Deliveries Of S-19LS To Being By End Of Year

RANS told ANN Thursday its S-19 has achieved SLSA certification, and will enter series production as the S-19LS. Certification was granted December 21, and delivery of the first S-19LS planes should begin in 10 months.

The company notes the S-19LS is the first all-new aircraft -- made and designed in the USA, and specifically intended for the light sport category -- to receive SLSA status since the ruling went into effect.

"As the first all-new US design and manufactured light sport to be offered RANS has achieved something unique as the plane itself," said Randy Schlitter, CEO of RANS Aircraft.

The S-19LS is an all-metal, low wing aircraft, relying heavily on CAD/CAM methods. "In fact we never built a prototype, the first aircraft was production tooled and proof of tooling and process," Schlitter noted.

The S-19LS features the Rotax 912ULS power plant, all glass cockpit, and a $110,000 introductory price. The company plans to size production to demand projecting 50 within 12 months, and doubling sometime after.

Expansion plans may be in the works as well... since the firm already produces the $85,000 S-7LS, a high wing tube and fabric tailwheel plane, which has been in production since October of 2005.

FMI: www.rans.com/S-19.htm