Engineering:The Airplane Factory Sling 4
| Sling 4 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Homebuilt aircraft |
| National origin | South Africa |
| Manufacturer | The Airplane Factory |
| Introduction | 2009 |
| Developed from | The Airplane Factory Sling 2 |
| Variants | The Airplane Factory Sling TSi |
The Sling 4 is a South African kit aircraft. It is a development of the Sling 2 to accommodate four people, produced by The Airplane Factory of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Design and development
The Sling 4 is an all-metal, low-wing, fixed tricycle gear kit aircraft, developed in 2009. The canopy was modified to include gull-wing doors. The aircraft has flaps with 40 degrees of travel.[1][2]
It has been estimated that building a Sling 4 requires 900-1.200 man-hours of work. The aircraft can be supplied as a kit, or built by the factory.[3]
The US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) tested the Sling 4 in 2016, citing a completed base price of US$123,417, rising to $192,000 with most options.[3]
Operational history
In July 2013 a Sling 4 was flown by Mike Blyth and his son from South Africa to AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States, carrying 20 hours endurance in fuel. The flight included a 14-hour leg over water.[4]
A Sling 4 kit was completed in four days by 40 workers from the factory, and flown at a 2014 South African Airshow.[3]
In a 2016 detailed review for Flying magazine, writer Marc C. Lee praised the design's controls, handling, aesthetics and load -carrying capabilities, while pointing out that it lacks cruise speed, an effective heater, has poor rubber molding and lacks a USB jack system. He also noted it cannot be taxied with the gull doors half open or cracked open.[5]
A group of about 20 South African teenagers built a Sling 4 in about three weeks in 2019, with the engine and avionics fitted by specialists. and planned to fly it to Cairo.[6]
Variants
- Sling 4
- Base model with 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 turbocharged engine, introduced in 2009.[3]
- Sling TSi
- Model fitting the 135 hp (101 kW) Rotax 915 iS engine, introduced in 2018, with improved aerodynamics, faster cruise speed and a slightly higher useful load.[7]
Specifications (Sling 4)
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Data from AOPA[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 3 passengers
- Length: 7.10 m (23 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 9.97 m (32 ft 8 in)
- Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 12.47 m2 (134.2 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 7.9
- Empty weight: 470 kg (1,036 lb)
- Gross weight: 920 kg (2,028 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 180 litres (40 imp gal; 48 US gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 horizontally-opposed piston aircraft engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Airmaster Propellers electric constant speed propeller
Performance
- Cruise speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)
- Stall speed: 78 km/h (48 mph, 42 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn)
- Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,000 ft)
- g limits: +4g -2g
- Wing loading: 74 kg/m2 (15.1 lb/sq ft)
See also
- Similar aircraft
- Alpi Pioneer 400
- Vans RV-10
References
- ↑ "The Airplane Factory Sling 4". http://www.airplanefactory.com/aircraft/sling4kit/design-construction/. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ Paul Dye (June 2014). "Sling goes big". Kitplanes.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Alton K. Marsh (1 December 2016). "More from less: The Sling 4". https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/december/pilot/more-from-less. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ↑ Pew, Glenn. "South Africa To Oshkosh In The Sling4 - AVweb flash Article". Avweb.com. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/South-Africa-To-Oshkosh-In-The-Sling4-airplanefactory-blyth220347-1.html. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
- ↑ "The Sling 4 Is Joy in a Kit". Flying magazine. http://www.flyingmag.com/sling-4-is-joy-in-kit#page-6. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ↑ "South African teens attempt Cape-to-Cairo in homemade plane". 16 June 2019. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-48653394.
- ↑ "Sling TSi Makes World Debut". https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/eaa-airventure-oshkosh/07-27-2018-sling-tsi-makes-world-debut. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
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