Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

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ebrunye
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:33 am
Location: San Diego

Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by ebrunye »

Hey everyone, I've noticed a lot of people building say they are "low hours pilots." I am in the same boat, with just under 150 hours total, mostly in Archers and some 172 time. I'm just VFR PPL and will get IFR once my TSi is done. I guess I've tricked myself into thinking buying and building my own plane somehow saves me money over renting at the local flying club.

Anyway, what's everyone's piloting experience?
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PhilipRueker
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Location: Washington, USA
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Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by PhilipRueker »

I got my PPL about 3 years ago and did my Instrument rating last year.
Currently I have about 180 hours total time, mostly in Cessna 150 and 172.

I am hoping to build up some time over the next year to work on the Commercial certificate (for which I need 250 hours in the US) and get my CFI to open the option to do some instructing.
Building a Sling TSi in my Garage.
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ebrunye
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:33 am
Location: San Diego

Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by ebrunye »

PhilipRueker wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 6:45 pm I got my PPL about 3 years ago and did my Instrument rating last year.
Currently I have about 180 hours total time, mostly in Cessna 150 and 172.

I am hoping to build up some time over the next year to work on the Commercial certificate (for which I need 250 hours in the US) and get my CFI to open the option to do some instructing.
I have the same plan!
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Boeing Driver
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2019 7:00 pm
Location: China/Canada

Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by Boeing Driver »

As you probably guess from my handle, I am currently flying a Boeing airliner in China. I currently hold 3 APTL from Canada, Ethiopia, and China. Most of my almost 11,000 hours are in the 737NG/MAX. Other than that, I have loads of time in a Beech King Air 200. I also have more than 1,100 hours in a Cessna 206 flying in the bush of northern Canada. I do have over 500 hours instructing in small single engine airplanes and plan on renewing my instructor rating in the near future. The funny thing is, once I finish building my own plane some day, I will not be logging the time as PIC. That will go to my wife and son who plan on getting their licenses some day. My mission will be doing trips with them as they log the time. More so for my son who will use the plane as a time builder for his commercial license and I can be his experienced passenger. He is only 11 now, but he is already struck by the aviation bug. My wife plans on getting her private license then adding the night and IFR ratings. In Canada, the night rating is not part of the PPL. Hopefully my son will get his PPL with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets when he is old enough like I did back in 1993. He starts with the air cadets next year when he can join at 12 years old. If anyone has questions about the airline, charter, or bush flying life, you can always reach out to me.
huzilulu
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 9:12 am
Location: Houston TX

Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by huzilulu »

Im literally a brand new 'private' pilot - got my check ride in mid dec at 43 hrs total time and now at 47 ... hoping to build up some time when the weather improves a litle in Houston!
ebrunye
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:33 am
Location: San Diego

Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by ebrunye »

huzilulu wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:46 pm Im literally a brand new 'private' pilot - got my check ride in mid dec at 43 hrs total time and now at 47 ... hoping to build up some time when the weather improves a litle in Houston!
Congrats!
Chrisbloch
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Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:34 am
Location: Grand Rapids Michigan

Re: Pilot Experience of Sling Builders

Post by Chrisbloch »

I thought I would wade in here with my quick story and perspective since I am an older guy, and have spent most of my life being passionate about aviation.

I am 62, and started flying when I was 22, purchased a 1967 Cessna 150 to learn to fly in, since then I have had 4 mooneys, one Grumman tiger, a Cherokee 6 a Piper pacer to learn tail wheel. I have 3000 hours, IFR, commercial, and presently own a mooney for business travel and a Aviat Husky on anfib floats for fun. I still fly about 250 hours per year and live in Michigan. I love flying and have always wanted to build an airplane, finally purchased a TSI kit this year and am making good progress, wings and tail finished and painted, most of the fuselage is complete wiring in, just finishing up the interior and waiting for my engine, prop and fire wall forward. I hope to be flying the TSI in late fall.

I have been going to KOSH to camp every year for the last 24 years, my brother who is a pilot also and I fly in and camp under the wing, I have spent the last 35 years trying to figure out what to build, glasairs were on the list for a long time. I almost pushed the button on the sling 4, but when the 915is came out and the sling TSI it was all that I needed. Computer controlled turbocharged modern engine, good speeds, good looking, pulled rivits to make it easy to build, Modern garmin panel, it hit all the needs that I have and will going forward. My wife is excited that she feels that she could land this TSI if she had to the mooney not so much. The only other comparable plane out there is the RV10 which is a great plane that I have a number of hours in. I have 4 friends that have RV10's but the old school gas guzzling engine is a giant turn off to me. Plus I have oxygen going in the Sling and love to get up high to get above weather , so at 15,000 feet I bet the TSI is going to be faster on half the fuel when compared to the RV10.

As a guy with a bit more experience I wanted to build a plane to replace the mooney that would be as fast, more safe, and less expensive to fly than the mooney or the Husky. I have always owned either one or two planes at a time for the last 35 years, so I understand very well what it costs to fly, most times $ 150 to $ 200 per hour depending on the plane and a lot of other factors, My guess is that the TSI is going to be half the cost to fly per hour than the mooney, and it will be new, safer and easier to maintain.

So that I my story, I am really enjoying the build of the TSI, it is a great motivator when you know that the finished product is going to be fantastic to fly. I have not flown in a TSI yet, I have been renting a sling 2 from mid west sky sports to get the feel of the plane and have about 10 hours on it and really like it. Friends like Evan B who have flown in the TSI confirm that it is fast , and more stable than the sling 2 and has great performance so I am geeked and am enjoying the build process with the knowledge that when I am finished I will love to fly the TSI. I tell my wife that planes are like shoes, there are different styles for different missions (my excuse for having more than one :) ) The TSI is going to be a great traveling plane, I will still keep the Husky on anfibs because for Michigan flying you cant have too much more fun than a float plane in the summer and skis or fat tires for when the water gets hard.

Build on everyone, and have fun, we are a small but growing group and the sharing of information is what keeps us all moving forward with our builds.
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