Index, Contents, Subject, TIPS & Handling List.

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Air Filter Weakness

Annual Inspection S4 Schedule

Ali Spar Tube Replacement and U/C Cracks

Baggage Storage
Bent U/c replaced

Bing Carburetter 'choke' operation

Bing Carb Needle/O Ring

Brakes
Bungee U/C stretching Tool

Carb Needle 'O' Ring Fix
Carbon Fibre S4 tail spring

Carburation Problem Cure

Cracking ASI & Fuel Pipes
Cooling Fan Changing & Belt Tension

Dihedral on tail-plane

Disc Brake wear

Elevator internal brace loose
Engine Rubbers
Exhaust Securing Springs wear/repair
Exhaust Springs Security

Fabric Protection
Fabric Replacement Warning
Fitting new u/c bungee
Flap Bungee (Rubber Cord) Renewal
The main tank neck filler ring came loose, refixed
Fuel/oil mixFuel Tap Fit & Management
Fuel 'Primer'
Fuel Tanks, Main & Auxiliary
Fuel Wing Tank Vent Improved

Glide Landings ['Dead Stick']

Hand Propping

Index, Contents, Subject TIPS list
Inner tubes need inspections too

Landing the S4 & S5
Low end of speed range flying & Flap
More fuel Tankage
Mouse Attack Defences
Must Carry in Flight

Oil Level Rotax 'B' gearbox

Piloting & practical handling

Plug caps bungee restraint

Points Ignition Rotax 447 Op. Manual
Pre-Flight Check Rotax two stroke operation

Radio Installation & Battery Power

Rans S-4 Coyote I Appraised by Flavio Giacosa
Rans Compulsory modifications (UK LAA)
Rans S4 & S5 Spec's 2004 &/or 2005 [no longer on web].
RANS USA http://www.rans.com/
Rans Flyers forum  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RANSflyers/?yguid=339885221
Removing Rans S4 wings, by Don Lees 

Revised seat suspension
Rotax two stroke operation
RPM checking
Rudder Stops
Rusty Fan Pulleys

S4 Weight
Silencer Exhaust painting
Spark Plugs, Inverted Rotax engines

Stainless and Ali pop rivets checks

Starter Cord Pulley secure

Tail Bracing Wires fixing MPD

Tailplane incidence change improves control
Tail Wheel Steering Springs
Tail Wire Rigging Tension
Tanks - Top Auxiliary & Main Fuselage
Throttle box Stops
Throttle Friction Nut

Tyres & Pressures

Ultra light tie downs
Undercarriage Elastic Bungee Checks

Under-carriage Return Buffers
U/C legs Closed in Fabric
U/c Spats & Skins

U.K. LAA(PFA) Type Data extract
U.K. LAA 'TADs' 
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/engineering/TADs/193%20RANS%20S4%20&%20S5.pdf

Weighing, every 5 years

Westach EGT gauge

Windscreen Lexan Replacing
Wing Spar doublers - RansManual Error

Wooden propeller repair

Carbon Fibre S4 tail spring Roberto Grassi. #123

In Italy you don't need to pass any annual check with our ultralight planes, unless they are taken to a superior level in order to be authorised  land in airports with low traffic (they are denominated "advanced ultralights", and must be equipped with ELT, transponder and radio), in this case, we have to carry over the maintenance according to factory's schedules, but not relying on an Civil Aviation Bureau (ENAC) authorised mechanic shop, it can be done directly by owner. BTW, in my case, for every repair or check to engine or reduction gear I take to an Rotax authorised mechanic, other things I do myself. If you are a conscientious guy do repairs only if you are sure to do them well, flying machines are no place to joke.

Old (thin) & New (thicker) in Carbon Fibre 

It is much more flexible than original one, and also in torsion it is less rigid...am quite concerned about...should make some tests and see the behaviour of plane on ground. It weighs 1/2kg less than steel one, so before taking to air to check C of G position. Did not do any type of cradle, as in mine there's a reinforcing plate where leaf is attached, that is not indicated in manuals...maybe a modification? or newer S4's have it? (see photo).

Tail resting on ground, so can be seen the flexing of carbon fibre leaf spring. Will now test it and see if it is worth the effort. Did some ground running with a friend looking the behaviour of tailwheel, and he said that with this new spring the  wheel is copying ground undulations without moving plane's rear, that's seems to be really good, as is absorbing all those shocks coming from not too smooth grass strips, as well as when I did some turns both ways, he reported that leaf was not torsioning visibly...let's hope it lasts in time.

By the end of August he adds : 

I'm really pleased with results, it works really well, absorbing all landing strip undulations, transmitting much less strain to rear fuse tubing, saving them a lot of stress...also seems to be able to cope with these efforts, have done  up to now four landings and it's OK...who knows it is not the right way to go ?

[See the flatter steel one on my ca. 1990 kit S4, G-MWFW, mike.]

Baggage Storage # 121 & 126

Baggage Storage # 121 & 126 (Peter Greenrod & Wilfrid Rouff.)
As you know it is very difficult to carry anything at all in the S4/5 [Some have a small seat-back pocket.]

Peter Greenrod. Three things I have made to help.
My side pocket container was cut down from a cloth tool carrier. I carry my maps, 600ml of 2 stroke oil, a few tools, a spare PAYG phone and a PLB.

The green bag behind the seat will accommodate a very small tent and sleeping bag + tie down straps and pegs. Top and bottom mounts ensure that the bag will not interfere with the controls and still turn to see the fuel contents in the tank behind me.

The chart tray just in front of my seat is set under my legs.

 

Wilfrid Rouff (France)

Here is our new instrument panel, 3 MGL weigh only 240 grams altogether. Spot on the right is reserved to put a GPS, the flat instrument panel top will carry maps, or whatever (maintained by bungee cord, not on yet). On the floor you can see a plastic trunk, very useful to carry a large enough container of extra oil, spark plugs, ropes and stakes to secure the plane, a couple of underwear and a tooth brush. Down on the right you will notice the red handle of the ballistic parachute.

Rans Compulsory modifications (UK LAA)

#7] Metal strap & wire replaces original webbing type.

Rans S4 & S5 Spec's 2004 &/or 2005 [no longer on web].

The main tank neck filler ring came loose, refixed. #127

The main fuselage tank neck filler ring came loose, refixed

with a smear of petrol proof, gasket quality silicone sealant on the cleaned off surfaces.

Fuel Wing Tank Vent Improved #127

Wing tank vent re-routed, to copy the S6 design.

Used only occasionally for longer flights my smaller version (of the two overhead types known of in the U.K) can readily take 15 litres of petroil, but I do know I then lose some through the vent pipe.

However, even using a lower fill to only 12 litres in December 2011, after an hour's flight I opened the connecting tap to drain it down to check it out. It eventually delivered 10L into my calibrated behind the seat fuel tank. Approx. 2 litres of costly fuel had gone AWOL.

I still blame loss in flight - when the fuel swills around in that rather flat tank - via the standard low level neck side vent pipe connection. It connects to a flexible pipe running down to the fuselage bottom centre slot,  to let fumes out safely.

I looked at the Rans S6 method for the forward facing wing tanks cap mounted vents and copied it with a length of copper pipe. The stub pipe off the S4 filler upstand is now hard plumbed with a short flexible tube to a copper inverted 'J' held firm by a jubilee clip. [Round the tank neck, just below & hidden from view under the centre wing top fabric cover].