RV-14A Empennage Kit Arrives in Damaged Crate

[gasman]

If it is expected that the shipper ship an item like this with the arrows up, expect something to be stacked on top of it.

As far as the missing strap and 1X on the broken end of the crate, forklift drivers use that 1X to push the crate into position and if it fails, it does not get replaced.

[Hornet2008]

At the expense of being flamed, I don't think it was the forklift, just a crappy plank on the side of the crate. Where it broke is a typical fault line.

[TS Flightlines]

Also at the expense of getting flamed, think about how many transfers that crate made from Oregon to Dallas, not only in the terminals, but moving around in the trailers too. This does seem to be a problem with Fed EX. I wonder if they would like it if someone treated one of their planes like this?

Tom

[Sheldon]

Back in the early 90's I was waiting, waiting & waiting for my 6 wing kit to arrive. A call to the shipping/trucking company told me to come and pick it up at their dock. I arrived, looked at all my wing parts laying on the floor. I refused it, and left. It was shipped back to Van's. They inspected, repacked and shipped it back in good shape. However, a fork lift fork pushed on one end of the spar crate and bent the tip of the spar web which I repaired ok. That's my experience.....

[rocketman1988]

Get used to it.

Every single large delivery that I have received has had some sort of damage. It started with the empennage kit, just like yours. Looked like they speared mine with a forklift and I ended up replacing the HS spar. Van's was great and I had the part in no time.

I bought the QB kits and had Partain deliver them...no damage whatsoever.

Showplanes cowl...crate damaged.

BPE IO-540...crate damaged.

Most recently, MT prop...crate damaged.

Luckily, nothing inside those crates had been damaged, as far as I can tell. All issues were photographed and noted on the BOL.

Even with the massive $$$ Aircraft parts $$$ on the crates, the shipping companies just toss them around...

[Ron B.]

This is why shipping is so costly. Employees rushing and not caring. Someone has to pay for the damages and in the end it's the shipper with high fees.

[fl-mike]

One issue I have observed is that Van's attaches the skids with staples. Every crate I have received had at least one of the skids torn off.
This would be a good area to switch to drywall screws or similar.
When you start pushing crates with forklift forks, badness ensues.

[charger81]

Show a picture of the condition of your crate when delivered.

If Vans' crating is insufficient for the rigors of transportation (skids attached with staples vs. dry wall screws for example), might be helpful for them to see the condition of their customer's crate upon arrival.

Not saying there is a problem. Call it quality control on the receiving end.

[aeabe]

Four kits on an RV12 delivered by ABF. I did pick them up at the freight terminal in Midland, TX, and hauled them home by trailer/pickup. No damage on any of them, except for one of the 2x4 lifts on the bottom of one crate being missing.

[n82rb]

my wife's company ships truckloads of freight daily, using just about every trucking company there is. most of them just don't care about anything. its a fight every day to get them to make right the things they damage.

that crate looks like the skid ripped loose, so the forklift driver could not pick it up in the center, so he picked it up on the end where he could get the tines under, the load on the crate from being lifted on the end cracked the board alone the knot and pitch fault in the lumber.

good luck, im sure vans will get it set straight for you.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB