Progress - Airframe almost Ready for Paint!

(Posted on the Sling Builders FB Group - reposting here - enjoy!)

I am coming up on 30 build days at the Sling Factory in South Africa building the first Sling High Wing production aircraft (started back in November and returned mid January). It has been an incredible experience! I have been looking forward to building an aircraft for many years and this is literally the plane of my dreams: modern powerplant, state of the art avionics, high wing, strong, great performance, versatile, capable, easy ingress and egress for passengers and gear, economical operation, and a total blast to fly 😊.

While I have my A&P, I haven’t wrenched in decades and and have never built a plane. I chose to do a factory assist because, being the first production aircraft, I determined it would be the best way to build for me and I was sooooooo right!* The ENTIRE Sling team has gone above and beyond to make my husband and I welcome and assist with the process. I am doing way more of the build than a standard factory assist, which Sling has graciously accommodated. 

There are two prototypes flying (one nose and one tail wheel), and I have the great fortune of having Dayne and Dylan who have built and/or worked on both of these aircraft, working with me. They are one of the most incredible teams I have ever had the honor to observe and work with. They respect and compliment each other, are professional, experienced, great creative problem solvers, and unbelievably patient with me 😊.

We are hoping to have the airframe complete before we depart next week - the empennage, wings and fuselage. Then we will return in mid March to continue. The oh-so-patient and talented Midwest Panel Builders are building our panel for us and are coming out to South Africa to install it. 

* many thanks to Doug Goodrich of Custom Aircraft Builders who counseled me on the decision even though it resulted in his not getting the first production Sling HW at his facility - that’s integrity!