Van's Air Force
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Backordered parts
- Thread starter TShort
- Start date
I had submitted an inventory discrepancy and got a response indicating that my missing parts would ship along with backordered parts today. I didn't press for details, managing my expectations and their bandwidth. They'll send whatever they send.
That's good news. I just emailed my inventory discrepancy a few minutes ago...
I ordered my FWF kit last August, received most of it in November IIRC and just got my last few back ordered pieces last week. The hold up, I'm sure, was the FF-01406E (oil cooler inlet), but I have to say, it's beautifully TIG welded...sometimes, good things just take a lot of time
Hey guys talking about FWF - this is the RV-15 forum, so the implication is that it’s talking about RV-15 parts….and the FWF kit is merely a gleam in someone’s eye at this point! 
Whoops, my apology...please delete my post...and this post of course.
Just checking in on others to see how backorder and inventory discrepancies are going. I have done just about everything I can until more parts show up. I don't really have room to shift over to building ailerons and flaps now that I have most of a wing on the bench.
On Jan 21st they said mine were going to be shipped out on Jan 23rd. Checking in on it three weeks later seems fair. The reply was not exactly friendly and definitely not helpful in any way, but it did make me feel like I should have known better than to even ask. I guess I learned my lesson.
On Jan 21st they said mine were going to be shipped out on Jan 23rd. Checking in on it three weeks later seems fair. The reply was not exactly friendly and definitely not helpful in any way, but it did make me feel like I should have known better than to even ask. I guess I learned my lesson.
I just received a package that had most of my missing parts and some of the back ordered ones. They said they are shipping out what they have when they get it.
I got a few of the flap tracks and a strut fitting; they look really good.
I got a few of the flap tracks and a strut fitting; they look really good.
Exact same here and about the exact timeline. I emailed yesterday and got a response today saying the were working on it.
Even just the notorious 5 missing ribs would let me get some more work done. BO flap tracks and the rivets for the outboard aileron bracket would really let me move forward. On top of that, bearings for the outboard aileron bellcrank would probably satisfy me for the next couple weeks.
I'm over it for now. I mentally stepped away from the build and will get back to it whenever I can. Beautiful weather to catch up on some RV-12 maintenance and maybe even do some flying before the rain gets here.
Which ribs are you missing?
I’m missing the same 5 rt wing ribs along with the correct Cmax rivets along with other items.
I am missing those R wing ribs as well (got the same part number but F-, they are flap end ribs). Though that was an error / omission rather than a backorder for me.
Main missing B/O parts for me now are mid flap track, aileron balance weights, wing tips and a few miscellaneous small parts.
Main missing B/O parts for me now are mid flap track, aileron balance weights, wing tips and a few miscellaneous small parts.
Same but also need the strut attach fittings.
My RV15 wing kit just shipped. Was hoping I waited long enough to not have many BU parts. No Joy. Got this email the day the kit shipped. Not sure how Vans can’t have simple (non Cherry) rivets and metal lock nuts??
We wanted to let you know that Van’s Aircraft has created a backorder sales order for the following part(s): FLF-00026, MS21042-3, AN426AD4-3, A-15011-001, FL-15009-001, FL-15009-002, W-15006-001, W-15006-002, W-15041-001, W-15041-002, W-15034-001, W-15043-001, WH-15001-001, WH-15002-001. These items are scheduled to ship on 3/30, and there will be no charge to you for this shipment.
I just went through the packing list to see what parts I'm missing and from which Section prior to the kit delivery. Wasn't thinking I'd be missing both main forward spars
Good grief...
Sorry, but this is a serious manufacturing issue, not supplying enough rivets in a kit ordered 6 months ago?
One would hope with a company that has exited bankruptcy, reduced inventory to control costs, would hold up their end of the contract and promise to ship kits when they promised, not parts of kits that delay builds for half a year.
My plan was to hold out and see how the wing kits went, then buy. But it seems folks who want to get these built quickly are out of luck, and I am reconsidering my purchase.
Sorry you folks are going through this and I hope Vans reads these pages, and fixes thier issue.
One would hope with a company that has exited bankruptcy, reduced inventory to control costs, would hold up their end of the contract and promise to ship kits when they promised, not parts of kits that delay builds for half a year.
My plan was to hold out and see how the wing kits went, then buy. But it seems folks who want to get these built quickly are out of luck, and I am reconsidering my purchase.
Sorry you folks are going through this and I hope Vans reads these pages, and fixes thier issue.
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Mine are missing as well, so don't feel like you've been singled out.I just went through the packing list to see what parts I'm missing and from which Section prior to the kit delivery. Wasn't thinking I'd be missing both main forward spars
Of course I'd like to receive the entire wing kit complete but in reality its not that big of an issue from a timing perspective. I have several other projects going on to keep me busy. The empennage kit isn't available to order and we'll all have a long wait for the fuselage and finish kits.Mine are missing as well, so don't feel like you've been singled out.
N10KE
Well Known Member
Respectfully disagree. The main spars are likely a substantial portion of the total cost of the wing kit and the customers have paid in full. Additionally, not having the spars (and assorted other parts that have been repeatedly back ordered) prevents the builder from getting very far along. Not shipping rivets, while annoying, should not be a show stopper - unlike a main spar.
To each his/her own. I'm keeping a positive outlook that all back ordered parts will ship the end of March as was communicated to me by Vans. When I build the Carbon Cub in 2023 I had backordered parts for 3-4 months, the engine took 20 months. Two buddies are building Slings and they also have many backordered parts that need to ship from South Africa.
I can understand some builders frustration but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
I can understand some builders frustration but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
I'm this way 90% of the time. I don't have any goal set as far as finishing anything. I do just really like building, so I get bummed out when I don't have much else to do but wait.
It turns out I was lying up there about not being able to much else for now, and I should have known better. I wandered out into the garage for some unrelated reason, and was distracted by airplane parts as usual. While shuffling through things I realized there were several small brackets and such that I could jump ahead on. I ended up spending several hours getting parts prepped and brackets riveted up that will streamline things later when I do start real work on flaps and ailerons.
Nothing to do? Do y’all have all of the deburring done?
It’s not an inconsequential amount…
It’s not an inconsequential amount…
Great point Bob... I know when my kit delivers next Tuesday I'll be working thought what I can and then prepping every part I can. I typically use a Scotch brite deburring wheel and a small Scotch brite drum on a small air tool. Of course that still leaves small areas to do by hand (fine sandpaper, files etc). Don't what to derail the thread but any other suggestions on deburring tools.
Thanks
All the small parts, yes. At least, aside from the stack of panel covers. I'm lucky to have a skilled neighbor who loves the zen of deburring parts and always stays ahead of me.
I do not have the skins and large parts done because they are safely stored. I prefer to minimize handling of those parts and not pull them out/down until I am setup to work with them as soon as the edges are taken care of. Similar reasoning to not putting the flap/aileron structures together yet. I have to juggle work and storage space a little bit so I can't have all of the structures in process at the same time.
I’m still amazed at the amount of deburring; one side of every hole, at least one side of every rib flange, one side of every sheet. One edge of every lightening hole, and pretty much all of the .125” parts edges.
It is time consuming.
It is time consuming.
Alphalpha
Well Known Member
I had delightful conversation with Marc Cook at Buckeye this weekend about savoring the build and becoming more enlightened as the result of the building journey. I'm fortunate enough to have access to more airplanes than I can fly while also doing life and building other airplanes. Getting it done isn't the goal. Creating each part in a manner that makes me happy, or even proud of the end result is my goal. Having nine irons in the fire at all times while various aspects of the journey unfold is the goal. Letting something sit for as long as it takes for my brain to come up with a really great way to accomplish the task is the goal. Spending at least 20 minutes a day on building, plotting or planning is the goal. Inviting others into the journey is the goal.
For this much money I'm going to get every ounce of joy out of each part that I can.
For this much money I'm going to get every ounce of joy out of each part that I can.
N10KE
Well Known Member
Understood. A Murphy Elite kit (complete, firewall aft) costs $37,000. An RV-15 kit is more than double that - so I think the expectations are set quite a bit higher. Some folks are fine buying a Nissan Versa, others will pony up for a Lexus - and expect more in return. Same goes here, at least for me.
Got one of each.
This has zero to do with the total cost. Vans RV15 is a completely new airframe. I consider logistical supply and delivery issues a given for a brand new design, not for one that has been around for years/decades. To conclude that I paid more for mine so I should get it quicker is ridiculous. I suspect supply issues are an ongoing headache with the constant whipsaw of tariffs on the thousands of components that go into an aircraft. Doesn't matter if you're building a Murphy or an RV, if they both use the same CherryMax rivets that you can't get. Having to wait a few weeks for that unobtanium widget is a far cry from having to wait years for the same widget. I suspect Vans is doing their best to get those parts to you. They're not in the business of withholding parts to prevent you from completing your project.
N10KE
Well Known Member
We will just have to agree to disagree.
Most of the backordered parts are fabricated by Van’s. That’s an internal issue. Not having enough rivets on hand for the kits is surprising, since other than the CherryMax issues - solid rivets are pretty available. As to tariffs, etc. - the new contract language does not lock Van’s into the original price - so cost increases will get passed along to the builder.
As to expecting it “quicker” - nope. However, due to the much higher kit cost I do expect a more complete kit , better QC/QA and better overall service (to include a higher level of timely communication).
Underpromising and overdelivering is preferable to the opposite.
Actually, yes. I think I have all the deburring done and the skeletons completed (minus missing parts) for both wings, both ailerons, and both flaps. I'm pretty much at a hard stop on everything except figuring out what I can do on the quickbuild tanks. But, I have a very full life and I can entertain myself other ways until the backordered parts come.
I understand a newbie who bought this kit under the understanding that it's "Lego-like" being frustrated by the delays, although I doubt that any of them are at hard stops yet. I do not understand an experienced builder who volunteered to act essentially as a "beta-builder" whining about the birthing pains of putting out a new kit. I believe any experienced builder who was watching the company, its challenges, and the development of the RV-15 knew the roll-out would be bumpy...or should have known. As others pointed out, we know the prevalence of backordered parts in the industry and how recent events have severely impacted the supply chain. These challenges seemed pretty obvious to me but I was willing to jump in and roll with the experience....to volunteer as a beta-builder.
If your personality demands a "Lexus-like" experience, I suggest that you should never be an early adopter of really anything. Especially a clean-sheet design airplane.
I have this mental picture that Van's is not actually short on the solid rivets. It's just taking them months to package them up because they have someone sitting there counting out thousands of rivets down to the single unit. Then another person double checking.
Great, we're funny. I don't really see the humor in a race to the bottom. I agree that Van's is better than the other kit companies and that's why I'm building another RV instead of alternatives. It's never a good look when poor performance is being excused by pointing out how much worse others are. At least, that's never been a goal in my own business.
You say we should try another kit company, because your backorders with them took a year and a half. That's a weird way to make a recommendation. I guess we just don't shop the same. They do say it takes all types.
The service and timely communication should be an easy way to make up some middle ground that Van's is opting out of.
Agree. My point with the deburring is that there is a bunch of it and it is time consuming…something that can be done while waiting for parts.
I still am short some parts but have had more than enough to do with this task. I am guessing that there are some who are just putting it together as is; that’s not how I personally build, so that’s why I asked…
Being a beta builder does take a bit of patience and the realization that you will find errors or better ways to accomplish tasks. I enjoy it!
That's exactly the opposite of what I said. I certainly don't classify Vans as having "poor performance" but I do see that your expectations of having a perfect product provided on day one for a new aircraft design far exceed engineering, logistical and supply realities. My money (literally) is with Vans and I continue to recommend them over any other kit manufacturers despite their shortcomings.
To make it clearer for you to understand that what I find funny is someone complaining that they haven't received their parts in a few weeks when others have been waiting months/years for their parts. I call that a reality check. Care to ask some of the RV10 folks how long they've had to wait for parts? How about Lycoming? But I digress......
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I love this part, and agree 100% on having volunteered for it and enjoy it too. My recent comments in this thread have nothing to do with the speed bumps associated with a new kit. There is beta-customer service experience exists in it's own category.
I'm not even concerned with the timelines, like others I have plenty to keep myself busy. I would like to plan thing out a little but even that is flexible. All I tried to do was check in on something a few weeks after being given a shipping date.
Well, after six-and-a-half weeks since picking up my Wing kit at the factory, I received notice that back ordered parts shipped yesterday. As promised, shipping information was emailed by ABF followed soon after by an inventory list from Van’s. Specifically, from Brett Bounpakob (Freight) [email protected]. (That is another email address to make sure is on your “good guy” list so it doesn’t go to spam.) I appreciate the electronic version of the inventory. Since I have been reading that recent kits have arrived at builder’s shops without either forward spar, I wasn’t surprised that my missing right spar was not on the list. On the plus side, the replacement 1032 right-angle nut plates are on the list. There are about eight other missing items that were not listed so I assume they are still back ordered. I’ll know more once the shipment arrives and I inventory. Oddly, I again will not receive the 548 AN426AD3-3.5 rivets. I’ve used up Paul’s supply and I’ll just punt and put an order into Aircraft Spruce today. I also will only receive eight each of the shim/stiffeners (W-15050-001 and 15051-001) that were entirely missing from my kit and inventory list, although I believe I need 12 each. If so, they will be super easy to make and I’ll actually get some fabrication in!
Go get a quote...I got quotes from several that have stock; The ones who would even quote an individual required a minimum of 100 rivets, prices ranged from $18 to $27 PER RIVET...
Aircraft spruce has them under a dollar, did not check size
And I look forward to your speedy build, keep us informed please.
No…they don’t. The size folks need for the RV-15 wing aft spar are showing “No Stock”…and have been that way for a month or more.
As of February 20th Vans shows CR3213-4-3 and -4 Cherrymax rivets available in the store. Ordered some replacement flop tubes for my -8, added some of these to have spares for when my -15 wing kit arrives, fully expecting them to be back ordered but just got a shipping notice yesterday.
