

Well Known Member
Wednesday night I ordered a full set of 5/8", 3/8" and 1/4" Aeroquip 306 hoses (MIL-H-5593) for the vacuum system on my RV-6A because the 1/4" soft hoses I got with the origional Rapco Vacuum System Kit cracked (circumferential split) where I had clamps and had removed instruments for overhall. I found the cracks Wednesday while trying to trace down a vacuum problem after replacing the RA215CC vacuum pump with a Sigma-TEK Dry Air Pump.

When I got home the phone order system was closed for the day at Aircraft Spruce so I placed an internet order. I originally checked UPS but I know Fedex delivers here on Saturday so I changed that to Fedex. The thursday, Friday and Saturday span seemed like plenty for a 2 day delivery at $23+ so that is the option I selected - even if they didn't come until Saturday I don't have to leave for Canada for the next race until the 19th so that would be OK. The next day I got an e-mail from Aircraft Spruce giving the Fedex tracking number which I checked and it said my 2 day delivery was estimated to be delivered on Monday the 9th. I called Aircraft Spruce immediately to follow up and change the shipping to overnight or something like that if necessary. The customer service woman said wait a minute and I will check with Fedex. When she came back she said it will be delivered Saturday. Today I am still tracking the package and I see it is in Tulsa where it has been since Friday and the estimated delivery is still Monday. So I called Fedex customer service and I am told it will be delivered Monday even though Fedex is closed here on Monday and they do not make deliveries. When I told the Fedex customer service woman this, she said yes that is true but this is not a normal home delivery so it will be delivered on Monday. I said I think I should not have to pay $23+ for a 2 day shipment on wednesday and not get the package until Monday. She agreed and told me to call the shipper and tell them about the late delivery and not to pay the 2 day rate. I called Aircraft Spruce customer service and the woman there refused to do that. She explained that I shouldn't expect the package until next week when ordering on Wednesday night when specifying 2 day delivery service. She offered to absorb half of the rate but I declined.

Here is the message that comes from this:

Ordering from Aircraft Spruce through the internet requires an extra margin of time for handling. Selecting an expensive high speed delivery does not receive any human attention for special expediting at the source (Aircraft spruce). If you need something right away it is best to just wait until the next morning and call in your order. With the human interaction you can determine if what you are expecting can't be done and you can bump up the cost and schedule to next day air etc.

Bob Axsom
 
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Bob Axsom said:
Ordering from Aircraft Spruce through the internet requires an extra margin of time for handling. Selecting an expensive high speed delivery does not receive any human attention for special expediting at the source (Aircraft spruce). If you need something right away it is best to just wait until the next morning and call in your order. With the human interaction you can determine if what you are expecting can't be done and you can bump up the cost and schedule to next day air etc.

Bob Axsom
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Good for ACS.:D

I personally find this refreshing in a world that seems to be doing whatever it can to force me to deal with computers instead of humans.

I absolutely refuse to deal with businesses that only take interned orders.
 
ACS

I have to say that ACS for their size has given me outstanding service every time. There have on occassion been a few hiccups, but they are always quick to fix and make it right. The have been top notch.

It amazes me that with acs, vans etc an internet order can be sent in at noon and 5 minutes later I have a confirm email, 30 minutes later a shipping confirm where I can track its progress and 2 days from order its on hand at the shop being installed. The logistics of that is pretty amazing really.
 
Over the past few months I've been working on a little plunker for fun flying:

http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/legaleagleXL

Nearly all the steel, aluminum, wood, and bits-n-pieces have been ordered from Aircraft Spruce via their website. Granted, I'm only one state away from their East warehouse, but I've found that if I place an internet order in the morning, it will arrive at my door the following afternoon via UPS ground. I verify in-stock status when I order to avoid having things getting hung up or orders split between warehouses. The couple of times I called to check on some stuff the phone personnel have been very professional.

There have been issues with Spruce in the past but I've been impressed this year.
 
Don't mean to me argumentative, BUT

... in my experience, A/S performance has been outstanding. In 4 1/2 years of orders, I've only had two back-ordered items, and the time to my door on Internet orders continues to be amazing. I have often experienced what Rick mentioned ... an "order shipped" e-mail with 8 hours of my hitting the "confirm order" button on their site. I don't know if the whole world works this way or not, but virtually all the aviation-related outfits I deal with (Vans, Avery, ATS, Spruce, B&C, Stein, etc) have remarkable order accuracy and shipping/response times.
 
I just placed an order 2 weeks ago with ACS online and asked for regular UPS. There were two boxes shipped UPS ground. Box 2 of 2 arrived about three days later but no box 1 of 2. I finally got the other box yesterday after it went from Georgia to NJ and then to NY and God knows where after that, I quit tracking it after NY figuring I would never get it. ACS did their part on time but UPS screwed it up. This is twice in the last six months this has happened. The last one went to California from Georgia and then back to Arkansas. You pay your money and take you chances! Whew, that felt good!!
 
ACS lost me as one of their loyal customer

Timely post for me here as I have been meaning to write a review for ACS in regards to my last dealing with them.

First, as most others perhaps I have been ACS loyal customer for the last few years that I have been into building and flying. My last dealing with them was a return for warranty which they provided a RMA# . But then they misplaced my item in their w yet claimed they had never received it, so I end up buying a new one thinking that my original item was lost in the mail. Ten days later, they found the item in their warehouse but they said the item is not covered under warranty, despite giving me a RMA # first. Long story short as there has been much other mistake in shipping my item, returning the purchased item, etc. I still have not seen the credit on my account yet for the returned item.

Anyway, I am looking for alternative source for my aviation needs now. I think there are other sources that would want new customer and perhaps they will try to keep the customer.
 
You guys must not be living right.

I've been dealing with ACS for about 30 years. In that time there have been maybe 2 foul-ups. And every time, they bent over backwards to take care of everything immediately.
 
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Bavafa said:
Timely post for me here as I have been meaning to write a review for ACS in regards to my last dealing with them.

First, as most others perhaps I have been ACS loyal customer for the last few years that I have been into building and flying. My last dealing with them was a return for warranty which they provided a RMA# . But then they misplaced my item in their w yet claimed they had never received it, so I end up buying a new one thinking that my original item was lost in the mail. Ten days later, they found the item in their warehouse but they said the item is not covered under warranty, despite giving me a RMA # first. Long story short as there has been much other mistake in shipping my item, returning the purchased item, etc. I still have not seen the credit on my account yet for the returned item.

Anyway, I am looking for alternative source for my aviation needs now. I think there are other sources that would want new customer and perhaps they will try to keep the customer.
Click to expand...

With all the unique items and issues a full service aircraft parts supplier has in dealing with our special market niche, I wouldn't let one unresolved issue drive me away from a supplier.

On the whole, you won't find a better source than ACS. Nobody has their inventory, their very helpful catalog, their 1-800 number, their web-ordering service, etc.
 
prefer Wick's

After I couldn't find an OMA sectional anywhere locally( close to revision date). I ordered one from ASC. ( two weeks before the AVC race). The confirmation said it was in stock so I never gave it another thought. After 7 days it never showed up so I checked the order status again to find that they were holding the order until the effective date of the new chart. Now its a week before the race and I don't have a map. I called them and canx the order and luckily found a new map at Longmont after much effort.

I always prefered to buy from wick's until recently because they would ship items in a cost effective way. Order some screws, they came in a padded envelope that cost 1.79 to ship. Now they are like everyone else. Order a few rivets and you pay 8 dollars for 50cent box of a few rivets to be shipped.

CM
 
Shipping

I have always had good luck with the shippers (UPS/FEDX). I have however wondered if the supplier is getting a kick back from the shipping companies for shipping parts in boxes three times larger than required.

Pat Stewart
 
I am a loyal Aircraft Spruce customer. They've bent over backwards to help me more than once, and I got a personal response from the boss on one issue. However, like Bob, I have learned to use the phone, vs the internet, if I have to know for sure when it will arrive.
I have switched from UPS and FEDEX to the good ol' USPS for shipping and receiving whenever possible. Priority Mail is fast and the prices are generally better. I recently had to sell my late father-in-law's shotgun collection for my mother-in-law. I found that shipping guns with UPS and FEDEX is a real pain. USPS is easy and reasonably priced. Handguns are a different story, of course.:rolleyes:
 
Seems to me ACS did everything right. If you order past, what, 3 PM Eastern, they can't guaranteed same day shipment. So, if you ordered standard 2-day delivery late in the day Wednesday, then since the item would could have been considered to be shipped until Thursday, then Monday would be the date to expect it (unless Monday is a holiday or unless you opted for Saturday delivery).

I agree with others than USPS Priority is often the best way to go. I have also been amazed with Fed Ex Home Delivery. Often the same price as UPS ground, my last order arrived Wednesday after my placing the order Monday - two day delivery.

And I have been big fan of ACS. Even when I screw up an order, they give me no hassels with returning items. And, they are big supporters of aviation magazines. How many aviation magazines can you pick up that don't have full page ACS ads? Steady advertisers like this is important to keeping our magazines alive.
 
Always great service from Spruce

I normally place internet orders from Spruce. I always use ground shipment and am often amazed at how quickly things arrive. Once I ordered some fuel line fittings which were shipped USPS. They forgot to seal the envelope and it arrived empty. One phone call brought another shipment to my door without any additional charges.
 
Over 15 years, I've ordered a lot of items through Aircraft Spruce. If ordered by Sunday night on the Internet, I can count on it being delivered by Wednesday, using UPS normal delivery rates. My success rate has been exceptional! I rarely have called in an order. In fact, nothing has ever been lost.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
I would have never made it during my build without ACS....If I ordered before 2-3 in the afternoon, it was at my door the next day with either UPS/Fedex ground or the good old USPS Priority mail. USPS Priority Mail became my favorite since it was the least expensive for all the small orders.

West coast to East Coast, it is hard to beat the price and speed of the USPS Priority mail as long as the boxes are not too big or heavy.

The end of a build can mean daily orders for small items....$$$$$

ACS screwed up a few times but always made it right!
 
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Generally speaking, I get the best shipping service from the USPS, next from UPS, and can often count on Fed-Ex being the worst of the bunch.

Fed-Ex has delivered consistently bad service internationally, in my experience.
 
Being a cheap builder, I always select the lowest-cost shipping and I almost always order via the Internet. I think I'm about as far away from both AS locations as you can be and I've never had a problem with the quality or efficiency.

Generally speaking, I assume if I need a piece, it'll be there by next weekend, which is likely to be the next big work session I'll have. Obviously, I've got lots of other things to do in the meantime. YMMV.

The only quicker people I've dealt with are B&C and McMaster Carr. B&C automatically -- I think -- uses FedEx which adds about $10 to the order. McMaster Carr adds the Van's style "handling charge" ($5) to every order (which I always consider a "fee" for doing business with them), but it arrives within a couple of days. I just ordered $10 worth of screws and the handling charge at MC raised the price by 50%. Don't get me started on handling charges. :mad:

If there's a part I REALLY need in a hurry, I have the luxury of having Wipaire on the field.
 
I have always had good luck with ACS, but I hate their search feature on the website. It is really hit and miss for me, I don't know what I am doing wrong.
 
Bob Collins said:
If there's a part I REALLY need in a hurry, I have the luxury of having Wipaire on the field.
Click to expand...

Now that truly is a luxury! I just finished a few weeks of some firewall forward modifications and I really miss being able to walk over to Wipaires parts counter.
 
dmaib said:
I am a loyal Aircraft Spruce customer. They've bent over backwards to help me more than once, and I got a personal response from the boss on one issue.
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Like David I got a personal response from a manager last year do not even remember what was lost at that time. Later he even asked me how my RV-9 is doing. Wow what an information system! I've never mentioned my plane to them. They have my business.
ACS greatly improved the service after advertising on VAF. Great job Doug and Spruce!
 
Well, with all the good experience by others (and mine till recently) I hope they take steps to address/acknowledge their mistakes. I am usually fairly open minded about occasional mishaps but this time, it just kept coming :(
 
Surprising the number of people who prefer USPS

As a person who has up close experience with shipping a lot of product, I'm surprised at the number here who prefer USPS to that of UPS or FedEx. While I agree their rates are lower, in my experience it's a "you get what you pay for" deal. I can't count the number of times a customer's box has been "lost" or marked "undeliverable as addressed" by the USPS.

We recently changed to a P.O. Box because the carriers were leaving insured packages on the GROUND by our mailbox! This is all beside the pointlessness of a tracking system that only reports information AFTER the package has been delivered.

We wholeheartedly recommend using UPS or FedEx to return anything to us and we exclusively use them for shipping components. I do send small components by USPS to keep customer costs down, but that's it.
 
Human order

The hoses were delivered at 10:41 AM on Monday. I completed the installations yesterday and in the end still have a vacuum problem. As I should have done on the original order of this thread I again found I needed to order more parts. I went home studied my options in the catalog and on line but this time I stoped at that point and waited until this morning - Tuesday - and called in my order. The person I talked way very pleasant to talk to and was very efficient. At the end we came to shipping. I asked what are my options? She asked where I live and I told her Arkansas. She said with ground delivery the parts will be here in two days and she added "Thursday."

Some of you seemed to think I was taking a general shot at Aircraft Spruce with this thread. That is incorrect. I have dealt with Aircraft Spruce for decades - long before they moved from Fullerton. I am unknown to them but I have had the Jim Irwin drive the company van down to the airport and pick me up as a lone customer calling in for a pick-up. He presents a special attitude to me as a customer. The difference between my situation now and back when I was building is when I need parts I sometime need them NOW! Like "AIRCRAFT OUT OF SERVICE" NOW! If you are not in that situation you are probably not sensitive to the impersonal online order system handling inefficiencies and it has the great benefit of letting you place the order at night while it is on your mind and forgetting about it until the shipment arrives. However, repeating the earlier point of this thread, if you need something right away you are better served by the humans that take the orders on the phone and waiting until the next day to place the order and coordinate on the shipping.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob Axsom said:
The difference between my situation now and back when I was building is when I need parts I sometime need them NOW! Like "AIRCRAFT OUT OF SERVICE" NOW! If you are not in that situation you are probably not sensitive to the impersonal online order system handling inefficiencies and it has the great benefit of letting you place the order at night while it is on your mind and forgetting about it until the shipment arrives. However, repeating the earlier point of this thread, if you need something right away you are better served by the humans that take the orders on the phone and waiting until the next day to place the order and coordinate on the shipping.

Bob Axsom
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Bob,
I know exactly what you mean with my "AIRCRAFT OUT OF SERVICE" now.

My plane was down for two weeks as a result of their error and it was the time that I needed it.
 
A response from the president

I received this e-mail this afternoon.

Bob Axsom

Bob,

We saw your posting to the VAF forums and I'm sorry to see that you are again disappointed in Aircraft Spruce.

We looked into the details on this order and fine that it was placed at 10 pm on August 4, so the earliest it could be shipped was August 5, and we shipped it that day via FedEx 2 day as you requested. FedEx 2 day service provides delivery Monday through Friday only, so the day of delivery for two day service would be Monday. FedEx Home Delivery is a ground service which provides delivery Tuesday through Saturday, and is the only FedEx delivery service with Saturday delivery.


The order was shipped on Thursday, not Wednesday, so it does not appear the FedEx was at fault in not delivering until Monday. Perhaps the FedEx rep thought it was shipped on Wednesday, which is why she said that the delivery was late. After the shipment has left our facility, it is not possible to change the service or date of delivery.

I want to assure you that ordering from Aircraft Spruce via internet requires no addition handling time versus phone orders. The order prints to the warehouse and ships the same day, which in this case was when we opened for business on August 5.

Please let me know how Aircraft Spruce should have handled this ordered differently. We appreciate your business and want you to always be satisfied with our service.

Best Regards,

Jim Irwin
President
Aircraft Spruce
 
I am personally...

...amazed that I can order an odd number (say seven) of a 2 cent washer from Aircraft Spruce at midnight, and find that the whole order has be picked, counted and shipped by 3 pm the next day - including the odd number of cheap washers - and by using Fed-Ex ground and not UPS, it is usually here on my door step in AZ in the morning of the second day after shipping.

Tried this at Wicks and didn't read the order carefully and ended up with many bags of 100 cotter pins...:D
They seem to prefer to ship in pre-bagged quantities.
 
ACS Rocks

I live about an hour's drive from ACS here in Atlanta, and they're so dang fast with the shipments that driving down there myself would be more expensive and inefficient by comparison. I'm sure ACS is missing me now that the plane is done. I just wonder why I never got an xmas card.

Now how 'bout ordering from the mother ship? Jeez. It's like molasses. Many a groan rose up out of the basement when I realized that I needed a part that I could only get through Van's. Hey Van's if you're watching, my builder number is 8675309.
 
I have found that a phoned in order to Van's gets handled way faster than their internet orders. If its something I need right away, I call it in and ask for a quick turn around.
 
I should also mentioned that I was also contacted by Jim Irwin, the president of ACS, directly and that ought to be taken as a good measurement for good customer care and satisfaction.
 
Follow-up By Jim Irwin

Follow-up message by Jim Irwin:

> Bob,

>
> I am just following up to confirm that you received my email from August 10.
If you feel that Aircraft Spruce mishandled your order I certainly want to
resolve the matter your satisfaction. I would also like to let the VAF forum
know that we have addressed your complaint. I look forward to hearing from you
soon.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Jim Irwin
> Aircraft Spruce

My response:

Jim Irwin,

I did receive your e-mail and I published it in the VAF website. It seems in my trying to get the hoses on Saturday i got into a dual delivery system by Fedex. I ordered Wednesday night after I got home from the airport on the internet knowing that Fedex delivers to my home on Saturday but not monday as the normal operation. I learned this on a previous shipment from Aircraft Spruce (MD200-306 indicator I believe).

In that instance the Fedex delivery person rang the door bell while I was in the bathroom on Saturday. As I raced through clean-up operations and ran to the door I saw the Fedex truck disappearing up the hill. I called Fedex as soon as I had my wits about me and I was told that since the truck had just left the driver will be notified and may come right back. Otherwise the delivery will be made on Tuesday because they don't deliver on Monday. I jumped in my truck and tried to catch the Fedex truck but failed to catch sight of it. The package was finally delivered on Tuesday.

Armed with this intelligence I assumed on the hose order if I specified 2 day delivery on the Wednesday night order and agreed to pay $23 for the delivery it would certainly be delivered on Saturday. However, I found out as events transpired that if I specify 2 day delivery the shipment goes into another routing system that does not deliver on Saturday but does deliver on Monday. And that is what happened. After I got the hoses on Monday and installed them I found that the vacuum system performance was still unacceptable and I needed more parts. When I came home Monday night , based on my new broader knowledge I waited until the next morning to place my order. The lady I talked to was efficient and knowledgeable. She asked how I wanted it shipped? I asked back what are my options? She asked where I live and after gaining that information she said if we ship it "ground" it will be delivered in two days and clarified that with "THURSDAY". It is now Thursday and the tracking system from Fedex says it is on the truck for delivery. Your employee was right, there was no confusion about what was going to happen and I am satisfied with everything Aircraft Spruce does. However, I will always use the personal contact when ordering under tight schedule constraints to assure that I get what I need when I need it. If there is no schedule constrain I will continue to use the on-line order system.

Bob Axsom
 
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Bob Axsom said:
In that instance the Fedex delivery person rang the door bell while I was in the bathroom on Saturday. As I raced through clean-up operations and ran to the door I saw the Fedex truck disappearing up the hill.
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Wow......talk about overshare.............. ;)
 
The package was delivered

The last package was delivered a few minutes after noon today (Thursday). Everything was as it should be.

Bob Axsom
 
Useful shipping info

For those that prefer FEDEX, I just learned that the FEDEX guy arrives at the Georgia ACS at about 6:30 PM, while the UPS guy is closer to 8:00 PM. I just placed an order this week at about 2 PM central; apparently that wasn't enough time to make the FEDEX truck (my package is now lost somewhere in the UPS system). Get your orders in early if you want them to ship FEDEX.

YMMV,
Paige
 
The saga continues

Installed the new filters on the regulator and the inlet air point of the vacuum system great improvement the regulator regulates again and the vacuum gauge comes alive more/better. The DG is better as well but still bad as I expected. I removed the fittings to install them in the new DG but they are so badly galled (probably over torqued during the original installation of during multiple service activities) that I simply cannot do that. So it's Saturday and I get on the phone with Aircraft Spruce and talk to a human for ordering new fittings. I ask for the absolute fastest service - at this point I will pay nearly anything. The woman told me that next day service with UPS is the fastest way unless I can come to one of the stores and the delivery cannot be made until Tuesday. We have our normal UPS deliveries quite late in the afternoon. Since we are starting our trip to Canada to fly in the Great Canadian Air Rally Wednesday afternoon this is getting tight. If the delivery is late or is incorrect, I will be looking for some place in a 300 mile radius for a drive and buy mission. I looked at the Wicks catalog and there are fittings but not exactly what I need. I have a lot of ideas for source and I will make this work but I will be happy to be on my way.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob,
we have a Aircraft Spruce here in Canada. It is a 20 minute flight from tom's house or a 1 hour drive. You could check with them if they have some in stock and ship it to my house and it will be here when you arrive.

Gary
 
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