sling aircraft

Sling Aircraft - "Now something is completely different." Here's a line from a 1970s British TV comedy show,

, but it could just as easily be used to promote the company's new aircraft, the Sling 4.

Sling Aircraft

The four-seat cruiser does so in Sling4 leather-covered comfort, carrying four adults, several hours of fuel and a respectable double load, and operating at less than 6 gf. It has more cabin than the Bonanza, looks sexier on the ramp, and the turbocharged Rotax makes it whiz by at 125 knots—all for a fraction of the cost of a comparable Section 23 new jet. Something is different.

Flightlog: Flying The Sling Tsi

What do you do with an airplane that weighs 1,000 pounds and barely absorbs any fuel? As a result, many things.

This vague productivity goal has become a stumbling block for many manufacturers. While some have fast jets, the four-seater model can only carry three people, with limited fuel and no luggage. Others may promise a good load, but the engine will burn enough fuel to blow your wallet. Others will offer good cargo and decent speed, but will reach a six-figure price tag and free up a truckload of fuel to boot. In contrast, the Sling 4's capabilities and costs put it in a category with several of its competitors.

The Sling 4 was born from the same design concept as the Sling 2 – a two-seat light sport aircraft that has been hailed as an agile and powerful seaplane with three flights worldwide since its launch in 2009. Built by Southern Aircraft Factory Africa, it was a success in many countries, with nearly 300 flying worldwide, and new distribution and manufacturing facilities were added in Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan as the United States opened up to the appeal of the "small fighter". To the United States.

Sling 2 is divided by one quality: performance. It flies well, with a silky, smooth feel that lacks the heaviness and smoothness of many LSAs. Mike Blyth, a South African microlight aviation designer and pioneer, spent more than a year perfecting the prototype after the prototype was finished. It shows results and requires little marketing or advertising. Pilots who fly the Sling 2 rave about its Zen-like handling and critical feel, without the need for hyperbola. Flight schools have found the Sling 2 and its fuel burn to be a cost-effective and profitable trainer that provides a mod, less testing capability.

What Is It Really Like To Build An Aircraft Kit?

Together with South African adventurer James Pitman, Blyth established the Aircraft Factory at Tedderfield Airport in Johannesburg to offer the Sling 2 in kits and ready-to-fly variations. They also introduced a tailgate last year, making battery operation accessible to enthusiasts. Built to international ASTM standards, it flies in the S-LSA category in the USA using the proven and ubiquitous Rotax engine.

The interior is wider than the Bonanza G36, with wrap-around windows that create a spacious interior feel. Mark C. Lee

The idea for the four-seat Sling was born out of Blyth and Pitman's 2009 global spin on Sling 2. They found it worked well, even with weights up to 2,135 pounds. The aircraft's wing and airbag design resulted in very high wing loading, and the standard Sling 2 was ultimately certified at 1,544 pounds (in the US it had to meet the FAA's 1,320-pound LSA limit).

Blyth and Pitman's idea was to take the successful Sling 2 concept and use it as the basis for a four-seat aircraft. However, rather than extending the fuselage and bolting on a larger engine, the Aircraft Factory team envisioned the entire aircraft while retaining the main components (preferably the interior and airbag model). There wasn't an economical, four-seat aircraft on the market with real fuel efficiency, so the team created the Sling4 to fill that void. Pitman flew to Oshkosh from South Africa with her son in 2013, introducing him to the United States.

Sling Tail Wheel Tdo

Sling 4 different. The aluminum aircraft (with sandwiched fiberglass shift legs) features a winged entrance, glass cockpit view and panoramic view. It is powered by a turbocharged lightweight Rotax 914 UL/F engine that produces 115 hp and 15,000 ft-ft of torque. The Sling 4 has a constant speed motor that uses an electric governor with fan capability. A full airframe parachute is also an option.

The key feature is efficiency. At 125 knots, the Sling 4 weighs just 5.8 grams. It prefers unleaded, 91-octane motor fuel over the top, and the fuel tank holds 48 gallons, giving the Sling4 nearly eight hours of battery life. It's one of any airplane in this price range that can carry four adults, six hours of fuel and 70 pounds of luggage.

The door is almost the full length of the cabin, making it easy to load and look great from the outside. Mark C. Lee

The Sling 4 engine, consistent speed, payload, and four-seat aircraft eliminate them from the LSA category. It's licensed in the US in the Experience category, and buyers have the option of getting a standard kit or a quick kit, or a turbo.

File:the Airplane Factory (taf) Sling 2 Taildragger 'zu Tdr' (16952332365).jpg

The FAA requires the manufacturer to make up less than 50 percent of the total amount of fabrication required to complete the aircraft. Whale builders must work at least 51 percent. The Turbo-build program will further reduce the builder's workload by helping those who don't want to go through the entire kit. Using the turbo-build option, buyers can complete the aircraft in as little as two weeks. For the Sling 4, Aircraft Factory partnered with Synergy Air, an experimental aircraft manufacturer based in Eugene, Oregon. Synergy Air has been building kit aircraft for nearly 15 years and currently builds the Van RV-12 E-LSA.

The Sling Kit features all aluminum CNC machined components. The control surfaces were stone finished, the wings were stone finished, the fuel tanks were finished and sealed, the hatches were covered and everything requiring lead curtains was prepared at the factory in South Africa. The quick build kit includes six small assembly kits, such as power and wing kits.

The factory takes an innovative approach to helping builders by providing an extensive construction manual and a well-designed iPhone/iPad app that barcodes every part of the kit. The builder scans the barcode and the program displays all the information for the part, including where the plan is used for the part, the part name and code, how many to place, and a list of the part numbers. part of used and how many are left.

The iEFIS Dual Challenger 10.4-inch windshield, V6 radio and Trig transponder come as standard. Mark C. Lee

Sling High Wing Takes Off

All the plans, instructions and guides are available in the app, which is a great improvement over paper. In another step forward, the factory has created an entire YouTube channel to help DIYers.

A set of 4, including the sling, engine, parachute airframe, propeller and MGL aviation, cost about $110,000. The quick-build kit adds $15,000 and the turbo-build option adds $65,000, for a total of $190,000 for the completed aircraft. The time to build Sling4 is about 1000 hours if you do all the work yourself.

The Sling 4 fits multiple points without sitting in one place. The only comparison is close, but not identical, and from a slightly faster plane. There aren't many others like the Sling4, and that difference is good for adoption in the US. Although the aftermarket offers alternatives, buyers will have to forego the Sling's glass panel and technologically advanced motor controls. Modern, affordable and cost-effective four-seaters are not easy to find.

I flew the Sling 4 on a hot California day with Matt Liknaitzki, president of Aircraft Factory in Torrance, California, and two other seniors. With five hours of fuel, plenty of stuff in the back, and triple-digit OATs, the plane climbed to 600 fpm without a hitch. One of the secrets to the Sling's capabilities is its turbocharger. At 15,000 feet, the normally aspirated 100 hp engine will produce only 55 hp, while the Rotax turbo makes full power. High-lift wings, fast sails and sleek designs complete the secret sauce ingredients. Turbo boost (which can be done by lifting the trigger on top of the boiler and sliding it off the detent) is important.

Re Imagine Everything: The Future Of Air Travel

From flight to cruise, the Sling 4 is a sleek and flexible cat. A flick of the wrist or finger through the lugs, ball bearings and well-aligned controls puts the plane where you want it, showcasing the velvety feel of the Sling 2.

A trigger detent on the seat allows the pilot to select the turbocharger mode

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