The new Vashon Ranger combines backcountry capability, economy, and ease of use.
“We set out to create a rugged, utilitarian flying Jeep,” said Ken Kruger, design engineer at Vashon Aircraft, who designed and flight tested the Ranger, the company’s debut aircraft. “It’s meant to fly to out-of-the-way places where people can camp and interact with nature. It’s also economical to operate and sturdy enough to stand up to the demands of flight training.”
The Ranger is a two-seat, special Light Sport aircraft (SLSA) with a 100-horsepower Continental O-200D engine and fixed-pitch Catto propeller. It comes with Dynon glass panel (including autopilot), and it seems well-suited to its muddy birthplace in the Pacific Northwest with large 6.00 by 6-inch tires.
Unlike other firms that announce new airplanes years before they are ready to fly, Vashon has quietly designed, built, and tested multiple aircraft and obtained ASTM approval for the SLSA designation. The company also has performed drop tests and spin tests that go far beyond regulatory requirements. “I don’t think any other SLSA has been tested as extensively as the Ranger,” said Kruger, who previously served as chief engineer at Van’s Aircraft and played a central role in designing that company’s RV–12 LSA. “The Ranger is a highly refined airplane.”
The Ranger is available only as a finished airplane from the factory, but Kruger said the Ranger has no real price advantage for homebuilders.
“An RV–12 kit and engine cost about $80,000 before you build it,” he said. “The Ranger is $99,500 complete, so there’s no real economic incentive for building it yourself.”
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