The Rans S-12 Airaile is a family of related

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

single-engined,

pusher configuration In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in nor ...

, high-wing monoplanes designed by Randy Schlitter and manufactured by Rans Inc. The aircraft are available in kit form for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, pages B-48 & B-97. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. Downey, Julia: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, pages 65-66. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: ''2005 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 53. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: ''2008 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 69. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', pages 240 and 356. BAI Communications. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 156-7. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485XVandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 68. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851 Production of the S-12S Airaile, S-14 Airaile, S-17 Stinger and S-18 Stinger II was ended as part of Rans' extensive reorganization of its product line on 1 June 2006. The S-12XL Airaile was originally intended to be cut from the line at the same time, but customer demand convinced the company to retain the model and it is still available in 2015 as a special order.

Design and development

The S-12 Airaile was designed by Randy Schlitter and introduced in March 1990 as a two-seat side-by-side, tricycle gear ultralight aircraft for recreational and flight training use. The single-seat version of the S-12, the S-14 Airaile, was designed one year later and entered production in 1991. The S-17 Stinger retains the wings, tail, boom tube of the S-14, mated to new forward

4130 steel 41xx steel is a family of SAE steel grades, as specified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Alloying elements include chromium and molybdenum, and as a result these materials are often informally referred to as chromoly steel (common ...

tube cockpit and equipped with conventional landing gear to create an open-cockpit ultralight that complies with the US

FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft as defined by all other countries. In the United States, ultralights are described as "ultralight vehicles" and not as aircraft. They are not requ ...

regulations. The S-18 Stinger II uses the S-12's wings, tail and boom tube, again with a new forward steel tube fuselage to create a tandem seat, conventional landing gear, open cockpit ultralight trainer. Like many Rans models, the family features a welded 4130 steel tube cockpit, with a bolted 6061-T6 aluminum tube rear fuselage. All fuselage, wing and tail surfaces are covered in Dacron or on some models dope and fabric. The wings are built from aluminium tube and ribs, feature flaps and are folding or removable. The present-day S-12XL is powered by the Rotax 503 of , with the Rotax 582 of , the Rotax 912UL of and the Rotax 912UL of available as options.

Operational history

The aircraft family has been very well received with over 1000 S-12s delivered. In 1998 Kitplanes magazine said that the S-14 has "squeaky clean handling feels like a little jet, but lands like an ultralight".

Variants

;S-12 Airaile :Original model. Production completed. ;S-12S Super Airaile :Similar to XL, but with dope and fabric covering. Production completed. ;S-12XL Airaile :Current production model, two seats in side-by-side configuration, Dacron covering. Full cockpit fairing is optional. Estimate construction time 175 man-hours without the full enclosure or 300 with it. Standard engine is the Rotax 503 of , with the Rotax 582 of , the Rotax 912UL of or the Rotax 912UL of optional. Can be equipped with floats. Over 1000 S-12s of all versions delivered and flown in more than 40 countries.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 117. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X ;S-14 Airaile :Single-seat version of the S-12, with Dacron covering introduced in 1991. Standard engine was the Rotax 447 of , with the Rotax 503 of and the Rotax 582 of optional. Reported construction time 200 man-hours including complete cockpit fairing. Empty weight of places the S-14 above the maximum category weight of the US

category. Production completed with 125 completed by December 2004. ;S-17 Stinger :Open-cockpit, conventional landing gear, single-seater, equipped with a standard Rotax 447 of with the Rotax 503 of optional. Empty weight of places the S-17 within weight of the US

category. The aircraft uses the wings, tailboom and tail of the S-14, but is fitted with a new steel tube cockpit structure. While it retains the flap-equipped wing of the S-14, the flaps are fixed. Production completed with 38 completed by December 2004. ;S-18 Stinger II :Open-cockpit, conventional landing gear, ultralight trainer with two seats in tandem, standard engine is the Rotax 503 of with the Rotax 582 of , or the Rotax 912UL of optional. The aircraft uses the wings, tailboom and tail of the S-12XL, but is fitted with a new steel tube cockpit structure. Production completed, with 30 completed by December 2004.

Specifications (S-12XL)

References

External links