On Monday, Van’s Aircraft’s posted a short video on Facebook and YouTube updating builders on the company’s progress. In late October, the company said it was undertaking a number of internal studies to better respond to issues with laser-cut parts (LCP) in recent kits that, along with other factors, drove the kit maker into a serious cash crunch. The company expected to complete the review around the middle of November. Van’s Greg Hughes reported in the video that the company expects to “finish our assessment sometime next week…and be able to share more information at that time.”
Hughes noted that the company had updated guidance to builders and had refined the parts list so that builders would have better confirmation of the presence (or absence) of laser-cut parts in their kits. Van’s originally had a start date that each part was available in laser-cut form, but that’s now been refined to correlate when each kit’s crate was packed and the likelihood that laser-cut parts were on the shelf at the time. For builders working from untouched parts, determining which pieces were punched and which were laser cut was relatively easy, but those whose kits had already been partly constructed (or sections outsourced to customer assistance facilities) it could be difficult to tell. Builders can expect to be notified about the contents of their kits soon.
He also said that Van’s is nearly finished with “a substantial full inventory” that was part of the internal review and that, as a result, “our parts shipping department has started shipping parts again.” New kit sales and shipments of larger pieces are still on hold, however. Van’s is expected to have a further update after the Thanksgiving holiday.
I go back to 1972 with Van ; when Van first flew his RV3 to Watson Ville and competed in the Time to Climb Fly Offs I flew my W8 Tailwind two place and eliminated all the other Two Place Aircraft.. Van had eliminated all the Single Place Aircraft in his single place RV3 Aircraft. We lined up together and the flag dropped– Off we went ==All I saw was Vans Tail feathers from takeoff and on up to two thousand feet. We leveled off and we went for top speed ==again all I saw was Van’s Tail feathers== I built up a180 hp RV4; and at his home coming i asked Van for a chance to” Get Even for Watsonville.. Van smiled and said “Sure Ron It will be fun”. All I saw was Van’s RV4 Tail feathers==To have been one of Vans Greatest Fans!! You have know Idea how Hurt and Sad I feel for the Chapter11 of Vans Aircraft. I just hope and pray this all works itself out for the better Ron Sutton