Atlantic trip

The incredible Sling team are at it again. The second Sling 4-seater has been built and flown across Africa and the north Atlantic to put it on show at Oshkosh, the world's biggest aviation show in Wisconsin, USA. The pics below show the route up the west coast of Africa, and from Dakar, Senegal over the Atlantic to the Azores and then on to Canada. After the show, Mike (Airplane Factory partner) and his son Greg were replaced by James (Airplane Factory partner) and Tim for the next legs of the return journey that will see Sling 4 ZU-TAD fly to Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and England; and then take on the last part of the journey with James' brother Andrew joining him while they adventure south again via Morocco and the west coast of Africa home to Johannesburg. See their full story here.

 

The journey from Johannesburg up though Africa and the Atlantic to America, and then home again via Iceland.

Mike Blyth (right), The Airplane Factory designer of the Sling, and his son Greg in the dark of Africa  

Tim joined James Pitman of the Airplane Factory for part of the journey home, chilling here in Greenland 

The Sling 4 TAD lands in Greenland on the way home from America to South Africa

Sling 4 TAD wends it's way down the fjord to a Greenland landing

President's Trophy Air Race - Team Sling

Sling # 4 TAE off to the President's Trophy Air Race this weekend where the team of Slings did exceptionally well... here's what team member Andrew Pitman of The Airplane Factory had to say about the race...

"Sho, what can I say…… I feel a slight twinge of disappointment, not because we didn’t do well, because hell we did, but more because this adventure has come almost to an end.
Guys and girls I can confirm that the Sling is seriously as accurate as she is sexy. We got our flight logs after the race and I swear it looks like a gps was flying the plane! We have surprised even ourselves…. Take a look at our flight logs. Apart from one small diversion, to check out the local wildlife (yes we knew we were so ahead of the game we took time for sightseeing); we were almost perfect the whole way!
The result???? Well ZU-TAF started in 96th position and finished in provisional 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!! with ZU-TAE and ZU-FRX just behind (they were both more harshly handicapped tha...n we were).

The course today was beautiful, but challenging as you will see from the photos. There were some sections where for 20 miles there was not one distinguishable mark on the horizon. We had to trust the compass and keep our eyes on the horizon. I have a thumping headache from the hours of squinting through the desert sun trying to spot that elusive 3 foot high beacon the map tells you should be there, dehydrated from fear of needing to stop for a wee and stiff from craning my neck to watch for overtaking gas guzzlers. But hell it was worth it. The look on the officials’ faces when despite our handicaps we came in 17th is worth all the pain a race can offer. Added to that the satisfaction of seeing all those racers in their 5 million Rand planes being whipped by a home grown classic makes the whole affair just sweet.

So, its off to prize giving and the banquet tonight to get the official scores. I will be sure to post them once we have them.
Until then, start hatching a cunning plan as to how we can make the Sling a little more slippery, as if we can, we will be in first, second and third next year!

Thanks as always for your messages, thoughts and kind words. We build planes because you love to fly them!"

Heres the link to some more photos of the race

Bloemfontein rendezvous

Andrew Pitman

Hey all. The Sling 4 will be at EAA Bloem this weekend on Saturday. Any other Sling owners want to join please feel free to. The plan is to leave Tedderfield early on saturday morning and return Saturday evening. Please let me know if you want any more details. Also feel free to fly in from wherever you are based etc The Airplane Factory

Durban from the Air

Awesome photo of Durban's World Cup Football Stadium from our Sling in the blue sky and sea weather yesterday.

In the beginning

Llewellyn and I bought our Sling before getting a pilot's licence. As you can see, I got my licence this week past and am only the first or second student in South Africa to get our pilot's licence on the Sling.

So, I'm a Sling enthusiast and have started a Facebook group for other Sling owners and enthusiasts to swop stories and document progress in building their Sling. I am fascinated by the story of the Sling designers and manufacturers at The Airplane Factory, Mike Blyth and James Pitman, joined by their partner Jean 'd Assonville. In the beginning was Sling # 1, the proto-type that was followed by Sling # 2 that flew around the world in an epic adventure.

I decided it would be great to document each Sling from # 1 as they are built and fly and my ideas have progressed to this blog as well as the Facebook group. Facebook allows each owner to log stories and photos on a daily basis. A blog allows us to keep some order and categorisation to the story and each are useful and links can be sent to family and friends on the internet so they can share your joy and experiences with this incredible family of Sling Aircraft. Enjoy!! - Dave Mc Naught