That's really exciting. Nice looking machine.

I see the local retailer is already offering "pre-sales" for delivery some time this year. They must be fairly well organised.

It's certainly a very attractive prospect for those who need 2 seats and a modicum of cargo space. Aesthetically it's certainly a winner.

I find the initial public reaction to the S-20 interesting. It all seems to be almost all surprisingly positive. As a die hard S-7/tandem Rans pilot I am interested but "not really". But then I get caught up in others reaction and find myself remembering all the positives of side by side seating back when I swung that way, and it has got me thinking.....damn it Whether I go over to the dark side or not (may as well go with the tri gear while I'm at it, just kidding) it is gratifying to see RANS looking like it has a winner on it's hands, cool.

It will be interesting to see how pushing that wider fuselage through the air, with the same wing of the S-7, effects performance. Kind of a neat real world lesson in how drag works, or doesn't? Hell maybe it will be less drag? One thing I remember about building my 2 different S-7's was that narrow fuselage is real easy to get in the paint booth!

courierguy wrote: It will be interesting to see how pushing that wider fuselage through the air, with the same wing of the S-7, effects performance. Kind of a neat real world lesson in how drag works, or doesn't? Hell maybe it will be less drag? One thing I remember about building my 2 different S-7's was that narrow fuselage is real easy to get in the paint booth!

When we were doing aerodynamics experiments in University, the were some situations whereby making an object wider could measurably reduce overall drag. We were designing solar powered cars, so I wont bore you with details, but the ratio of length to width is important when you're looking for an efficient aerodynamic shape.

The wider fuselage can also act as a lifting body adding lift to the airframe system as a whole.

They must be burning the midnight oil on that thing because they sure can't return a phone call for their already paid customers right now.

This is why I bought from a dealer rather than factory direct. The dealer I went through was VERY responsive to questions and emails. Every question I asked was answer with a photograph with arrows and words describing what I needed to do. I highly recommend dealers rather than Rans direct. I really like Randy Schlitter but they get busy and don't always answer that fast.

We went through a dealer as well. He ain't having any luck either right now.

We have the 1st set of monster gear. Guess one should be prepared when you have the 1st anything.

Well in the mean time you can practice your swaggering.

Wasn't bragging, just an observation.

There's still plenty to do.

It's all good. The thing is when a couple of somebody's say they are going to call you back you sort of think that they should, that's all. The known stuff is going nicely for sure.

S-20 is on it's way to Sebring.

Interview with Randy on the S-20.

Looks like a sweet airplane. I wonder how it would handle the extra 28lbs of a C85.

When he's talking about engine options (2:33) he says the base is the 912ULS (100hp) but then he says they will go up to the 130 and 180 hp ULS? Is Rotax coming out with new engines?

I found one article that speculated they could be coming out with a version of the 912 iS that might be turned up to 125 - 130 hp but nothing definitive

I think he might have been referring to the ULPower six cylinder at 180hp. UL, ULS, who knows...

http://www.ulpower.com/news/blog/ulpowers-new-six-cylinder-engines-available-now

NoCOpilot wrote:I think he might have been referring to the ULPower six cylinder at 180hp. UL, ULS, who knows...

http://www.ulpower.com/news/blog/ulpowers-new-six-cylinder-engines-available-now

You are correct!

Rumor has it the Rotax gets off and climbs better than the UL 130hp due to UL turning 3200 rpm at full throttle. The 180 hp going to be interesting to watch though.

For me, this might be the plane. I was really liking the S7 I saw at an LSA expo last summer but the wife didn't like the idea of tandem seating. She was really liking the side-by-side in the Zenith CH-750. The S-20 has what both of us want. I just wish Rans was 50 miles from me like Zenith is so I could take a look at it. Might have to take a day trip to Hays, too.

Why is it that "wives" always prefer side by side seating rather than tandem?