March 2019 African Pilot 81

The exhilaration of being at the controls of an award-winning light aircraft is now within the grasp of every adventure-loving pilot (novice or veteran) with the all-South African Sling models from The Airplane Factory (TAF) now available for hire and even for self-fly ‘safari’ jaunts.

Following the runaway success of the Sling concept, designed by local flying legend and TAF founder Mike Blyth and built at the TAF manufacturing facility south of Johannesburg, almost 500 of these sleek high performance aircraft have been sold world-wide. Orders continue to flow in mainly from the United States, Australia, and countries in Europe and South America.

The Sling captured the imagination of aviators everywhere when Blyth and his free-spirited business partner and TAF chairman James Pitman, flew the two-seater prototype around the world in 2009; on the way to launching the plane to the global industry at the massively popular EAA AirVenture airshow in Wisconsin, USA.

The aircraft and the bold spirit of exploration behind it has continued to attract pilots and flight schools alike; providing a particular allure to younger aviators who feel much more at

home with its digital interface and hi-tech visual avionics and remarkable flight characteristics. More than one story can be told about the ‘generation shock’ experienced by youthful, tech-savvy wannabe aviators when first confronted by the

ancient panels of traditional 30 to 40 year old trainer aircraft. The Sling has changed all that, proving that increasingly pervasive modern technology does not need to create a financial hurdle for the small plane buyer or flyer.

Indeed, TAF’s output has now reached four to six aircraft a month and ongoing design developments saw the lineage grow to include the Sling 2 Turbo (two-seater), the Sling 4 Turbo (four-seater) and most recently the Sling TSi in mid-2018, which its Rotax 915iS engine has catapulted into the 140-knot to 150-knot performance category. The acclaim for the Sling TSi has been immediate, with Aero News Network USA last year voting it as the ‘2018 Sport Plane of the Year.’

Not with standing the continued demand from buyers, TAF has been keen for more enthusiasts to experience the Sling and thus

was formed a new company, Sling Flying Adventures (Pty) Ltd, in late 2018, with TAF’s full backing and support.

Sling Flying Adventures opens the door for pilots to ‘hire & fly’ one of four models, including the racy Sling TSi, or to set off on self-fly safaris around southern Africa.

“Our hire & fly options allow licenced and rated pilots to feel the thrill of flying the Sling; either just for fun or for honing and perfecting their flying skills,” said Pitman.

A full menu of itineraries and routes to choose from will soon be published, but in true maverick style, Pitman insists that patrons can bring their own ideas to these self-fly adventures; they can propose

“We are also excited by the opportunities we are developing for pilots to experience a real African safari, by flying themselves to prime

wildlife locations around the sub-continent in a Sling model of their choice.”

Sling 2

82 African Pilot March 2019

where they would like to go, what they want to do and how they want to get there. “We don’t want to be prescriptive, although we can also offer a fully curated experience that will take in the best destinations and accommodation that southern Africa has to offer,” he said. “Alternatively, they may just want to camp in remote spots for which this continent is famous and we can arrange that too.”

The TAF team are no strangers to ‘air tours’ for the past five years, they have organised an annual 10 day Sling Africa Tour for customers, flying to and around spectacular landscapes like Namibia, Botswana and Madagascar in addition to the home-ground of South Africa. This year sees the enthusiasts head for Zanzibar that fabled island off Tanzania on Africa’s east coast.

There are also several weekend (and long weekend) Winter Fly Aways arranged for Sling owners to take advantage of the Highveld’s clear, rain-free weather during the winter months. The self-fly option offered by Sling Flying Adventures now also allows non-owners to get in on the action.

In keeping with the company’s ethos of ‘taking you places’, it provides a streamlined on-line application process for hire & fly on its website www.flysling.com, where applicants can upload their pilot’s licence, proof of pilot insurance and pilot’s log book page showing total flight hours. They are then spoilt for choice, from the Sling 2 Trainer and Sling 2 Turbo, to the Sling 4 and the current flagship Sling TSi.

The standard Sling 2, with its 100 hp Rotax 912 ULS engine is famous for its harmonious handling, comfortable and spacious interior, excellent visibility, ease of operation, efficiency and robustness. It can cruise at 120 knots burning just 18 litres per hour and has 150 usable litres of fuel on board, offering more than seven hours or 800 nau-tical miles of flying. It manages a useful load of 320 kg so it can carry 210 kg of people and baggage even on a full fuel load.

The next option is the Sling 2 Turbo, the ‘sports car’ of the fleet. With the same power train as the Sling 4, it has a smaller wing and lighter airframe so it handles like a fighter. It is an excellent tourer with the power to carry as much luggage as can be fitted in.

With a standard range of 700 nm, or 1,200 nm with long-range tanks it will cruise at 135 knots burning less than 23 litres per hour. Considered one of safest and most forgiving training aircraft available, it is nonetheless equipped with a ballistic rescue parachute, like most Fly Sling aircraft. An important global commendation for the Sling 2 Turbo is that Sonaca

Aircraft of Belgium has used its design on which to base the Sonaca S200; their EASA CS-VLA certified ‘Training Aircraft of Reference.’

The Sling 4, the tried-and-tested four-seat aircraft, was developed after Pitman and Blyth made their historic flight around the world in their two-seat prototype. It boasts a feat of its own: circumnavigating the globe in 2011, again manned by the two pioneers including a single hop flight from Rio de Janiero to Cape Town. It is famous for its pilot friendly handling and is an ideal touring platform for the southern African environment; it manages unimproved runways and even two mountain bikes can be fitted in the rear.

Powered by the 115 hp Rotax 914 UL turbo-charged engine, which burns less than 23 litres per hour in the cruise, it is comfortable with speeds of 135 knots at altitude. Its range on standard tanks is more than 700 nm, whilst the long-range tanks will fly more than 1,200 nm. It is permitted to carry three adults, or two adults and two children.

Finally, there is the Sling TSi; TAF’s top-of-the-line aircraft and a real beauty to fly. With its luxurious cabin and redesigned canopy, it is kitted out with Garmin avionics that include a 10-inch touch-screen electronic flight instrument system and autopilot controller. Its cruise speed of a comfortable 148 knots with the 141 hp Rotax 915 iS fuel-injected, turbo-charged engine belies its economy, burning just 28 litres per hour and giving a range of over 750 nm, enough to fly from Johannesburg to Cape Town directly.

As with all the Sling aircraft sold locally by TAF, the units hired out by Sling Flying Adventures will be professionally serviced and maintained by the fully-equipped and highly experienced TAF aircraft maintenance organisation (AMO), based alongside the 4,650 m2 manufacturing facilities at Tedderfield Airpark.

Contact: Tel: +27 (0)11 948 9898 E-mail: sales@airplanefactory.co.za Website: www.airplanefactory.co.za

Sling Tsi

March 2019 African Pilot 83