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Fire wall forward kit

G

Gahannaflyer

Active Member
Does anyone have some insight into what is the near future availability of the FWF kit? Vans is telling us recently that it won't become available until sometime next year! I can't believe that everyone is going to wait until "when ever". Are some of us sourcing it out somewhere else? Are you adapting another RV FWF kit to make it fit a 14? Is there an ulterior motive for Vans to hold up the release of the kit? I don't want to sound selfish here, but I can't be the only one that is about at a standstill.
 
Please don't be mistaken. I am talking about the Firewall forward kit. Not the finish kit. I have almost completed the finish kit.
 
For what it is worth, Vans informed me yesterday that the job now is to get the exhausts manufactured. It seems as though the design has been completed and it is now into manufacture phase. Unlikely to be available this year.
 
Fire wall Forward Kit

IMHO the RV-14 community is way overdue for a project update from Van's.
There are many of us, who are seriously striving to get our aircraft into Phase 1, during :)calendar year 2016. Scott, can you offer any insight, for those of us who like to plan ahead?
 
FWF Mid January??

I spoke to Van's staff last week whilst ordering those updated thicker cowl brackets we have to pay for. They seemed to think the FWF would be ready mid January, I didn't ask what year however I'm confident it will be 2016 as the folks at Van's know we are getting a bit edgy about completing our projects.
 
For those who have time crunch

Rolling your own firewall forward is simple. If you are waiting to work on the firewall forward, all the components can be ordered from various venders. There is no reason to get all wound up. Just order what you need and build on. I never use the kit for firewall forward because I want to have the flexibility for routing of lines and sizing and brand of cooler

So take the time you are spending complaining and put together an order and get going.

Gary Specketer
 
Aussieflyer said:
I spoke to Van's staff last week whilst ordering those updated thicker cowl brackets we have to pay for. They seemed to think the FWF would be ready mid January, I didn't ask what year however I'm confident it will be 2016 as the folks at Van's know we are getting a bit edgy about completing our projects.
Click to expand...

What brackets are these? Do you have a part number or page number?
Thank you
 
It's the two flat alum. bars .032" or so that the bottom engine cowl screws up to rather than alum. hinge material. They fasten in at the firewall. Van's is now making them .063" I do believe.
 
I've tried to buy all the pieces and parts that I could up until now to keep building FWF, but if they would only at LEAST start selling the baffle kit, governor brackets, any throttle/mixture brackets, and things like that, it would be much better. As it is, I don't expect there will be much more than that that I'll be buying from them on the kit. Then if they would make the plans available at least...there's no good reason that we should be deprived of the information that would be helpful in getting it all together.

All I know is, the RV-10 had a heck of a lot of things involved in getting it out the door, and that delivery went way smoother than this one is. I never dreamed that I could get a finishing kit in June, but not have the few parts I need to get an FWF kit until into 2016... If patience is a virtue, I'd say (tongue in cheek) that there are many truly virtuous RV-14 customers out there.

It'll all feel better once we get them in the air...that much I know for sure.
 
GigAir said:
Scott, can you offer any insight, for those of us who like to plan ahead?
Click to expand...

Sorry Greg,
From the tone of some posts that have already been made, I am going to by pass commenting because these threads often turn into a lynch mobbing of the messenger.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
Sorry Greg,
From the tone of some posts that have already been made, I am going to by pass commenting because these threads often turn into a lynch mobbing of the messenger.
Click to expand...

Then please give us an update on Van's site where you have control of the activities.
Thanks Ron
 
Update - Please

rvbuilder2002 said:
Sorry Greg,
From the tone of some posts that have already been made, I am going to by pass commenting because these threads often turn into a lynch mobbing of the messenger.
Click to expand...

Scott,

I understand you are tired of all of us complaining. Please try to put yourself in our position. Most of us have well in excess of 100K (some closer to $150K :mad:) invested in these planes and are anxious to get them flying. The only way to do that is to keep making progress every day. To be fair, there have been many more delays than any of us would have liked and we are doing our best to be patient and appreciate any guidance you can give or Van's can post. We are trying to plan our purchases and what we need to complete these projects. Best option would be to get the plans out if they are complete and make other parts available since the majority of us would probably be ordering parts of the kit and not the whole kit once it is released. If the exhaust is what's holding it up, please make the other parts we need available so we can continue to make progress. The exhaust can always be stuck on at the end.

You know, because you have been told many times we appreciate your input, posts and guidance so we will do our best not to kill the messenger.
 
My final word....

The tone of complaint posts usually imply that everyone at Van's seems to not care that we need parts. That they have us on the hook and have no concern for how long it takes.... why hurry, lets be lazy..etc., etc..

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Everyone at Van's is interested in customer satisfaction, but that comes on multiple fronts (it is far more than just throwing a bunch of parts in a box).
One of those being giving the customer the most advanced developed kit on the market today. That can't be done by making compromises on a design aspect when we know it is not right. (one small example.... heat system performance is awesome... the development of the entire exhaust system is part of what made that happen).

So for everyone that is frustrated and wanted parts months ago, there are hundreds more that want a great airplane, and not have to be trying to improve something later.

The kit is in the final stage for release... many different departments are working on getting all parts in production, developing packing lists, etc.

If you want more official information than that I suggest you drop a call or e-mail to the office.
 
It was not that many years ago that there were NO firewall forward kits for any of the RVs. It is not difficult to source and or fabricate these items. I understand that the exhaust system is going to be one item that would worth waiting for but all the rest of it is standard engine installation stuff. A firewall forward kit will save some time but if you find yourself waiting then you might as well just move on and make those decisions and parts yourself. You might even enjoy the problem solving that is involved! There are thousands of RVs flying that did not have firewall forward kits.
 
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I think by far the biggest problem is that there isn't a good communication of the status of the kits. If people could hear what was still yet to be done, and if they had access to the plans, it would be taken much better. But to not receive any email/phone/mail/forum communications as to status for long periods of time just leads people to make up their own idea of what may be causing the delays. Communication is more important than maybe is understood.
Tim
 
Sorry

rvbuilder2002 said:
The tone of complaint posts usually imply that everyone at Van's seems to not care that we need parts. That they have us on the hook and have no concern for how long it takes.... why hurry, lets be lazy..etc., etc..

That couldn't be further from the truth.
Click to expand...

Scott,

I apologize if I offended you, didn't mean to. You and Van's staff have been very helpful to me and I do appreciate it. I know everyone at Van's cares about the product and wants the kit out the door, just as badly as we do. Of course I want the best product, just getting closer to finishing and getting anxious. Thanks, have a great weekend.
 
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