Rans Designs
Industry | Aerospace, Bicycles |
---|---|
Genre | Private company |
Founded | 1974 |
Founder | Randy Schlitter |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | CEO Randy Schlitter |
Products | Light-sport aircraft, kit aircraft, bicycles, tricycles |
Website | www |
Rans Designs, previously called Rans Inc. (styled all in capitals as RANS), is an American aircraft and bicycle manufacturer based in Hays, Kansas, United States. The company name is a portmanteau of the first and last names of the company founder, Randy Schlitter. Rans has produced over 3000 aircraft in kit form and as completed aircraft.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
History[]
Rans was founded in 1974 as a pedal-powered sail trike and unpowered land yacht manufacturer. Early pedal-powered sail trikes were the , , and the . The company was successful in the marketplace, producing over 1500 sail trikes, and also in racing. Even two place tandem pedal-powered sail trikes were produced, like the . Rans sail trikes were used by such people as avid sailor Bob Hope.[6][13]
After trying hang gliding and considering designing an ultralight sailplane, Schlitter turned his attention to designing an ultralight aircraft. Dissatisfied with the early ultralights available, his S-4 Coyote prototype was commenced in November 1982. Schlitter founded a new company Aero-Max, with investment from a friend to produce the S-4. The S-4 first flew in March 1983, but the company broke up over financial issues and the design fell to Rans to produce.[6][13]
Schlitter kept designing new aircraft and by 2006 had a stable of 12 designs in production. On 1 June 2006 Schlitter ended production of many of the designs to concentrate on the new light-sport aircraft market. In 2010 the line consisted of six basic aircraft designs.[14][15]
Aircraft[]
Model name | First flight | Number built (as of) |
Type |
---|---|---|---|
Rans S-2 Coyote | 1983 | 1 | Single seat, high wing, conventional landing gear ultralight |
Rans S-3 Coyote | 1983 | 1 | Single seat, high wing, conventional landing gear ultralight |
Rans S-4 Coyote | 1983 | 246 (December 1998) |
Single seat, high wing, conventional landing gear ultralight |
Rans S-5 Coyote | 1983 | included in S-4 total | Single seat, high wing, tricycle landing gear ultralight |
Rans S-6 Coyote II | 1988 | 1842 (January 2008) |
Two seat, high wing, tricycle or conventional landing gear light aircraft |
Rans S-7 Courier | 1985 | 325 (December 2007) |
Two seat, high wing, conventional landing gear light aircraft |
Rans S-9 Chaos | 1986 | 129 (December 1998) |
Single seat, mid-wing, conventional landing gear aerobatic ultralight |
Rans S-10 Sakota | 1988 | 147 (December 1998) |
Two seat, mid-wing, conventional landing gear aerobatic light aircraft |
Rans S-11 Pursuit | 1991 | 3 (prototypes only) | Single seat, low-wing, tricycle landing gear lifting body |
Rans S-12 Airaile | 1990 | 1000 (2006) |
Two seat, high-wing, tricycle landing gear light aircraft |
Rans S-14 Airaile | 1991 | 125 (December 2004) |
Single seat, high-wing, tricycle landing gear ultralight |
Rans S-15 Pursuit II | Not-built | Two-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle landing gear lifting body | |
Rans S-16 Shekari | 1994 | 22 (December 2004) |
Two seat, low wing, conventional or tricycle landing gear light aircraft |
Rans S-17 Stinger | 1996 | 38 (December 2004) |
Single seat, high-wing, conventional landing gear, open cockpit ultralight |
Rans S-18 Stinger II | 2000 | 30 (December 2004) |
Two seat, high-wing, conventional landing gear, open cockpit ultralight trainer |
Rans S-19 Venterra | 2007 | 11 (November 2010) |
Two seat, low wing, tricycle landing gear light-sport aircraft |
Rans S-20 Raven | 2013 | 1 (January 2014) |
Two seat, high wing, tricycle or conventional landing gear light-sport bush aircraft |
Rans S-21 Outbound | 2017 | 1 (May 2018) |
Two seat, high wing, tricycle or conventional landing gear light-sport bush aircraft |
Cycles[]
Rans is also known as a manufacturer of upright and recumbent bicycles. In 2011 the bike line included 16 crank forward upright bike models, 14 recumbents, three tandems and one delta tricycle.[16]
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References[]
- ^ a b Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages B-48 & B-97. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
- ^ a b Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 65. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- ^ a b Downey, Julia: 2005 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 53. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- ^ a b Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 69. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- ^ a b Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 238. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
- ^ a b c Rans. "About Rans". Retrieved 20 November 2010.
- ^ Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 157. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory. London, England: Brassey's. p. 501. ISBN 1-85753-198-1.
- ^ Taylor, John (ed): Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1984-1985, page 711. Jane's Publishing Company, 1984. ISBN 0-7106-0801-2
- ^ Taylor, John (ed): Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1986-1987, pages 701-702. Jane's Publishing Company, 1986. ISBN 0-7106-0835-7
- ^ Taylor, John (ed): Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1987-1988, pages 698-699. Jane's Publishing Company, 1987. ISBN 0-7106-0850-0
- ^ Taylor, John (ed): Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-1989, pages 592-594. Jane's Publishing Company, 1988. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5
- ^ a b Rans Designs. "RANS: The Early Years". Retrieved 29 November 2010.
- ^ Aero News Network (May 2006). "RANS: Light Sport Aircraft Are The Future". Retrieved 21 November 2010.
- ^ Rans Designs. "Models". Retrieved 29 November 2010.
- ^ Rans Designs. "Rans Bikes". Retrieved 16 May 2011.
External links[]
- Aircraft manufacturers of the United States
- Cycle manufacturers of the United States