Rans Aircraft Tests S-21 Wing On Raven Airplane…

Rans Aircraft has been developing a new, all-metal wing for its S-21 Outbound airplane, but without the full airplane available for flight testing, the company attached the wing to a Raven aircraft to put it through its paces.

Randy Schlitter, CEO of Rans Aircraft, told ANN news editor Tom Patton at AirVenture that piecemeal flight testing of airplane components is a way to reduce the number of unknowns when the new airplane is ready for testing.

A metal airplane means a faster build and more durability for outdoor storage, Schlitter said. He added that some pilots are more comfortable with a metal airplane.

Initial testing has shown that the wing improves cruise speed for the Raven by about six knots without sacrificing slow-flight characteristics of the airplane. It is about 12 square feet smaller than the fabric wing, with a two-foot shorter wingspan but adds only 20 pounds. The overall performance envelope is also increased, Schlitter said.

The S-21 Outbound will be a higher performance airplane than Rans' fabric airplanes. He expects to certify the airplane in the SLSA category. The base price is $34,500 without engine or avionics. The company is taking orders for the Outbound now.

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