Van's Says Laser-Cut Parts Safe, Will Still Replace Some Of Them - AVweb

KITPLANES is reporting that Van's Aircraft has released the technical reports on the use of parts with laser cut holes and it has determined there are no safety or durability issues with them. But it has also pledged to replace dozens of parts it has identified as being structurally critical in each of the plane kits it manufactures. In video postings on its website, Van's says it had third-party engineers thoroughly assess the metal fatigue vulnerability of the parts and the conclusion is that they will stand up to heavier use than is actually possible and last far longer than the expected life of an RV aircraft. "Aircraft usage calculations assume that the airplane is flown 30 minutes of each hour at full aerobatic air show loads, and the remaining 30 minutes of each hour at flight-school loads," Van's said in a statement.


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