I’m in the left seat of a Sling TSi, a four-seat kit airplane made in South Africa, and it’s the first time I’ve flown behind a turbocharged Rotax 915 engine. During the first 30 minutes of flight my companions have suffered through a series of stalls, steep turns, lazy eights, and slow flight while I got acquainted with this sporty but stable aircraft—and now one of them has suggested a change of pace.
“Let’s make a speed run,” says Matt Liknaitzky, a partner in The Airplane Factory, the U.S. arm of a company that markets, sells, supports, and offers flight training and builder assistance for Sling aircraft in nearby Torrance, California. “Go ahead and open the throttle.”
-Dave Hirschman (AOPA)
It’s go‑time! Load up your gear, strap on your gravel shoes, and aim for the wide‑open Karoo horizon. The Tanqua Kuru is calling, and we’re answering with throttles, pedals, and hearts wide open. At least four Sling aircraft and our solid team of riders will make the pilgrimage to Tankwa Tented Camp for what’s become an annual tradition of grit, gravel, and greatness.
There’s still one title former Springbok Bob Skinstad hasn’t claimed… This isn’t a stadium victory. No crowds, no ceremony, no easy applause. This one is fought for. Across endless gravel, through the dust, under the relentless Tankwa sun. And he’s chasing it down on a Sling Cycles Tagati. So, the question is — when he rolls up to the start line… will you be there with him?