Thank you Vans

[cgeyman]

I am building my second RV-9. This will be my fifth RV plane owned (RV-12, RV-8, RV-9 x three). Every day at the hangar I am filled with happiness when putting parts together that are so well designed and manufactured. Yes, I have LCPs in my current kit, but have decided to be completely satisfied with green and yellow ones, and will fly with red ones until I get around to buying and building a new tail kit. Happy that the testing proved their basic design to be outstanding. My Zenith friend had to replace his wing spar after completing his build due to poor design by the company, but he has flown his upgraded plane since with a smile on his face for many years. It did take him an extra year to drill it out and replace. I think the newer Vans crowd is way too critical. Just build what you can for now and breath a little. The kit designs are amazing, the planes perform amazing, and a little faith is in order. I agree with upfront price increases to get back on track.
Thank you to everyone at Vans who live and breath such an excellent product that you provide. It is a workplace of passion (maybe not of accountants so much).
I am hoping we can have a happy thread for a while. Doom scrolling is such a bummer.
Cal

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Thanks to a GREAT design and company!

I am building my second RV-9. This will be my fifth RV plane owned (RV-12, RV-8, RV-9 x three). Every day at the hangar I am filled with happiness when putting parts together that are so well designed and manufactured. Thank you to everyone at Vans who live and breath such an excellent product that you provide. It is a workplace of passion (maybe not of accountants so much). I am hoping we can have a happy thread for a while. Doom scrolling is such a bummer. Cal

Here here! I put SuzieQ together in the days of, what was then, nearly just a pile of aluminum sheets and pieces. Building jigs, lining things up, drilling holes, deburring and dimpling them, then driving 13,000+ rivets. She was a joy to build but, after 6 years, I was pretty anxious to get her into the air. I had, up until that time, never flown an aircraft with such a wide range of performance parameters. Was the time spent building her worth it? Never thought about that after she was in the air! Except when people asked. Oh, six years or so. But I'm pretty meticulous.... There is a reason there are more RV types flying than any other design and World-wide!

I am very fortunate that this kit was designed the way it was resulting in the amazingly designed airplane I fly today.......and that Vans gave me the opportunity to pound her together.

THANK YOU, VANS! STILL have my RV grin going.........

 

[esco]

My thanks to Van, and the company.
I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to learn, to practice, to make mistakes, and to build a great airplane.

Not only do I live in a time when it's possible to build your own airplane(!), but I also met Dick VanGrunsven. I was very impressed by his candor, humility, knowledge, and dedication.
His commitment to a safe product for builders and flyers is also evident in his actions.

 

[Mike6A]

6a

Helped my instrument instructor build his and he let me use it anytime i wanted. After 6 months of him saying i,m going somewhere this weekend. Finished mine in 97. Took the first trip to baja at 30 hrs on the tach. Only time i needed to buy parts is when i added to the panel. The 0-360 has beed so reliable also. Unfortunately i might have to sell next year. I will cry that day. Also built a 10 with him but not even close to a 6.

 

[Imagine47]

Well said!
As an older builder whose most precious resource is time I am wondering if I should accept the Vans engineering assessment that the LCP are fit for use and just see if I can take delivery of my fuse kit so I can build on. It was due this month but who knows now. After all I am trusting the engineers on everything else. I don’t care about resale. ( although my heirs may disagree)This will be my last build (#3).

Greg Beckner
RV 14A built, flown 350 hours and sold doh! Stupid.
RV 14 TW in progress emp, sb wings complete.
Dues paid