Tedderfield smorgasboard

We waited 10 days for Durban's weather to "clear" before we could make the trip to Johannesburg over the escarpment to fetch Louis' new Sling ZU-JAL. The wind was totally trashy the whole trip there and back and we were bumped and bucked around the clouds which WindGuru said would have cleared by 10am around the halfway mark over the Berg escarpment but the only solution was to fly higher up to 8500ft where the air became a little smoother. As soon as we were over the Berg we scooted along at low level as the smoke from fires was also causing visibility problems. For the journey back the clouds had cleared some but there were at least 10 huge veld fires burning and the smoke was so thick it was almost as if we were flying in cloud with the visibility reduced. Not the best weather for 5 hours in the air there and back.

 

 

Louis and I very proud of his new fuel injected Sling 912 Is

I dropped off ZDL with The Airplane Factory to have the wiring on the new AvioGuard checked out as this is still an unresolved problem and then flew back with Louis in his new plane after taking delivery.



The Airplane Factory's Andrew hands over JAL to Louis

 I told Louis that he now has a Japanese plane after the Japan Airlines logo, but he insists that JAL stands for the initials of his wife Jeanette, sons Andre and Armand and himself Louis. I am not so sure he doesn't have a JAP plane.

The fuel economy of the fuel injected Rotax engine was evident on the way back as the 100hp engine sipped only 14 litres of 95 unleaded petrol per hour. This means we used about 35 litres or R450 for the 2 1/2 hour flight home @ 100 knots compared to about 18-20 litres for the carburettor version.
 

New plane being built at The Airplane Factory ZU-BLK

FTY in for maintenance

FYM at The Airplane Factory in for maintnenance

Aviation Direct's Sling MCA visiting the factory



A new Sling in production at the Factory

There were several Sling 4 in different stages of production at the Factory

The Sling 4-seater is distinguished by the slightly longer fuselage and the luggage hatch just behind the wing in this plane being assembled at the Factory

Louis' Sling JAL is the first to be fitted with the new MGL iEFIS - the largest touchscreen efis now available from MGL, our own homegrown international avionics company based in Cape Town. Congrats to Rainier from MGL for this superior product. It took a little getting used to on our maiden flight home, but it has several advanced features and marks a huge improvement over the MGL Voyager we have in ZDL.

 

2014 trip to Vic Falls

For those getting itchy feet, The Airplane Factory and Sling owners are planning a trip to Botswana and Vic Falls in March next year. I hear full moon is the time to catch a "moonbow" as the light from the moon refracts through the mist from the mighty Zambesi river as it flows over the falls.

So dates and airfields are still being discussed - any input would be great - and the idea is to all meet at The Airplane Factory, possibly mid-March 2014 and then go in a group up into Botswana, the Okavango Delta and on to Victoria Falls. The trip will be about 6 nights, or for those joining from Cape Town or Durban add a night or two.

So pencil in a big circle over March for those planning trips in the first part of next year and join us. More details will follow as to who from The Airplane Factory will be leading the expedition and the route and costs involved.

I know you guys from The Airplane Factory USA are coming out to South Africa next year, so maybe you'll fit this into your schedule and come join us.

emails to Dave slingfans@gmail.com

## It looks like our first stop will be Nguma Lodge in the Okavango Delta with a 1000m fully licensed airfield. Accommodation with an airstrip is quite difficult to find unless you are in the R5000 per night bracket. However this camp offers campsites for R145 per person per night for those who want to camp and bring a tent, to R1000 per unit (sleeps 2) per night for a tented chalet, or R1500 per person per night for the Lodge - so there are pricing options to suit everyone. The idea is to stay for 2 nights and explore the Okavango, then fly on to Vic Falls for 2 nights where we are looking at accommodation options, then stay one or 2 more nights in Botswana en route back to Johannesburg. ##

Sea Plane rating 2014

I have always wanted to fly a sea plane, so it's on the cards to get my SA Pilot's licence accredited in America and do a sea plane rating there. There are a couple of venues that do this - in Florida and Alaska over 2 days of flying from lake to lake, so I am working on putting together a flying holiday to the States next year instead of visiting some random cities. Will reveal more as the plans unfold and I do some more research.

Golf Day Winner

Standard Bank's annual golf-day was a chance for me to give away a complimentary flight. The hard part was pinning down a suitable time to fly with the weather very changeable over the past two weeks. I had arranged Saturday (beautiful morning) but by the time Leroy could get to me, the clouds had rolled in and by the time we were ready for take-off Virginia declared the Airport IMC with the cloud base at 1000 ft. I asked very nicely though and the best the Air Traffic Controller could give me was a special VFR flight to the Harbour entrance and back (not leaving his controlled space, otherwise I would have to go and land somewhere else). Leroy had never flown in any plane before and I was conscious of some previous Avcomer's advice that nervous passengers should cross their legs and sit on their hands to prevent interference with the controls. Anyway Leroy did fine and said it was not as scary as he had imagined.

 

Mc Naught and Company, by the way, is my legal practice specialising in Conveyancing. So the next time you buy or sell a house or any property in South Africa, make sure you put my name down as the Conveyancers and it will be my pleasure to be of service. My contact number for future purpose is 083-7033329. Dave Mc Naught

Trav comes flying

It's always great to introduce a new experience to someone for the first time and this was Trav's first time in the air in a light aircraft. I am always conscious that first-timers are likely to be nervous and I like to put them at ease letting them participate in the pre-flight inspection, checking the engine and showing them that flying a plane is not like jumping in a car and dashing off somewhere. Similarly I like to talk them through all of the procedures with taking off, flying the plane and landing and I don't do any drastic turns or manoeuvres. Trav appreciated his first experience and we did a short 20 min flight to Toti and back.