Owners of the Great Planes Lancair have had some difficulties, but nothing widespread.
Please be aware of the fact that individuals post on different discussion groups and that one poster may have different aliases on those groups. If 3 people have a problem and post on 3 boards, read by 10 people each, who also comment back and forth, you can have a much larger number of people say that they've heard of the "problem". Suddenly, those 3 incidents have been magnified by several times, and many people now comment on a "widespread" problem that they've heard about.
BAX are you stating this as fact or possibility?
At this point its not clear how many actual reports there are unless you can do an actual count based off the RCU applicants IP profile and trace their computer IP addresses to confirm duplication. However, that too is easily disguised. Or you go by what GP has found internally. How would anyone comprehesively know what everyone had received out of the box anyway? If GP could they would likely not send the reported defects.
I have only one ID and have posted only my experience with the wing. till now.
I identified with my second ARF why and where my wing could have failed had I just stuck to the instruction manual. I lost one previously just before touch down minimizing the damage. It failed at the fuse. I know it wasn't due to the way i constructed it since the first one I followed the plans more closely adding only milled fiber to the epoxy for strength. I also know it was not due to overstressed flights either since these were just maiden test flights. For this reason I wasn't happy knowing I did not overstress the previous plane that failed, purchased another (cause got to admit this is a beautiful plane) to find these poor contruction defects on the second. I though well no wonder my first one may have failed. This however is not everyones experience.
Of the two ARFs that I purchased (defects that many others had posted) I had a cracked fuse on one, a busted windshield on the other, Broken wing tips and missing the wheel pants. That happens with ARFs. THat I'm used to. But it seems I either keep getting lemons, since most seem to have had no issues with there kits or Canadian orders are getting special treatment. Kidding!!! really I'm Kidding
. I gets these shipped to my brother in the US.
To have GP replace the wing would have cost me money. So I reinforced and made sure I was not going to get more of the same.
I think a good recommendation for any ARF!!!!! Check it out thoroughly for problems, check these posts on RCU for possible issues and deal with them and try to make good use of fine service if available from the Manufacturer. GP has been great in this respect. Hopefully GP has alos taken a look at their QA to make sure less of these defects reach the customer.
In the end I would still recommend this plane considering the above.
Thats my 2cents which in Canada is worth a whole 3 cents
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MAX