SLING HIGH WINGS - Epic Adventure to Oshkosh

The intrepid entrepreneurs of the Sling Aircraft Factory have done it again.

- Guy Leitch

THE WORLD HAS BEEN CLAMOURING to see the Sling High Wings, and the obvious place to show them off is at the annual EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. However, Covid got in the way. Plans to fly the prototype 'nosedragger' to Oshkosh in 2021 had to be abandoned at the last minute due to the Covid Delta Variant, which broke out just weeks before departure.

In the intervening year, the factory was busy with a build assist programme to complete two High Wings for the American market - and one is a taildragger. So the perfect opportunity arose to complete and fly - not just one, but three Sling High Wings to Osh.

The two American aircraft featured N-Registrations and proved the principle that from the FAA perspective, you can build an N-Reg experimental plane in Johannesburg and fly it back to the USA upon completion. The aircraft had to meet all of the US requirements - which included having a US Designated Airworthiness Representative inspect the plane prior to first flight.

The three aircraft on the epic journey were:

ZU-SHW- the factory 'Development Prototype' Sling High Wing, piloted by James Pitman and his friend, Matt Cohen. The aircraft was modified to allow for hands-only flying as Matt had lost the use of his legs in a motorcycle accident some years ago;

N915HW - the first Sling High Wing delivered to a customer (in kit form) and assembled by its American owner, Linda Sollars, at the Sling factory in Johannesburg. N915HW was piloted by Linda and Mike Blyth;

N669JP - the first Sling High Wing Taildragger kit delivered to a customer, assembled by its owner, JP "The Candourist" Schulze, also at the Sling factory in Johannesburg, and piloted by JP and his Australian cameraman mate, William.