First Customer Built Sling 4 Was Displayed At AirVenture

By Tom Woodward

There are few new entries on the four place kit built market these day but the TAF Sling 4 is an impressive entry. This is the first company airplane to use the Rotax 915 iS injected, turbocharged engine. This engine produces maximum 141 HP and delivers full take off power up to 15,000 feet with a service ceiling of 23,000 feet. Like other Rotax engines it is a four cylinder, horizontally opposed, four stroke, air-cooled engine with an Engine Management System but the 915 iS is turbocharged with a 1200 hour TBO.

Interior cockpit width is 44 inches with back seats that can be folded down to allow carriage of long items such as fishing rods, skis or even a surfboard through the aft compartment into the extended cargo area. The ship has a Magnum ballistic parachute which TAF says is much less expensive to repack or replace than other whole-airframe parachutes.

I spent over an hour chatting with the South African Father/Son team who built N135WT at the Sling Facilities in California. Wayne and Son Matthew Toddun spent about three weeks with the assistance of the factory utilizing the quick build kit that complies with the 51% rule. The Father and Son team slept at the hanger, had utilization of all the factory tools, and had an incentive as they wanted to bring the ship to Oshkosh.

They finished the plane with full avionics, paint and interior with only enough time to remove the wings and ship it to Oshkosh. After the show, son Matthew will get some valuable cross-country time flying home in another Sting ship while Dad remains in Oshkosh where he has lined up a DAR to certify the build and then Wayne will fly off the Phase one time.

ANN Update: Jim Campbell test flew the ship a few days ago and not only came away impressed, but has one word for the bird... "WANT!" More details upcoming via ANN and Airborne Unlimited.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.airplanefactory.com