Building a RANs S21 Outbound - Ep 1 Purchase and Delivery

I have purchased a RANs S-21 Outbound kit and am starting a journey of building my first airplane. This is also my first video, and I apologize for the poor edit quality. I plan to continue researching and improving editing techniques, and improving my videos.

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Congrats and welcome to the club! Good luck with the build. Excited to watch it

[@treetopflight7624]

Thanks for the feedback. It was your Kit Fox VS Rans video that got me hooked on the S-21. I put my order in 2 days after watching it. I am also watching your build and getting lots of tips from your videos. Keep them coming.

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

@@treetopflight7624 Great! Thanks for letting me know. That’s awesome. I haven’t posted a video in a while but plan to soon.

[@nickolaim8712]

Both of you are making this look easy enough to want to try

[@pfisher737]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT Yes, me too! You convinced me of the Ran's 21 as well. Let's say I'm in the "money acquiring phase" of my build. Love both of your channels

[@tomshelton435]

I’m in. Gotta see this happen. I love these types of projects. Good luck

[@Mike-01234]

Once ordered a rotary screw compressor so I could sand blast entire home I was remodeling. It was cheaper for me to just buy one and use it then sell instead of renting for 6 months. Didn't realize a semi truck would show up I thought they were going to tow it behind a truck. I had to call a flat bed roll back wrecker to have it off load onto that and then lowered it down using the winch. My neighbor who likes to complain about everything ran out taking pictures like were going wreck her home or something.

[@jeffhudson8433]

Excited to watch the build!

[@kam1583]

Very cool, excited for you!! Thank you for sharing.

[@pfisher737]

I just found your channel. I'm so excited to start watching this series. I'm going to build one of these one day.

[@treetopflight7624]

Thank you. I hope you enjoy the series.

[@Logan-ce2uh]

Great video perfect. Can’t wait to see it all going together also very interested in the engine package please include more details in next video.

[@treetopflight7624]

Thanks. Going with the Titan 180 HP with a constant speed prop. There is lots of discussion between the 915 and Titan. No wrong choice between those two.

[@tinycabinsandoffgridtinyho504]

Great videos! Very helpful!!!

[@bing4342]

Thanks so much for sharing your decision making process, particularly the choice with option of landing gear for trikes and tail drager configuration. I did not know such a option existed until watched your video. This is a deal breaker for me to decide on Rans s21. Of course, not many kit planes fly 155 mph at cruise like Rans 21 Outbound. May ask you about the price for the gear switching option? Good luck with the build.

[@treetopflight7624]

Hi Bing. The S-21 can be purchased as either a trike or a taildragger for about the same price. No deal breaker here. If you order a taildragger, RANs offers a conversion option (to trike) for about $300. You build in the necessary components as you put your plane together, and then my understanding is that its about 10 hours of work to switch it over. Thanks for your comment.

[@womenfly5026]

Wondered what video software you used to make these videos? Great job. Also, in terms of requirements for documenting your build-- was this all you had to do or did you also keep a written record of the build?

[@treetopflight7624]

I am using VSDC. Its a free package that offers the basics. My editing needs a lot of work, but you can only focus on so many things, and building is primary. As far as record keeping I use the EAA Builders Log. Its a really great package that tracks hours, allows for written description, and unlimited photos to attach. Thanks for asking.

[@jessejackson7486]

So for odd question sake. I'm looking into a kit plane, but the cost is absolutely prohibitive, how do most people afford it? Unless I am wrong, most people don't have 30k in savings let alone 200k.

[@treetopflight7624]

Well, here are my thoughts on that topic, and I'm sure there are lot of opinions. First of all, planes have historically held their value very well (unlike boats and cars), so however you finance it, it is not "spent" money, just transferred. Loans are available for planes. I don't mind sharing my story. I have retirement money that I used to purchase the kit. Recognizing that the value of the plane goes up substantially after you build it, and that I will sell the plane before I get into a wheelchair, this was a "transfer" of retirement money that I will eventually use when I sell the plane xx years from now.. and if history repeats itself it will net me what I put into it.. basically a free plane. But check with your financial advisor (and your wife) before following this strategy..

[@jessejackson7486]

@@treetopflight7624 thank you for your reply, and your story. I never considered an airplane as a spend, more like vertical freedom. That said, my income unfortunately makes it quite improbable for now. But I do appreciate the time.

[@simdpk]

Congrats fellow builder. Just curious, Did the cage not come in a crate? (ours did) And why was it delivered in a Factory Five trailer? (local company to me in MA)

[@treetopflight7624]

No, there was no crate around the cage. It came off the truck as shown... Not sure why RANs uses Factory Five, but it drew a lot of neighbor attention, and the lift system was incredible. No fork lift needed.

[@mtovani]

My kit came on the same truck. Rans uses Stewart Transport due to their reputation. My kit was the last one of 4 kits delivered here in California. The driver said when he was done with my delivery he was on his way to Aurora, OR to pick up 5 Vans kits to deliver across the United States, ending up at Factory Five Racing in Wareham, MA. He will then pick up 10 Factory Five car bodies and deliver them to Texas.