Sunday, October 28, 2012

ZDL is home at last

Mike Blyth congratulates Dave on arrival at Virginia

My perfect landing
Mike Blyth, partner of The Airplane Factory, maker of the Sling airplane, and around-the-world celebrity, congratulates Dave Mc Naught taking delivery of the remodelled ZDL this week.
 
ZDL has been fully dismantled, treated with anti-corrosion protection, rebuilt and resprayed, and now sports rainbow stripes. It's been a 3-month process and co-owner Llewellyn and I are delighted to be able to get back into the air again. We also made a few improvements in line with the new-spec Slings now coming off the production line. This includes a 4-position flap selector, new interior panneling and pockets and fine-tuning of the efis on-board computer instruments. Thanks guys for the great job!
 
Home at last at Virginia airport

Back in the captain's seat!

Llewellyn wears matching colours in our first flight together in the cockpit of the new ZDL

Rich new colour scheme

My second flight over Durban harbour in the new ZDL
 
Celebrating the arrival home of ZDL as well as the maiden flight of Marc and Lee's Sling SAA are Dave, our instructor Brad, Marc, Lee and Llewellyn
 You can see more of the before and after photos in full on our Facebook group here.

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Finishing touches


The CAA re-registration is sorted and the decals applied... final touches being done and Mike Blyth will be flying ZDL to us at Virginia tomorrow.
 
It's been a long haul but our newly renamed Dragon Warrior is coming home.
 

Friday, October 12, 2012

ZDL ready?

It's been a slog waiting for our plane and departure to Jhb today to fetch was also not without drama. Looks like the ATF was forgotten and with the plane being taken apart CAA view it as a rebuild and need proving flights and time and a new Authority to Fly to be issued.. so waiting at Lanseria for Mike to kindly fetch me then will assess where we stand and wait it out if need be for the paperwork to catch up. Not leaving Jhb wihtout ZDL this time.. been 3 false starts so far and 2 1/2 months. Hopefully all worth the wait and our plane will be brand new again.

Watch this space.