Catching up from the road after 3 weeks (1 day to go) in Hamburg, Germany on family business and a laptop double-meltdown (don’t ask). *** The Sling is a South African LSA that made a splash in 2009 with a ‘round-the-world flight just received its official S-LSA Airworthiness certificate, making it #125 on the official list.The Airplane Factory in Johannesburg, and more than 60 have been delivered worldwide. Developed in 2006, and with more than 100 orders total to date, the company is hoping the Sling will compete successfully in the crowded U.S. market. *** The staff is made up of 75 full timers — no garage band airplane company here — and produces five ready-to-fly Slings per month, and even more in kit form. *** For the U.S. market, the Sling will also be offered in kit form, either as an E-LSA or Experimental Amateur-Built. *** The Airplane Factory of Torrance, CA will wrangle the U.S. distribution, marketing and support for the Sling and plans to stimulate community-based aviation enthusiasm and participation with “innovative” flight training (not sure what that means yet) and a flying club, which is a business model increasingly used across the country and done right, brings a real win-win philosophy to LSA flying.This first Sling, the newly registered N511NG, is based at Torrance Airport (KTOA) and will fly to Oshkosh this summer and be on display in Booth #305. Stop by and check out this latest all-metal, stylish sliding-canopy addition to the ever-expanding LSA universe. It’s a fun company with a seasoned product and deserves a close look.
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