Everyone here is right (imagine that !)

All Zenair airplanes were hit pretty damn hard with the Ugly Stick (apologies to Phil Kraft for the old model builders here). But as I mentioned previously, the Quonset Hut, the Jeep, and lots of other stuff are functionally beautiful if not Ferrari beautiful. The Stinson-Vultee L-13 is every bit as ugly as any Zenair airplane, but any BCP type of guy in their right mind would/should love to have one.

I'm reasonably sure any 115HP Champ will have the large dorsal fin and be out of LSA weight limits. The best he could do is find a 7AC that has been upgraded to 85HP, then maybe put in the O-200 crankshaft STC. But then, that's along the lines of a major project as Hotrod said. The Champ is the most comfortable out of all the antiques mentioned. But any 85HP Champ LSA is going to be expensive unless it needs fabric or rebuild.

One of our EAA chapter members is about 6 foot 3 or 4, and found out (from flying in both) that he will not be comfortable in the Highlander he loved, but he will be comfortable in the CH-750.

So our new tall friend is faced with a very common choice to make, in order to get what he wants... saving money (by building or modifying something) versus the convenience of buying something that's already correct for his purpose and having to rob a bank to have the money.

Don't suppose anyone else here has been in that position, eh?

My S6ES seems pretty suited for tall guys. I have the seat all the way forward and still need a pillow behind me to reach the rudder pedals! I'm short though at 5'3". The seat will adjust backward by 8 inches from where it is now and is slightly reclined. Don't think a tall guy would have any problem fitting in to this plane. And it makes a fairly decent backcountry plane.

A lot of the Rans Aircraft are suited to taller pilots and crew. My S-12 is roomy compared to a kitfox or an avid. I'm 5'10 / 210 lbs and I don't have the seat all the way back. My wife is 6" all legs and she fits very comfortably in the s-12, the s-6 and a 701.
Not sure why the beauty issue with the Zenith/Zenairs. Is a jeep uglier that a corvette? Not in 2 feet of snow or on a deserted beach.
There are plenty of Backcountry strips out here that a 701/750 is the perfect plane to have. Ok maybe a Storch, but talk aboult ugly..
I didn't think backcounty flying was a beauty contest. ( I'd lose for sure). I thought it was about form and function. The Zenith's fill the bill better than most.

S-12Flyer wrote:You might find an older s6 or s7 with a 2 stroke motor in the 20k range.

It seems that many of those with 2 stroke engines are 65hp. Is the performance significantly different than an older (say, T-craft or Champ) airplane with the same horsepower? These Rans planes seem to be quite light, which couldn't hurt, and I'd guess wing design has improved somewhat. Or even with a S-6 or S-7 would I be looking for something with at least 85hp?

Stuart

Big difference in weight from a S-6/7 with a 582 and a Champ, J3, or a T-craft with an A-65. Also the airfoil is arguably better on the Rans.
The advantage to a 2 stroke has always been power to weight.
Don't get me wrong. I love the Champ and if I could find an exceptionally clean one with and 85hp engine, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
However, It will never be as good a backcountry plane as a rans S-7/6 or a Kitfox 5,6,7, Or a Highlander, or a Zenith. Just way cooler and a classic.
The nicest Champ you are likely to see sits 2 hangers down from mine. Owned by an A/P. It is in flawless condition and starts first blade every time. But you will never see it on a rough backcountry strip. I will try to get a picture of it this weekend and post it.

S-12Flyer wrote:A lot of the Rans Aircraft are suited to taller pilots and crew. My S-12 is roomy compared to a kitfox or an avid. I'm 5'10 / 210 lbs and I don't have the seat all the way back. My wife is 6" all legs and she fits very comfortably in the s-12, the s-6 and a 701.

I'll definitely include older 2-strokes in my search. I haven't actually sat in any of them yet, but they just look roomy, which isn't something I say much.

S-12Flyer wrote:Not sure why the beauty issue with the Zenith/Zenairs. Is a jeep uglier that a corvette? Not in 2 feet of snow or on a deserted beach.

You mean ugly like this?

This is the "before" photo of the 1952 Willys M38 Jeep my dad and I are restoring (and the reason building a plane isn't an option). It will eventually be the awesome olive drab it's supposed to be I suppose it's also why I am willing to consider those older aircraft - there's a bit of a place in my heart for the "vintage".

S-12 Flyer wrote:There are plenty of Backcountry strips out here that a 701/750 is the perfect plane to have. Ok maybe a Storch, but talk aboult ugly..
I didn't think backcounty flying was a beauty contest. ( I'd lose for sure). I thought it was about form and function. The Zenith's fill the bill better than most.

I can deal with some ugliness - as long as it does the job. And I don't actually find the 701/750 to be ugly. Not beautiful, but not ugly either (unless it has a lousy paint job, which I've seen on them). Very utilitarian-looking. But I think the 701/750 is pretty much out of my price range for the time being. Or at least that's what I've found, although I suppose there might be older 701s out there with a similar 2-stroke to the Rans planes?

My S6 weighs about 650 lbs empty. It has a 100HP Rotax on the front which runs turbine smooth. The lowest HP engine you will find on one is 80HP. This still beats a Champ in performance hands down. I used to have an 85HP Champ and I loved that plane. My S6 is way better on performance and comfort.

As i recall on Champs it is not the dorsal fin but the no bounce landing gear that makes them inelgible for light sport. I had a C85, C90 and and a O-200 in my non electric Champs and the C90 performed best with a 74"-40 sensenich prop. 25-30K should buy you a decent Champ and be in your budget. Many choices for for $$ though, i like the Rans S6 & 7's, great performance!

mckim wrote:.....You mean ugly like this?

This is the "before" photo of the 1952 Willys M38 Jeep my dad and I are restoring (and the reason building a plane isn't an option). It will eventually be the awesome olive drab it's supposed to be ........

So what's the holdup? About a case of rattlecan OD & you'll have an authentic military rig-- then you can get into an airplane project. Oh yeah, don't forget the bullet holes--I'm sure someone here can help you out with that.

hotrod150 wrote:So what's the holdup? About a case of rattlecan OD & you'll have an authentic military rig-- then you can get into an airplane project. Oh yeah, don't forget the bullet holes--I'm sure someone here can help you out with that.

Haha, how about not finding a single bearing that hasn't needed replacing? Oh, and a differential that had metallic gear oil drain out because a previous owner apparently ran it dry. We're talking scary levels of worn out! And Bubba, the military vehicle restoration community's term for the civilian who performed poorly-done modifications, has seen fit to add plenty of holes for me to fill, including a roll bar which was welded to the rear fenders.

On the plus side, there's a number of skills I'm learning/refining on this project which will be applicable to building an airplane. Welding and painting being a couple. Oh, and patience. My original plan was to do some fixing of the brake system (master cylinder rebuild) and change the oil before it was ready to drive.

185 Bushbird is correct, the bigger engine conversion does not always require the bigger dorsal fin. It does depend on the gear IF, when the conversion was done, the gross weight was raised to 1350 or not. This weight increase was only for the "no bounce" gear. It could only be raised to 1300 GW with the standard oleo gear. My Champ has the O-235C2C engine and is LSA complient. It has just about every mod I can think of a guy would want and the weight is still somewhat decent. I'll have to recheck but I think the EW is 891lbs. leaving a useful load of 409 lbs.
I also own a RANS S-7. I have only had it a short while and I will definitely agree with the other posters in the fact it has a lot more performance than the Champ. It is 661 empty with a GW of 1200 lbs. giving me more useful than the Champ. Granted it preforms much better but for most people that extra performance is really not needed. The Champ "feels" more like an airplane to me whereas the S-7 feels more "ultralight-like". Really hard to explain but the Champ is more truck and the S-7 an MG midget.

Had a friend ride with me today for an hour in the Champ on floats. His words, "Damn this thing feels like a Cadilac compared to riding in the Super Cub." He is used to his Talorcraft and flys another guys Super Cub frequently.

The '46 65 hp 7ac Champ I owned/flew was the sweetest flier I have ever piloted. Admittedly I am not near the most experienced guy here, but it sure beats the same vintage Cubs I have flown (close to double digits).

FWIW,
lc

I am in Boise at the moment, on other business, but I was able to stop by and meet Steve Henry and also see his new Highlander yesterday. Firstly, my first impression is that Steve is genuine, sincere, honest person of good character who also knows his business. The plane......The plane is....The plane is amazing. The cargo space on the Highlander is outstanding. You can pack a lot more in there than what one would think at first glance. And he's implemented some STOL enhancements that are lightweight and increase STOL ops significantly...like VGs, gap seals, wing fences... oh he just called me right now to invite me for a flight. Gotta go!

WingsOverPalawan wrote:Firstly, my first impression is that Steve is genuine, sincere, honest person of good character !

X2 on Steve.

An awesome mix of "good old boy", genuine-ness, and "street cred" because of his eye-popping antics on the sides of those mountains.

I regret to inform that something came up, other business that I had in the Nampa area, and I did not have time to go up with Steve Henry in his new Highlander. Arrrg! Maybe on a future visit to Nampa. If you (whoever) has a chance to stop by Nampa and check it out, it's definitely worth it. A very impressive plane.

So are you ready to trade in your RR for a Highlander?

svanarts wrote:So are you ready to trade in your RR for a Highlander?

If there comes a time when I decide to sell the RR(s), a Highlander will definitely be a serious candidate. For sure, the RR is much less of an aircraft than a Highlander in more ways than one.

If anyone is still looking for a Ridge Runner III I have just come across one. I test flew it for the owner several years ago and he has decided not to finish getting his LSA rating. It is located in KY and has 11 hours on it total time. Flys great and ingood condition. I can be reached at 859-240-5213 or [email protected]

GeorgeK wrote:If anyone is still looking for a Ridge Runner III I have just come across one. I test flew it for the owner several years ago and he has decided not to finish getting his LSA rating. It is located in KY and has 11 hours on it total time. Flys great and ingood condition. I can be reached at 859-240-5213 or [email protected]

That sold quick!

I know I am a year late but for future readers I am also about your height and I love my champ. You solo from the front and have tons of room. You can find them for about twenty thousand and if later you decide you can upgrade engines up to the o-235 without much modification.