The Sling Squawk – June 2026
7 Jun 2026
A South African kitplane manufacturer – The Airplane Factory (TAF) – is going from strength-to-strength, having just announced a brand new aircraft. The new high-wing version of TAF’s four-seater; the Sling TSi, was revealed at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture event in Oshkosh, USA.
The Sling TSi was, itself, a brand new aircraft just a year ago. Company founder, Mike Blyth, said he expected to have a prototype flying by the end of the year. lf that seems impossible – to go from the drawing board to a new model in less than six months – then some of TAF’s other feats will seem like miracles.
After reaching Cape Town in Part 2, Josh Flowers and Chelsea Smith of Aviation101, along with Chris Lammert and Keelyn Costello, reunite with friends and fly their Sling aircraft north from Stellenbosch through the Tankwa Karoo, before crossing into Namibia and exploring the spectacular Fish River Canyon. From formation flying and the Tanqua Kuru Bicycle Race to fireside celebrations and an off-airport landing in the desert, the journey becomes less about following a plan and more about embracing whatever comes next—because sometimes the most memorable part of flying happens after the engine shuts down.