From: RWolf99@aol.com
Message-ID: <bf.38ae020.26600027@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 12:28:23 EDT
Subject: Factory Support
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0

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I'm don't understand why some of you are having so many problems with the 
factory.  I have a few, sure, but by and large the support has been 
excellent.  No, I don't get to talk to the same tech rep each time, but they 
all seem to know the answers to the problems I pose.  Vern ships out parts 
with lightning speed if they are in stock -- which they usually are -- and 
tells me if they are not.  I get to choose how they are shipped, so the 
shipping cost is up to me.  Did you ask for next day delivery on the item 
that had a $23 shipping charge?  Do what I do -- plan ahead so you don't need 
next day service.  On the whole, I get a lot better parts support from 
Lancair than from Aircraft Spruce, and I live only a couple of hours from 
Spruce.  Generally, I'm pretty happy.

I will admit that there are fleet problems where corrective information is 
not widely disseminated.  As an example, all of us 320 builders have to deal 
with a horizontal tail saddle that needs rework due to a tailcone twist.  I 
bought my kit in 1994 -- it took until 1998 to get a factory manual rewrite 
that addresses this.  There are other areas where kit "features" had to be 
reworked by all of us, where I would have appreciated a note in the manual.  
Having said that, even with all of it's shortcomings, the Lancair assembly 
instructions are better than many other kits.  Plus, I like getting service 
bulletins when they are required, rather than having to find problems the 
hard way.

Difficulties with aerospace manufacture are not unique to Lancair.  I've been 
building flight hardware for over 15 years now for my job.  We have to fix 
and rework things now and then, too.

I don't consider myself a "Lancair apologist" -- a term I have heard before 
on this forum.  I have a certain set of expectations and they are generally 
being met.  Those of you with expectations of perfection are bound to be 
disappointed.  (Though I'll concede that y'all may have some legitimate 
beefs....)

Happy building.

- Rob Wolf
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