New member from Utah

[Have-Purple]

My name is Matt Brennan and I am a fractional owner in a Rans S20. I currently have 80 hours and am boning up on my academics before I schedule my check-ride. I like to fly at least once a week. I might have been bitten by the EAB bug.

With new mosaic inbound in the next 18-24 months, I am considering the Companion with a 180-200hp injected class motor. I live at 5000msl and DA is regularly 7000+. I realistically need more performance than a rotax powered S20 when my wife and I do cross country with a few overnight bags.

My home base is a Rans shop and I initially invested a lot of time familiarizing myself with the RANs build manuals (which are very good). I am a little concerned that getting a Bearhawk quick build kit might put me in over my head. Can anyone speak to this?

I am pouring a pad and putting up a metal shop next spring. What shop dimensions would allow me to have the fuse cage and a single wing out on a bench as well as be able to maneuver around them and still have room for stationary tools? 18-30ft?

What stationary shop tools are popular? Drill press, band saw, brake press, bench grinder/sander, pneumatic rivet guns, drill, etc?

Semper Fidelis

Matt Brennan
UT9

[Utah-Jay]

Hey Matt

Glad to see you joined the forum.

I am not sure about shop size, but your tool list is pretty spot on. I would say make sure your brake and shear are 40” and not 30”. In the beginning I only had access to 30” and I ended up having to do a lot by hand. Bigger is better for most tools and shop size.

If I can build a plane anyone can, jump in the water is warm