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Update on RV-15 Wing Kit Deliveries

#26 delivered to SE Indiana this morning. My guy came with a flatbed and a fork truck. About 5 minutes and he put it right in my workshop…that was worth a big tip to me!
 
Tank crates are 75x43x10.
The quality of the crating/packing is really impressive. There is enough wood in these crates to literally build an EAA workbench, maybe two..
 
...and the packing paper! I am rolling mine up and I think the local elementary school might want it for the kids to draw on!
 
...and the packing paper! I am rolling mine up and I think the local elementary school might want it for the kids to draw on!
Louise’s got wet on the drive home from Vans in rain/snow, so we couldn’t; save the paper….but this is how many lawn-sized trash bags we filled with it - and they were stuffed full!IMG_7915.jpeg
 
Louise’s got wet on the drive home from Vans in rain/snow, so we couldn’t; save the paper….but this is how many lawn-sized trash bags we filled with it - and they were stuffed full!

When it comes to things like trash bags I turn into the 'cheap guy'. Nine bags for paper? No way! Besides, that's 6 weeks worth of recycling bins and I need room for Amazon boxes!

We burned it. Over 2 evenings. It kinda stinks, but the trick is to keep some wood going along with the paper.

IMG_5394.jpeg
 
Really bummed tonight. Still doing inventory and have quite a list of missing parts but the bummer is I'm missing half my wing ribs...:(:(
 
Personally I'd rather receive a phone call from Vans and be given a choice:
  1. You want us to ship what we have right away?
  2. Do you mind waiting X number of days so we can ship you more parts?
Totally understand production delays and I would be willing to work with them. I'm paying for shipping but back orders are on them which ultimately raises prices for all of us. Obviously if you're missing things like spars and ribs, it makes building wings impossible.
 
Really bummed tonight. Still doing inventory and have quite a list of missing parts but the bummer is I'm missing half my wing ribs...:(:(
Kinda in the same boat. Having to inventory twice to make sure I'm not hallucinating that there are many items someone checked off that they packed but that I didn't find in the crate, including five 15012-001 wing ribs.
 
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Here is my backorder lidt in the event it helps someone else. The strut attach and lens were backorder but were checked off as delivered on my list so I reported them as not received just in case. It seems the wing ribs missing is a common thing…..
 
View attachment 108052
Here is my backorder lidt in the event it helps someone else. The strut attach and lens were backorder but were checked off as delivered on my list so I reported them as not received just in case. It seems the wing ribs missing is a common thing…..
Is that your list of missing items or what was backordered?

I have a lot more backordered items on my pick list than that:


Screenshot 2026-01-24 at 12.49.46.png
 
Rivets are backordered???
Are you surprised?

 
Is that your list of missing items or what was backordered?

I have a lot more backordered items on my pick list than that:


View attachment 108054
#26 delivered to SE Indiana this morning. My guy came with a flatbed and a fork truck. About 5 minutes and he put it right in my workshop…that was worth a big tip to me!
Is that your list of missing items or what was backordered?

I have a lot more backordered items on my pick list than that:


View attachment 108054
Thomas, I have a few more BO:
1.000 T-15504-001 TANK SPAR, LEFT, QB
1.000 T-15504-002 TANK. SPAR, RIGHT, QB

I hope that we receive the BO for the other wing pretty soon…
 
Are you surprised?

Didn't see the other thread so yes, I was surprised. A kit plane manufacturer not having rivets is like a hardware store not having nails.
 
Kinda in the same boat. Having to inventory twice to make sure I'm not hallucinating that there are many items someone checked off that they packed but that I didn't find in the crate, including five 15012-001 wing ribs.
I’m missing the same 5 wing ribs! Still working on the invetory as I’m removing the blue film as I go, but interesting that several people have commented on missing ribs.
 
I’m missing the same 5 wing ribs! Still working on the invetory as I’m removing the blue film as I go, but interesting that several people have commented on missing ribs.
I think some of it stems from the new numbering system. I am missing 5 W-15012-001 wing ribs but I received 5 EXTRA FL-15012-001.

Note that the only difference in the part number is W vs FL. If the parts picker is only looking at the number, this would be an easy mistake to make. There are other parts as well, they have the same number but different prefix. I am listing them in my email to vans for missing parts.
 
I think some of it stems from the new numbering system. I am missing 5 W-15012-001 wing ribs but I received 5 EXTRA FL-15012-001.

Note that the only difference in the part number is W vs FL. If the parts picker is only looking at the number, this would be an easy mistake to make. There are other parts as well, they have the same number but different prefix. I am listing them in my email to vans for missing parts.
Exact same story for me
 
I think some of it stems from the new numbering system. I am missing 5 W-15012-001 wing ribs but I received 5 EXTRA FL-15012-001.

Note that the only difference in the part number is W vs FL. If the parts picker is only looking at the number, this would be an easy mistake to make. There are other parts as well, they have the same number but different prefix. I am listing them in my email to vans for missing parts.

Same scenario for me with the missing wing ribs and extra flap ribs. At one point when I was quadruple checking everything to solve the missing rib story, I had convinced myself the flap ribs were mis-labeled and parts were swapped.
 
Well the added backlash is the extra parts being shipped lead to quicker shortages in subsequent shipments. The fact that it keeps happening leaves one thinking the parts are being misstocked prior to final packing.
 
Has anyone successfully had Cunningham Transport pick up and deliver their wing kit? I heard from Todd Cunningham today that although several RV-15 customers had specifically requested Cunningham Transport, Van’s shipped their wing kit with an alternate company.

Getting an undamaged kit is a high priority for me and the odds of achieving this are much higher using Cunningham (formerly Stewart).
 
Has anyone successfully had Cunningham Transport pick up and deliver their wing kit? I heard from Todd Cunningham today that although several RV-15 customers had specifically requested Cunningham Transport, Van’s shipped their wing kit with an alternate company.

Getting an undamaged kit is a high priority for me and the odds of achieving this are much higher using Cunningham (formerly Stewart).
I will say that vans used ABF for my shipment, and it arrived undamaged.

That said, it was shipped from OR to IN. ABF only delivers to my area on Wed and Thurs. The shipment got stranded in Chicago for 3 days, then went to Dayton Ohio for 2 days, then back to Cincinnati missing the cutoff time for wed/thurs shipping, so it sat in Cincinnati for a few days, then it was again loaded on a truck and sent to me, halfway back to Indianapolis. Total trip time was 12 days with several truck transfers enroute. Every truck transfer is another opportunity for damage to occur.

When it did show up, the local driver brought it on a flatbed truck and had a fork truck to unload it. He was able to put it directly into my workshop.
 
I will say that vans used ABF for my shipment, and it arrived undamaged.
You are fortunate. During my time running a build assist facility here in Georgia, more than 50% of the kits delivered by truck freight arrived damaged - sometimes significantly so.

Since the builders are paying the freight bill anyway, I fail to understand why we can’t have our choice of shippers. Having a kit arrive undamaged would seem to be a win-win for everyone.
 
I will say that vans used ABF for my shipment, and it arrived undamaged.

Same here. On schedule, 6 days to central Ca. The driver showed up with a nearly empty truck the first time, but he immediately realized it was those 4 giant boxes that wouldn't fit so he went back for them and returned the same afternoon.
 
Another question - for those builders that picked up their kits at Van’s (avoiding sales tax and shipping charges) - will shipping of the missing and/or back ordered parts be on the builders dime or on Van’s? And what about the sales tax since tax on parts shipped to all States except Oregon and Delaware is collected? https://www.vansaircraft.com/2020/01/update-sales-tax-charges-for-shipments-to-specific-states/
I chose to pick up all of my kits since I'm only a few hours north of the mothership. all the back ordered or missing items were treated as though Vans shipped the kits originally. No cost to me.
 
I chose to pick up all of my kits since I'm only a few hours north of the mothership. all the back ordered or missing items were treated as though Vans shipped the kits originally. No cost to me.
Good to know, thanks.
 
I have slow build tanks…
What brand of polysulfide (proseal) sealant was provided to you? Rian Johnson said last night in the webinar that they had worked with PPG on a sealant for the fuel tank access covers that worked well, but allowed “easy” removal of said covers for maintenance. He didn’t say anything about the sealant that was used for the overall tank construction for the QB tanks - so I was curious if they also used some flavor of PPG polysulfide throughout. I know our resident professional tank fixer (@fixnflyguy) only uses PPG at work and was hoping that Van’s has shifted to PPG vs Flamemaster.
 
It's possible Rian was speaking of Proseal PR 1428 B (low adhesion) that we use for access doors and semi-removable panels. While it may ne fuel resistant, it does not fall into our category of fuel tank sealants, though we use it for structural panels on the non-fuel areas of the wings. I have not tried it for any RV tank panels, as I don't classify them as needing to be removed...I have never found removing tank access panels to be impossible that were sealed with the " normal sealants" , and believe the better sealing properties outweighs the ease of removal mindset. Just my opinion.
 

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What brand of polysulfide (proseal) sealant was provided to you? Rian Johnson said last night in the webinar that they had worked with PPG on a sealant for the fuel tank access covers that worked well, but allowed “easy” removal of said covers for maintenance. He didn’t say anything about the sealant that was used for the overall tank construction for the QB tanks - so I was curious if they also used some flavor of PPG polysulfide throughout. I know our resident professional tank fixer (@fixnflyguy) only uses PPG at work and was hoping that Van’s has shifted to PPG vs Flamemaster.
The B-2 flamemaster is what comes with the wing kit.
 
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