Van's Year End Update = NICE!

[A2022]

Year-End Update

As we approach the end of 2024, we reflect on a year marked by challenges, growth, and meaningful progress at Van’s Aircraft. Thanks to hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support of our community, we’ve made significant strides—improving kit lead times, advancing the RV-15 project, and implementing key operational enhancements.

Everyone at Van’s is committed to serving our valued customers and community. While we still have much to achieve, we wanted to share some highlights of the improvements and accomplishments made in 2024:

Production and Shipping Efficiencies
• Delivered over 1,200 kits worldwide.
• Revised kit packaging and crating processes, saving customers up to $250 in shipping cost per kit.
• Fulfilled 11,846 parts orders to ensure parts availability for ongoing projects.
• Shipped over 2,500 customer orders for laser-cut replacement parts.
o Please note that we have fulfilled all known laser-cut replacement orders. If you placed an order and have not yet received a shipment or tracking number, please contact us at support@vansaircraft.com so we can promptly assist you.

Customer Service and Support
• Answered 22,315 support and order inquiry calls in 2024.
• Expanded our customer service team to ensure faster and more efficient support.
• Reduced the number of unresolved customer inquiries from 3500 requests to 385.
• Reduced call wait times from an average of 4 minutes and 22 seconds in January to 2 minutes and 30 seconds in recent months.

Backorder and Kit Availability Updates
• Reduced backorders by 50%.
• Fulfilled 114 backordered RV-10 seat sets year to date (with the remainder to be cleared by March 2025).
• Reduced QuickBuild kit lead times from 18 months to 12 months.
• Reduced Empennage kit lead times for every RV model to 2 weeks.

Supplier and Operational Enhancements
• Worked with suppliers and partners (who have been awesome!) to reduce supplier backlog by 67%, allowing significant progress on fulfilling delayed shipments and backorders.
• Implementing new ERP/MRP system, designed to improve lead times, order tracking, and customer service.
• Partnered with a third-party auditor to develop and refine our new quality initiative and policies.

RV-15 Update

Exciting progress continues on the RV-15! Successful flight tests have provided valuable data to refine the design, including:
• The stabilator has been replaced with a conventional tail on a longer tailcone, which has proven to provide more intuitive handling for pilots of varying skill levels. Testing of the final tail has demonstrated excellent flight stability and ground performance throughout the entire cg range.
• The aircraft is now harmonized in pitch and roll to deliver the signature “RV Feel,” with control forces tailored to its backcountry mission. For those eager for an RV designed for backcountry adventures, the RV-15 is delivering on its promise.
• Detail design work is underway on the wing and empennage, with expanded fuel tanks integrated into the wings for extended range.
• Refinements are also being incorporated into a new fuselage design, with detailed work set to begin after wing and empennage testing is complete.
The RV-15 is shaping up to be a game-changer for backcountry flying, and we can’t wait to share more as the project moves forward!


Looking Ahead to 2025

As we move into 2025, we’ll continue to focus on delivering Total Performance across all aspects of our business—from kit production and aircraft design to customer service and community engagement. We’re excited to keep building on the progress we’ve made this year and to support you throughout the process of building, flying, and enjoying your RV.


Introducing The Van’s Avionics Department

We are pleased to announce Van’s will be forming a new avionics department in 2025. This strategic expansion will enable us to offer integrated avionics and wiring harness solutions for the RV-15, and possibly future MOSAIC aircraft. We expect that many Van's customers will continue to have custom wiring harnesses and panels built by their favorite third-party panel supplier. However, our goal in establishing this new department is to provide future RV-15 builders with high-quality wiring harnesses and instrument panels that dramatically reduce the build time and remove anxiety and uncertainty in this portion of their project. This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to enhance the builder experience while preserving the hallmark customization and flexibility that define Van’s Aircraft kits.


Thank You

We couldn’t have accomplished all this without the dedication of our team and the continued support of the Van’s Aircraft community. Whether you’re building, flying, or planning your next RV project, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a bright New Year!