The Rans S-9 Chaos is an American single-engined,
tractor configuration
In aviation, the term tractor configuration refers to an aircraft constructed in the standard configuration with its engine mounted with the propeller in front of it so that the aircraft is "pulled" through the air. Oppositely, the pusher co ...
, single-seat, mid-wing
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
designed by Randy Schlitter for
aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
and manufactured by
Rans Inc. The Chaos is available in
kit form for amateur construction.
[Downey, Julia: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 65. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851][Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 239. BAI Communications. ][Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 157. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X][Taylor, John (ed): ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1987-1988'', pages 698-699. Jane's Publishing Company, 1987. ][Taylor, John (ed): ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-1989'', pages 592-594. Jane's Publishing Company, 1988. ][Vandermeullen, 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-9 was ended as part of Rans' reorganization of its product line on 1 June 2006, after having been available for 20 years, but the S-9 was reintroduced in about 2009 and is again available.
[Downey, Julia: ''2008 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 53. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851]
Design and development
The S-9 Chaos was designed by Randy Schlitter in 1986 as an inexpensive aerobatic aircraft that will allow sportsman competition aerobatics to be flown or even advanced aerobatics if inverted fuel and oil systems are installed. The Chaos is also a capable cross country aircraft.
Like many Rans models, the S-9 features a welded
4130 steel tube cockpit, with a bolted
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...
tube rear fuselage. All
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraf ...
, wing and tail surfaces are covered in
dope and fabric. The reported construction time is 500 man-hours.
The Chaos has
conventional landing gear
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
. The basic engine is the
Rotax 503
The Rotax 503 is a , inline 2-cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, built by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG of Austria for use in ultralight aircraft.Raisner, William: ''LEAF catlog'', pages 6-105. Leading Edge Airfoils, 1995.
As of 2011 the Rot ...
of , with the
Rotax 582
The Rotax 582 is a two-stroke, two-cylinder, rotary intake valve, oil-in-fuel or oil injection pump, liquid-cooled, gear reduction-drive aircraft engine manufactured by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG. It is for use in non-certified aircraft operating ...
of and the
Hirth 3701
The Hirth 3701 is an in-line three-cylinder, two-stroke, carburetted aircraft engine, with optional fuel injection, designed for use on ultralight aircraft and small homebuilts. It is manufactured by Hirth of Germany.
Development
The 3701 ...
of available as options.
The
S-10 Sakota aerobatic two-seater was later developed from the S-9.
Operational history
There were 215 S-9s built and flown by December 2011.
In November 2010 there were 61 S-9s registered in the United States, along with three registered in Canada and two in the UK.
Another 23 were on the registers of European countries west of Russia.
Specifications (S-9)
See also
References
External links
*
Photo of an S-9 ChaosPhoto of an S-9 Chaos descending under a parachute after a structural failure
{{Rans aircraft
1980s United States civil utility aircraft
Homebuilt aircraft
S-009 Chaos
Aerobatic aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1986