Photograph:
An early production Sling 4 VH-VWC (c/n 015) at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon, VIC in 2015 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
South Africa
Description:
Four-seat sport and training monoplane
Power Plant:
One 84-kw (115-hp) Rotax 914 UL four cylinder (1211-cc) horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air
cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.96 m (32 ft 7 in)
- Length: 7.1 m (23 ft 3 in)
- Height: 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 12.46 m² (134.2 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 259 km/h (161 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 222 km/h (138 mph)
- Economical cruising speed: 157 km/h (98 mph)
- Stalling speed: 78 km/h (48 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 182 litres (40 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 470 kg (1,036 lb)
- Useful load: 450 kg (992 lb)
- Baggage weight: 40 kg (88 lb)
- Loaded weight: 920 kg (2,028 lb)
History:
Following the success of the Sling 2 the company moved to the construction of a four-seat variant using similar production methods, offering the aircraft in ready-to-fly form or as a kit-built aircraft. The Sling 4 design was conceived in 2009 after the Sling 2 prototype was flown around the world, the designers deciding to add an extra two seats in the baggage area of the Sling 2 but extended it far enough so sufficient baggage accommodation was available. Other design changes included an increase in wingspan, larger fuel tanks in the wings and changes to the cockpit canopy to incorporate a gull-wing door on each side.
The new design became known as the Silver Bullet of Experimental aviation. The aircraft is a lightweight four-seat light aircraft that can be assembled / built by the amateur constructor which can carry four adults, their baggage, fuel to travel six hours, cruise at 222 km/h (138 mph) using 22.7 litres (5 Imp gallons) per hour. The aircraft has a new centre fuselage and is constructed from 6061-T6 aluminium alloy, this being a tempered grade that has been heat-treated and aged to add a strength element. Solid rivets are used on the man spars and pull rivets for the rest of the structure. Composites are also used in areas such as the engine cowling, fairings at the wing roots and the intersection between the vertical stabilizer and the fuselage, wheel pants, the instrument panel and canopy structure, and the undercarriage legs.
Power is provided by a Rotax 914 UL turbocharged engine with a 2,000 TBO, this being a four-cylinder unit of 1,211-cc with liquid-cooled cylinder heads and air-cooled cylinders, twin carburetors, an integrated reduction gearbox and torque damper providing 84.5-kw (115-hp) at 5,800 rpm and 73.5-kw (100-hp) at 5,500 pm continuous driving an Airmaster three blade 1.82 m (6 ft) composite electric constant speed propeller. This engine provides full power up to 4,572 m (15,000ft) and drives an Airmaster in-flight adjustable propeller.
The first example of the type arrived in Australia in December 2014 along with examples of the Sling 2, becoming VH-VWC (c/n 015) and was placed on display at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon, Vic in 2015, being followed by VH-BEG (c/n 035) registered to its owner at Mansfield, Vic on 19 October 2015. Further examples have been registered, including VH-KXV (c/n 068K) registered on 26 November 2015, VH-VAZ (c/n 020K) registered on 7 September 2016; VH-WJW (c/n 108) on 17 May 2017; and VH-SKZ (c/n 078) in January 2018.