Sling Aircraft

Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd, formerly called The Airplane Factory (Pty) Ltd., is a South African aircraft manufacturer based at Tedderfield Airpark, Eikenhof, Johannesburg South. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of light aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight and the American light-sport aircraft categories.[1][2][3][4]

Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd
TypePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Headquarters
Eikenhof
,
South Africa
ProductsKit aircraft
OwnerMike Blyth, James Pitman, Andrew Pitman
Websitewww.slingaircraft.com
Former company logo
Sling Aircraft Sling 2s in formation

The enterprise is a proprietary company under South African law.[3]

The company has three shareholders: Mike Blyth, Director; James Pitman, Chairman; Andrew Pitman, Managing Director.

Sling Aircraft utilizes numerical control manufacturing and computer-aided design in its aircraft design and production processes.[1][2][5]

The company produces the two-seat Sling 2, which was first flown in 2008 and the four-seat Sling 4, introduced in 2011[1][2][6] and Sling TSi which was first released in 2018.[7] The latest model being developed is a new high-wing model called the Sling HW that made its first flight in 2020.[8]

In July 2013, a Sling 4 was flown by Mike Blyth and his son from South Africa to AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. The flight included a 14-hour over-water leg using the modified Sling 4's 20 hours of fuel endurance.[9]

In July 2022, three Sling High Wings (one tail dragger, two with tricycle gear) were flown from South Africa to AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. [10]

Aircraft
Sling 4
Model name First flight Number built Type
Sling Aircraft Sling 2 2008 328 (2020).[11] Two-seat, low wing microlight aircraft
Sling Aircraft Sling 4 2011 281 (2020, combined with Sling TSi sales)[11] Four-seat, low wing aircraft
Sling Aircraft Sling TSi 2018 281 (2020, combined with Sling 4 sales)[11] Four-seat, low wing aircraft
Sling Aircraft Sling HW 2020 Four-seat, high wing aircraft

References
  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 80. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 83. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. Sling Aircraft. "Sling Aircraft". slingaircraft.com. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  4. Sling Aircraft. "History". slingaircraft.com. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  5. The Airplane Factory (2019). "Innovators". Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  6. Paul Dye (June 2014). "Sling goes big". Kitplanes.
  7. "Sling TSi Makes World Debut". eaa.org. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  8. Sling Aircraft. "Sling HW Official Website". slingaircraft.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  9. Pew, Glenn (2 August 2013). "South Africa To Oshkosh In The Sling 4". Avweb.com. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  10. "Sling shot". www.aopa.org. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  11. Pilots' Post. "Sling 2020 Breakfast Fly-in". pilotspost.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
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