The Sling Squawk – June 2026
7 Jun 2026
“We, in sunny South Africa, went into an almost complete lock down on March 17th due to Covid-19. However, at the Sling Aircraft factory in Tedderfield Airpark, work on their latest development, the Sling High Wing, continued. The cancellation of AirVenture 2020 might have offered them a respite, but it was then decided to get the first prototype, a Taildragger, ready to be flown to Sun ‘n Fun in Florida in the USA in April 2021 where it would remain. The second prototype, a Tricycle, would then be flown to Oshkosh later in the year. Afterwards, as has now become part of the Sling’s tradition, it will be flown around the world.”
– Willie Bodenstein (Pilots Post)
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.