From: RWolf99@aol.com
Message-ID: <0.4668f715.254b2b94@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 12:55:48 EDT
Subject: Kit Quality
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0

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I missed responding to the posts a few days ago concerning kit quality -- I 
was out of town on business.  Some words for the questioner who is obviously 
trying to decide whether or not to join our merry little band.

I have noticed several areas where the fit of parts on my 360 kit is 
sub-optimal.  I'm working on the header tank and this is one of those problem 
areas.  The horizontal tail fit to the fuselage is another one, which I have 
not yet attacked.  I've also had an obsolete part in my optional bracket kit 
which was caused by changing  the gear leg hole pattern without changing the 
hole pattern in the part which bolts to it.  There are several other places 
where I had to use my ingenuity to solve minor problems that didn't need to 
be built into the kit.

No, the kit isn't perfect.  Neither is the construction manual.  But they are 
both pretty good, and I doubt there's anything significantly better out 
there.  The place where I think Lancair stands out is their responsiveness to 
builder problems.  I get same-day response to any problem I have.  If there's 
something wrong with a composite part they tell me how to fix it.  If there's 
a problem with a hardware item (rare) or a missing part (more rare) they send 
out a new part the same day.  Also, this e-mail forum has caused the number 
of phone calls I make to Redmond to drop in half.

The place where Lancair could be improved is sharing information on recurring 
builder problems.  Things which most of us have had to struggle thru which 
were not covered well in the manual, or where the molded parts don't fit 
together ideally and have to be "made to fit" somehow.  If I spent my time 
answering the same builder questions over and over, I'd do something about it 
-- like make a "fact sheet" to fax out when people call, or update the manual 
or something.  Anything to keep from answering the same question twice.  This 
is not a slam on Orin, or Doug or anyone else up there at Lancair.  I love 
being able to ask them questions and get helpful, cheerful answers.  Maybe it'
s the rural setting up there, or maybe Lance puts Valium in the coffee, but 
they're so relaxed and friendly up there!  And this forum also helps -- Marv 
has done a great job coalescing and cataloging this stuff.

I have told myself, more than once, that if I win the lottery I'll finish my 
Lancair and then fly to Redmond and spend six months rewriting the manual, 
incorporating all the stuff we've learned about these kits in the last ten 
years.  But until that happens, rest assured that although the world is not a 
perfect place, and the Lancair kit isn't perfect, there are plenty of 
resources to help you through the problem areas, and plenty of beautiful 
finished airplanes to testify to the soundness of the product.  

- Rob Wolf
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