1st Production Sling High Wing build at the Factory

[SlingHighWing]

Greetings All!

I started building the first production High Wing Sling in November 2021 in the factory in an modified “factory assist” program in South Africa. YEAH!!! I am doing way more than the required build for an assist because I want to, and Sling is being very accommodating and patient with me. I was only there for two weeks on my initial build visit, but will return for longer in January 2022 and then again to finish up probably March/April (may miss Sun n Fun … alas).

About me…I am an Airbus Captain for a major US carrier and have my A&P, but haven’t wrenched in decades and have never participated in a kit build. I am having a blast getting back to it.

I am fortunate to have an extraordinarily supportive spouse who puts up with aviation obsession. Fortunately he has just retired so has the time to join me over in SA and help out, not only with the build but also with critical tasks like taking photographs and preparing meals. He is not a pilot (yet), nor has he any mechanical background, but does have tremendous patience and attention to detail which are proving to be great attributes when assisting with the build. Kindly give him a round of applause!!!

I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you while hanging out at Sling Torrence learning on your builds (thanks for that).

I live in Naples Florida, intentionally close to the Naples Airport, and on an airstrip in the western North Carolina mountains - Mountain Air in Bursnville. If you are not aware, there is a group of about 17 middle and high school students building a Sling 2 in Naples (with help from their mentors). The program is called the Naples Youth Aviation Project - check it out at https://www.naplesyouthaviationproject.com/about-nyap and their progress at https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=n ... %20project. I am based at JFK in New York for work.

My build log is at http://www.slinghighwing.com and is primarily for myself and the DAR, but have been getting lots of requests from the build community and others to share my progress so enjoy. I will post more on this in the Sling HW section (and be patient with me - I am social media/forum challenged ).

Happy to join you all and thank you for your insights, efforts and anticipated support!

[SlingHighWing]

[ibgarrett]

Very cool! I was just thinking the other day about where you were at in this process. We met at Oshkosh this past year and your enthusiasm is definitely well warranted! I'd be super excited to be building the first production High Wing as well! I'm working on my Tsi low wing and hope to button up the rest of the control surfaces here in the next week or so.

I'll be watching and cheering from the bleachers.

[SlingHighWing]

Thanks Brian! I have been following you. Thank you for the welcome and for your active participation in the forum and I look foward to your feedback. Excited for your progress!

Great meeting you at Oshkosh. We will see if my plane makes it there this year - current plan is to ship it and reassemble in Torrance - but with shipping times etc…. But I anticipate there will be other HW(s) there to enjoy there if not mine

[PhilipRueker]

That is awesome

I look forward to seeing you fly the finished bird.

You could always decide to fly it across Greenland to the US

[SlingHighWing]

Thanks Philip,

Interesting you should say it that way - watching me fly the Hligh Wing is actually very entertaining....after almost two decades of 'flying' the Airbus, and nothing but the Bus, I feel like a student pilot learning how to fly all over again

As for flying it back, in addition to having to register it in South Africa (and I have begun exploring what would be involved in N registering it there), I’d need an 8.33-kHz radio if I went through Europe, there would be a hefty insurance bill and many other expenses. I am on my own financially, no sponsorship (I am not a YouTube Influencer) and I have never done such a journey myself…. But it is tempting…. .

[PhilipRueker]

True, I suppose the "just fly it across" is a lot easier said than done.

On a small sidenote about the radio though, assuming you are putting in the "standard" Garmin stack that most of us are putting in, it can operate on 8.33khz, it's just a setting to switch between 25khz and 8.33khz.