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And sometimes, good aviation companies get sued for the actions of their customers. Vans Aircraft is a large, successful kit plane manufacturer. More new home

And sometimes, good aviation companies get sued for the actions of their customers. Vans Aircraft is a large, successful kit plane manufacturer. More new home built Vans airplanes fly each year than new Cessnas (or probably any other current aviation company, for that matter). Prior to Vans amazing success, it was common for kitplane companies to run very lean and turn the whole company over (or liquidate the assets and turn them over) in the event of a lawsuit, thus avoiding an expensive legal fight. A Vans airplane was involved in a double fatality. Even though the NTSB determined the pilot to be doubly at fault, a $35 million lawsuit was allowed to proceed in the US. Vans had to provide a legal defense. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed, but doubtless Vans was out a lot of money, both the years of legal defense and bad PR. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued-for-35-million-over-rv-10-crash/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-vans-aircraft-dismissed/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-va...

jcoby 8y ago
The discussion over at the VAF is enlightening as well [1]. The guy basically ignored everyone around him and decided to do things his way or incompletely (he was flying with clecos in the fuselage). That combined with get-there-itis and inexperience with the plane led to his death. I've flown an RV10 and and seriously looking into building one. Nothing about his accident has any influence on my decision process. The Vans kits are probably the best in the industry and section 5.27 of the plans clearly says not to use any sealant, including RTV, on fluid fittings. (Section 5 is a common chapter to all of the RV series and even comes with the practice kit.) 1. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 PS your first link is about lions.
- mcguire 8y ago
  "PS your first link is about lions." That may be my fault. That story (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-...) seems to be following me around today.
FlyMoreRockets 8y ago
That first link, instead of being about lions, should point here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-family-sues-airplane-kit-maker-after-fatal-crash-kills-girl-four-idUSKCN0SE30B20151020 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-famil... Sorry about the lion link, not sure how it got in there.

jcoby 8y ago

The discussion over at the VAF is enlightening as well [1]. The guy basically ignored everyone around him and decided to do things his way or incompletely (he was flying with clecos in the fuselage). That combined with get-there-itis and inexperience with the plane led to his death. I've flown an RV10 and and seriously looking into building one. Nothing about his accident has any influence on my decision process. The Vans kits are probably the best in the industry and section 5.27 of the plans clearly says not to use any sealant, including RTV, on fluid fittings. (Section 5 is a common chapter to all of the RV series and even comes with the practice kit.) 1. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 PS your first link is about lions.

mcguire 8y ago
"PS your first link is about lions." That may be my fault. That story (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-...) seems to be following me around today.

FlyMoreRockets 8y ago

That first link, instead of being about lions, should point here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-family-sues-airplane-kit-maker-after-fatal-crash-kills-girl-four-idUSKCN0SE30B20151020 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-famil... Sorry about the lion link, not sure how it got in there.