The Sling Squawk – June 2026
7 Jun 2026
“I arrived at Tedderfield Air Park early on Saturday morning 17 October 2020 to see many aircraft, mainly Slings, had already landed at the airfield. Strict COVID-19 protocols were observed as the visitors enjoyed their breakfast under an assortment of umbrellas in the sunshine.
Andrew Pitman told me that Sling had recently celebrated orders for the 600th aircraft including 328 Sling 2’s and 281 Sling 4’s and Sling TSi’s sold totaling 609 Slings of all types sold. This is an incredible record for a South African aircraft manufacturer, which certainly rivals many other light aircraft types in the world.
Throughout the morning, various hangars were open for visitors to look at how the Sling is manufactured and this included sub-assemblies of the new Sling High Wing under construction.”
-Athol Franz (African Pilot)
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.