Van's BS

This from Van's on 12-26-15:

"The RV-14 has always been promoted as a complete kit (like the RV-12). So even with different vendors handling the actual panel kit and related equip., the intent has always been to finish out everything else.... everything from position and landing lights to pre-wired stick grips (and everything in between).
I realize there has been some frustration when builders are able to make progress way beyond the pace that these kits come out, but everything Van's has said would be supplied has been (or soon will be). If a builder decides to move ahead on their own and then a kit comes available for work that they did, I would assume they somewhat would have expected that to happen".
________________
Here we are in late May 2016 and none of this has happened.

I don't get it ... empennage, fuselage, wings, finishing, engine, prop, FFW kit all are available, and Stein and AFS (at least) are producing avionics packages for the -14 ... there other little add-ons available as well ...

What is it that you feel is still missing?

rv8pilotpaul said:

This from Van's on 12-26-15:

"The RV-14 has always been promoted as a complete kit (like the RV-12). So even with different vendors handling the actual panel kit and related equip., the intent has always been to finish out everything else.... everything from position and landing lights to pre-wired stick grips (and everything in between).
I realize there has been some frustration when builders are able to make progress way beyond the pace that these kits come out, but everything Van's has said would be supplied has been (or soon will be). If a builder decides to move ahead on their own and then a kit comes available for work that they did, I would assume they somewhat would have expected that to happen".
________________
Here we are in late May 2016 and none of this has happened.

Click to expand...

I have been working the wire and panel for an RV-14. I however look at Van's dive to "do everything" like you discuss exactly the wrong path for Van's kit evolution.

If, and only if you want an exact duplicate of the Van's demonstrator, the RV-14 kit adds a lot of work. Simple examples:
- I had to remove and rewire most of the wings to support dual ADHARS install, pitot heat and shielded wire for the nav/strobes, .
- The kit wing and fuselage molex connectors are close to useless. Making your own is a lot less work.
- The kit stick wiring fails to support anything other than the most simplistic stick grip.
- The fact that the kit does not even provide the panel blanks is perhaps the best example of the wrong approach. Calling Van's the answer was "just have your avionics shop doing your panel provide the blanks". Van's did provide order information to get these "options". As a side note - having an avionics shop do the panel resulted in more work than if I just did it.

The list goes on.

Bottom line - building your own airplane is far too personal to have someone else predetermine how you will out fit it. To add any flexibility Van's would be faced with an impossible problem of trying to please everyone. If I was them, I'd take a giant step away from "we provide everything in the kit".

Carl

Communication

I assume you have discussed this all with Vans and have not gotten any satisfaction and thus have gone public with your issues

Gary Specketer

rv8pilotpaul said:

This from Van's on 12-26-15:

"The RV-14 has always been promoted as a complete kit (like the RV-12). So even with different vendors handling the actual panel kit and related equip., the intent has always been to finish out everything else.... everything from position and landing lights to pre-wired stick grips (and everything in between).
I realize there has been some frustration when builders are able to make progress way beyond the pace that these kits come out, but everything Van's has said would be supplied has been (or soon will be). If a builder decides to move ahead on their own and then a kit comes available for work that they did, I would assume they somewhat would have expected that to happen".
________________
Here we are in late May 2016 and none of this has happened.

Click to expand...

Paul you obviously seem quite disappointed since the majority of your 61 posts on VAF focus on complaining.
Have you called the office and talked with anyone about it?
If not, then by the definition of the forum policies I would say this is nothing more than vendor bashing....

Who would be the person in the office that could offer more than "have patience"and "other builders want a well made kit"? Rather than "we messed up and let some builders down".

Hey Paul,

PM or email me if you feel you need to, but this thread is vendor bashing (posting rules). Specifically rule #7, so I'm closing it.

Call the factory if you want to vent about the factory would be my advice.

b,
dr