Celebrating Success-The Airplane Factory Breakfast Fly-in 2019
By Willie Bodenstein
Freshly back from their most successful Oshkosh ever, The Airplane Factory's fly-in at their factory at Tedderfield Airpark on Saturday took place in glorious weather. From humble beginnings the Sling people now, with the exception of two hangars and a residential property, occupies all of the northern side of the airpark, a total of more than 5,000sqm metres.
The company currently employs almost 240 people from local communities.
Sling Island at AirVenture 2019.
The Outback launch at AirVenture.
The Outback, a high wing version of the Sling TSi.
A month and a few weeks ago during AirVenture 2019 at Oshkosh at the launch of the company's long awaited Sling Outback, a high wing version of the Sling, they also celebrated their five-hundredth sale. In total six Slings were sold during the week long convention. Total sales have in the meantime increased to 523 sales. Included in this figure is two sales placed for the Outback the evening of the high wing's launch at Oshkosh.
Of the 523 sold 310 are Sling 2s, Sling 4's and TSI's account for 213 and as mentioned two are for the outback. The Outback will be based on the very successful Sling Tsi and will share the type's powerplant. It will be available in either tricycle or taildragger format.
The Sling guys hope to have the Outback available at Oshkosh in 2021. To most that may sound impossible, but we by now know that the impossible is what the Sling thrives on.
On a weekend with three events on the go, aviators were spoiled for choice. Still a fair number of Sling owners visited and were treated to a scrumptious breakfast and factory tour. The TSi demo was kept busy while we were there and who knows, maybe another sale was concluded?
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