the RANS CLAN!

WEEK OF JUNE 30, 2008

Hot Topics...
▪Still looking for main page header pics. Click here.
▪New Silly Captions section in the forums
▪Forum Poll: Can a tri-gear Coyote land shorter than a tailwheel Coyote?

Ads. Why? Well, this year the Rans Clan website will cost me personally about $600 for software and hosting. The ads not only offer builders convenient information on which companies supply the products you will need to complete your kit, but by accepting advertising I can keep the site free for everyone.

The ads seen here are placed free for 2008.

QUICK UPDATE

News...

▪ Please note that I have a new e-mail address: webhost@ransclan.com

New Rans Website...WOW!

If you haven't visited the Rans homepage for a while, you might want to visit now. The website is completely redesigned and looks amazing!

On the Monday Quiz! page, I've changed the black background to grey. Do you like the original black or the new grey? Feedback here.

100th Member!

Welcome 'emflys' to the Rans Clan forums as our 100th member! You just won $1,000,000. Wait...not really...but that sure would have been great , huh? Thanks everyone for signing on to the forums. I hope you find them useful and entertaining.

New Poll

Svanarts has started a poll. "Can a trigear Coyote land shorter than a tailwheel Coyote?"

June Capture the Spirit Winner

N986T posted this photo of a near vertical climb. Congrats! Every month a random winner receives a free t-shirt from Rans Aircraft.

Enter your pic here for a chance to win in July.

(N986T be sure to e-mail me with your info so I can send it to Rans)

Funny Caption Photo

"Shut up and keep pushin'...there's gotta be an airport around here somewhere!"

Have a funny caption for this picture? Read some funny ones and post yours here...

Let's get some more of these going! They are fun and help us waste time at work, right! Post your pictures in the new Silly Captions! photo section on the Rans Clan Forums.

Start going through your Oshkosh photos of you and your buddies sitting around the plane or campfire. There's got to be some great photos out there that look odd or have somebody doing something strange looking! Be creative! This could be pretty fun when it gets going.

Rans Clan News...

•Notice the small design change? The main part of the page is larger and the links on the right are smaller and generally the same size. Makes the page look cleaner. Also, I have made my project page into a whole new page, but still under the Rans Clan address. You can go there from the My Coyote link above. That's where you will find all the info about my S-6S like paint schemes, builder's log, etc...

•New S-19 builder site listed on the Builder's Site's page. Website by Randy Clark.

•I've added an 'About' section to the top of the page to introduce the Rans Clan website to new people who may stop by. I've always wanted to add some sort of short welcome message.

•As you can see from the picture above, I've added a new section on the Forums called "Silly Captions!". The picture above is perfect and made me think of this idea as soon as I saw it. Do you have a photo that would lend itself to some strange and funny captions? Post it in the forums and let's all get a good laugh!

•I'm still looking for your pics to post as the header on the main page. Click here for more info.

Glenn has been busy building his S-19!

Glenn is making incredible progress on his S-19! Follow along and see his pics here.

WEEK OF JUNE 23, 2008

QUICK UPDATE:

Moving Ahead!

I finally had a few hours to work on the plane today. Instead of monkey rigging this main gear jig (as seen here) I cut out some new blocks today. I sent them to my dad in PA for him to cut grooves in them to fit around the axle. Then, I will bolt them to the aluminum angle so the clamps won't keep falling off. This will be a much better way of doing this in order to get my wheels lined up perfectly.

After sending the blocks home, I spent the rest of the time on the left wing. I had the fuel tank full of fuel so I dumped the fuel in my car, and mounted the tank (see here). I also started to drill and cleco the front rib clips to the spar. The next step is to start attaching the rear rib clips which I may get to tomorrow before I leave again for work.

Has anyone built the new Sport Wing?

If you have, I'd really like to see some detailed pics of the aft rib clips, top wrap, root wrap, etc...if you have them. Would you mind posting them in the forums or e-mailing them to me?

Rans Tech Support

We are very lucky to have Rans tech support monitor the Rans Clan Forums and offer advice to builder's questions. It is tough, however, for Rans technicians to monitor every thread as this would be very time consuming.

In order to improve the efficiency and helpfulness of the forums, there is a new section titled "Rans Tech Support". This is a place for you to post your questions that you just can't find answers to elsewhere.

There are a few benefits to this. First, it lets tech support log on, answers questions, and then get back to building those cool factory planes. Second, it will most likely prevent a number of people calling and asking the same question. Your question may have already been answered on the forum. Finally, it should also cut down on the number of e-mails they need to respond to.

Again, we are pretty fortunate that the folks at Rans are interested in your progress and take the time to help answer questions. Let's make it easy and efficient for them!

This is What it's all About!

Planes, kids, and lots of smiles...

Want to See Your Picture Above?

Every week I'd like to change the main picture at the top of this page (the one right below the Rans Clan title). Have a good one you'd like to see here? E-mail it to me!

Click here for hints on proper picture sizing.

WEEK OF JUNE 16, 2008

QUICK UPDATE:

4th of July Montana Fly-In
...by hydroguy2

Townsend, MT (8U8) hosts a fly-in every 4th of July. Last year we fed about 250 people, flew a bunch of Young Eagles and the ramp and grass was full all sorts of planes, I think unoffical count was 70+aircraft. BT-13, T-6, PT-19, stearman, RV's, Rocket, spam cans, biplanes, supercubs, floatplanes and 4 Rans. We hope to have 6-10 Rans this year.

100LL is $4.35 and Have Mogas available for you Rans flyers. Plenty of grass next to the pilot lounge for tent pitching.

Click here for more details. (may take a while to load)

QUICK UPDATE:

Oshkosh Online Ticket Price Discount Extended

You now have until June 30th to save money when you purchase your Oshkosh tickets online. The deadline has been extended!

QUICK UPDATE:

Groups Parking at Oshkosh

CarolAnn is organizing group parking in front of the Rans booth this year at Oshkosh. If you are flying in and would like to park your Rans aircraft with other Rans planes, please contact CarolAnn as she needs to know how many parking spaces to reserve.

You may contact her at garrattca@yahoo.com

Monday Quiz #5 Question? (click here for this week's Monday Quiz!)

Michael Morrow noticed some interesting points about question #5 on last weeks Monday Quiz. Here was the question...

5. What is the highest altitude you may operate your VFR equipped S-6S?

A. 10,000'
B, 14,500'
C. 17,999'

The correct answer was C because anything above 17,999' is Class A airspace and all aircraft operating in Class A must be on an IFR flight plan. Notice the question indicated that your S-6S is VFR only. Mike made the observation that you will also need a transponder above 10,000' and oxygen above 14,000'.

As Mike says, "Basically, being VFR equipped is necessary for flight up to 18000MSL (or to fly at all, for that matter), but it is not sufficient for flight above 10000MSL."

Good catch Mike and thanks for paying close attention to detail.

File Swap Page Corrected

If you tried to e-mail me files to list on the File Swap page, you may have noticed the e-mail didn't work. I apologize as there was a typo in my e-mail address. That is now fixed so if you have files to share with the Rans Clan, you may now e-mail them.

(There's two new files posted today)

S-9 Engine Choices?

David Berelsman is rebuilding an S-9 and is wondering about available engines used in the S-9. Here's a thread if you have information about S-9 engines that may help him out.

Shredder Reveals His Quick-Build S-6!

Visit the Rans Clan forums to see more. (Looks very nice)

My S-6S Wings...Actually Look Like Wings!

The left wing is showing some progress now. It looks like I will need anther dimpling tool to dimple the holes in the leading edge wrap.

What? An RV-4 on the Rans Clan Page?

Yep! Scott has been active on the Rans Clan forums and just needs to sell his RV-4 before he can order an S-6 kit. Let's help him sell the RV so he can started on an S-6!

Scott VanArtsdalen
209-986-4647
$55,000

Visit his website here.

MONDAY, JUNE 9

Finally Some Progress

I was finally able to work on my S-6S project. I riveted together the wing tip box and starting fitting the leading edge wrap. I'm going to need more tools to dimple the edge wrap so now I have to wait on that. Sure was nice to see a little progress though.

Here's a tip while working with the leading edge wrap that I learned after three slices to my fingers...WEAR GLOVES! Now it's on to the landing gear. I'm still trying to get the drill bits and reamers needed to drill the top of the gear legs.

Now This Looks Like Fun!

Here's a great video posted by emflys on YouTube. He's posted a few nice flying videos with his S-7.

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

Rans S-19 Update

"FIRST FUSELAGE KIT ARRIVES The first fuselage kit has arrived in good condition at Rocky Mountain Kit planes. Owner, Mark Pringle and team are busy assembling the kit. The shipment arrived in mint condition confirming our packing was able to withstand the assaults of the shippers.

Mark is planning on installing the 914 turbo charged engine, and we will be providing the engine mount. This combination of airframe and engine should make for some very efficient flying at exciting speeds. Remember the LSA speed limit is 120 kts at sea level!

HAPPENINGS INSIDE THE FACTORY

Progress in other areas include continued additions to our final assembly team, and the 5 S-19LS being built to charge the production line are in the fuselage assembly stage."