Dear Slingers across the globe!
Let me start by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And for all in the southern hemisphere, happy summer holidays too! I hope you are having either an adventure filled break or a happy family gathering, catching up on all the excitement of this past year.
2024 has been the best year ever for Sling. We have sold and delivered more planes this year than ever before. We have once again delivered Slings to all corners of the globe at a rate of roughly 1 new delivery every 2.5 days (slightly quicker than that actually). I believe the final number for 2024 was 152 complete planes in either Ready-to-Fly or kit formats. I think that’s worth a pat on the back to the Sling team working tirelessly on packing kits, punching and bending parts, assembling airframes, wiring panels and looms, installing engines, spraying new, creative and sexy paint schemes, and finally, test flying and taming the latest generation of Slings.
2025 already promises to be a great year with an order book that includes standing contracts to deliver Ready-to-Fly Sling LSA trainers to flying schools in the USA, South Africa and Australia at a rate of 7 per month from March through to August and then 10 per month from August right through to September 2026. And who knows what new orders for trainers we will have by September 2026. In addition to the trainers on order, we have Sling TSi’s, Sling High Wing’s and Sling 2’s on order that we will be able to deliver at a rate of 12 per month this year, bringing our monthly deliveries to 22 planes per month.
Lead times on High Wing’s and TSi’s have come down due to our increase in production capabilities. The lead time on a kit build is now between 1 and 3 months and 6 to 9 months on a Ready-to-Fly TSi or High Wing. We have stopped taking holding deposits on High Wing’s as we can now deliver them in a short period of time. So, now is the moment to get your holding deposit topped up for delivery or put down a 50% deposit if you want to get onto the band wagon and own your very own Sling High Wing
Of course, in Sling style, it has not all been about selling and delivering planes. The fun has to continue and at Sling, fun usually comes in the form of adventures and crazy trips.
We hit the Tankwa Karoo again this year for the Tanqua Kuru Bicycle Race and this year, we won it. We had an epic family day at Sling HQ and flew literally hundreds of Sling employee family members with the help of numerous Sling owners who descended on Tedderfield in their own Slings to fly kids, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends all day long.
We sold our first planes into Kenya and Tanzania this year, and as they are always hungry for an adventure, Mike and James decided to make a trip of the deliveries and fly the lucky customers to Kenya over three days, stopping at beautiful African lodges and beaches along the way.
We took part in and completed the ZIMNAVEX air rally in Zimbabwe. We didn’t win this one but I believe that Mike and James managed to win the drinking competition at the end of each day’s flying.
We went to Oshkosh (the boring way this year) and were blown away by the support and recognition we received from the masses of aviation enthusiasts that flow through the stands every day at the world’s greatest airplane spectacle. Out of Oshkosh came two very exciting moments for us. First, a very special thanks to the EAA for awarding us the August Raspet Award. What an honour to win this prestigious award!
Also, out of Oshkosh this year, a very special couple who are well respected and loved in the aviation world decided that they wanted to build and own a Sling. Welcome Aviation 101 to the ever-growing family of Slingers. It’s going to be a rollercoaster ride full of fun, flight, adventure and #TakingyouPlaces!
There is so much to report, so much to say and so many people to thank and compliment but enough from me for now. Dig into the content, videos and stories below and relive the tales of Sling in 2024.
“Fly Good, Don’t Suck” and remember to always have fun!
Cheers all!
Andrew
Director