The Sling Squawk – June 2026
7 Jun 2026
“On Saturday morning, 18 May, I travelled to Tedderfield Airpark, south of Johannesburg, to attend one of the fly-in breakfasts that are staged every two months. Saturday’s fly or drive-in to Tedderfield included an excellent Sling factory tour that was conducted by Andrew Pitman who is the Co-CEO of the company.
Although I know the Sling assembly factory based at the airfield very well, having visited the assembly line on several occasions over the years, it was great to spend time with as many as 40 other interested persons who were delighted to be informed about how the Sling series of light aircraft are manufactured.
About a year ago, Sling moved much of its parts manufacturing operation away from Tedderfield into two factories in Alrode, Alberton. This allowed for the hangars at the airfield to be utilised for final assembly, painting, building of panels, product development, marketing and management of the company.”
– 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.