Howzit Slingers!
It feels like just last week I was writing to update you that the trip to Oshkosh in three shiny High Wings (once again well done Linda, Mike, James, Matt, JP and William) was over and all were safe and sound in the USA. It suddenly gave me that anxious feeling one gets when you think you have forgotten to do something your wife asked you to do. “What have we done in the last three months at Sling? Nothing?” No of course not! We have had an action-packed two months as you will see from our stories below.
We have seen the first flight of the e-Sling, a fully electric Sling TSi developed by a team of 20 students at ETH University in Switzerland along with Sling Aircraft’s aeronautical engineers and draughting staff. On the 19th of September 2022, test pilot Damian Hischier took to the skies in the very first fully electric Sling. The plane was nicknamed “Jarryd” by the students after the manager of our engineering office, Jarryd Wilson, who has been integral to the build and success of this amazing feat. Well done to all involved but especially the students at ETH. You made us proud at Sling HQ! Thank you.
The saga of the Sling High Wings to Oshkosh is not actually over yet. That’s right, Bambi is in Africa! Pilot Bambi (Rosita) and her partner (Maurits) are currently in Arusha, Tanzania, the safari capital of the world in ZU-SHW on an adventure flight from Holland back to South Africa. They will be joined by Mike, his wife Sue, James, Matt Cohen and Lloyd Ross (our world-famous filmmaker) in a bunch of our Slings to make a short film about the final legs of their journey to return SHW to her birth and nesting place, Sling HQ. While roughing it in the deserts of Botswana and Nambia may not be for everyone, we're pretty sure a WELCOME HOME party is! Join us on the 13th of November for evening drinks as we celebrate the return of ZU-SHW to South African soil. More information will follow so keep your eyes peeled!
As Sling continues to grow, we need more and more competent team members. We have numerous jobs advertised on our website. Check them out and see if your dream job is there.
Also, entries are opening on the 1st of November for the Tanqua Kuru Bicycle Race. This is, for many of us at Sling, our favourite long-distance multi-day gravel ride of the year. The race is only in May 2023 but entries and accommodation are limited so if you’re keen to join us for this spectacular race, it best you follow the link included in the Squawk below and book a spot. We will be back again with 10 riders from the factory and would love to see some other Slingers there!
Finally, and before you read our stories, we are closing the factory for the Christmas holidays from the 15th of December until the 3rd of January. We promise to send out more news before the year-end break as I'm sure you will all be itching to get the latest Sling scoop!
Enjoy the read and keep on Slinging!
Andrew Pitman
CEO
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