The long awaited RANS S-21 Outbound is finally here. It features all-metal construction with match-hole drilled skins and pull rivets throughout. The main structure is a chromoly steel cage with aluminum skins. The structure behind the cockpit is all aluminum. Interior layout is side-by-side and is similar to the existing S-20 Raven. The all-metal design adds about 70 pounds compared to a similarly equipped S-20, but the build time is cut roughly in half. All holes are finish-drilled and matched making it possible to simply cleco things together and start pull riveting almost immediately. The S-21 can accommodate all Rotax 4-stroke engines, but the 912 ULS is preferred by RANS for its value and ease of installation. As an option, the Titan IO-340 engine making 180 hp is also available. The larger engine greatly improves climb performance and adds about 30 knots to the cruise speed, admittedly at a cost of about twice the fuel consumption, according to RANS. These performance numbers will be greatly affected by the prop selected.
With the Rotax 912 ULS, engine the S-21 comes in at about 820 pounds empty, making it well-suited for light sport use. With the larger Titan engine, empty weight climbs to 985 pounds, pushing it out of the light sport category for all practical purposes. However, a gross weight of 1800 pounds is well-justified by the design, giving it a great useful load.
The S-21 complete kit is available from RANS Design, Inc. for $29,500 less firewall forward and electronics. The S-21 Outbound can be built as either a trike or a taildragger.
