Had a chat with Randy Schlitter of Rans Aircraft about his SLSA, the S-19, today. It's new name is the Venterra, which, says Randy, means open over the earth. Kinda poetic and a fitting moniker for such a fun, responsive, open-view low winger like the S-19.
Look for my article on Randy's incredible 25 years as an aircraft manufacturer (more than 4,500 kits and ready-to-fly planes sold!) in the next issue of Pilot Journal magazine. Randy's also been designing and building recumbent and other innovative bicycles for more than 35 years and his products are known and respected worldwide. I own two myself, they're beautifully engineered and built and a lot more fun to ride than the traditional back-aching, hard seat prostate pounders the French tricked us into riding all those decades ago.
Randy's a fascinating, Gyro Gearloose kinda guy, that rare combination of brilliant innovator/designer and savvy businessman. He's an honest-to-goodness throwback to that great tradition of American entrepreneurs who built empires from scratch.
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