The Airplane Factory Sling 4

Sling 4
Role Light aircraft
National origin South Africa
Manufacturer The Airplane Factory
Introduction 2009
Unit cost
US$44,297 (kit, 2015, without engine)
Developed from The Airplane Factory Sling 2

The Sling 4 is a development of the Sling 2 to accommodate four people, built by The Airplane Factory of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Design and development

The Sling 4 is an all-metal, low-wing, fixed tricycle gear homebuilt aircraft. The aircraft was developed in 2009. The canopy was modified to include gull-wing doors. The aircraft features flaps with 40 degrees of travel.[1][2]

Operational history

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. The aircraft carried 20 hours endurance in fuel.[3]

A Sling 4 kit was completed and flown in four days with 40 workers at a 2014 South African Airshow to demonstrate the effort needed to build an example of the aircraft.[4]

In a 2016 detailed review for Flying magazine, writer Marc C. Lee praised the design's controls, handling, aesthetics and load carrying capabilities, while pointing out that it lacks cruise speed, an effective heater, has poor rubber molding and lacks a USB jack system. He also noted it cannot be taxied with the gull doors half open or cracked open.[5]

Variants

Sling 4
Base model with 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 turbocharged engine, introduced in 2009.[4]
Sling 4 TSi
Model fitting the 135 hp (101 kW) Rotax 915 iS engine, introduced in 2018, with a planned increase of 15 knots in cruise speed and a slightly bigger useful load.[6]

Specifications (Sling 4)

Sling 4

Data from AOPA[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 3 passengers
  • Length: 7.10 m (23 ft 4 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.97 m (32 ft 9 in)
  • Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 12.47 m2 (134.2 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 7.9
  • Empty weight: 470 kg (1,036 lb)
  • Gross weight: 920 kg (2,028 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 180 litres (40 imp gal; 48 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 horizontally-opposed piston aircraft engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed Airmaster Propellers electric constant speed propeller

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 222 km/h; 138 mph (120 kn)
  • Stall speed: 78 km/h; 48 mph (42 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 259 km/h; 161 mph (140 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,000 ft)
  • g limits: +4g -2g
  • Wing loading: 74 kg/m2 (15.1 lb/sq ft)

See also

Similar aircraft

References

  1. ↑ "The Airplane Factory Sling 4". Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Paul Dye (June 2014). "Sling goes big". Kitplanes.
  3. ↑ Pew, Glenn. "South Africa To Oshkosh In The Sling4 - AVweb flash Article". Avweb.com. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  4. 1 2 3 "Build that plane". AOPA Pilot: 37. January 2015.
  5. ↑ "The Sling 4 Is Joy in a Kit". Flying magazine. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Sling 4Tsi". Jetlag group. 2018-04-20.
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