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.
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.