The Sling 4 Turbo was designed with the aim of creating the most practical and desirable lightweight, 4-place Experimental aircraft on the market, a niche not previously filled. The plane is basically an elongated version of its sibling, the Sling LSA, however it uses the more powerful Rotax 914 Turbo and has Gullwing doors instead of a sliding canopy. It can comfortably seat 4 people, carry baggage and still cruise effortlessly and efficiently, making it the ultimate affordable cross-country aircraft. Her flying characteristics are very similar to the smaller Sling LSA, perfectly-coordinated with highly responsive controls that are not too sensitive! The Sling 4 Turbo is the perfect aircraft for the home builder who is looking for an affordable DIY 4-place airplane. Aluminum construction is used for ease of maintenance and construction as well as its proven strength and lifetime qualities. The Sling 4 Turbo comes with a variety of customization options that the builder can explore as well as the option for a Ballistic Parachute for safety purposes. No single aircraft can fulfill the special needs of every pilot. Nevertheless, The Airplane Factory believes that the Sling 4 Turbo enjoys a set of qualities that will fulfill the needs, at the highest level, of many pilots around the globe.

Available as Standard or Quickbuild Kit The design was conceived in 2006 as a result of Mike Blyth’s desire for a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) that had better performance and handling characteristics than anything on the market. This vision would be an airplane capable of acting as either an exciting pleasure craft or a forgiving trainer. Mike decided to go with a stressed skin, riveted design for its proven technology, durability, and ease of construction. He also wanted to make an all-metal, low wing airplane that would have excellent visibility, sporty handling, and a sleek and sexy exterior.

The aluminum he chose was 6061 Aluminum Alloy. To be more specific, 6061-T6 Aluminum, a tempered grade that has been heat-treated and aged to add a significant strength element. The Sling uses all traditional AN Hardware in its construction, meaning it lives up to the US Air Force/Navy Standards. Solid rivets are used on the main spars, which are standard aviation type spars with our own unique design for added strength, and pull rivets for the rest of the structure, making construction a bit easier while maintaining structural integrity. The Airplane Factory uses high quality rivets manufactured in Germany that are well known throughout the aircraft manufacturing industry. Composites are also used throughout the airplane where appropriate, for example, cowling, fairings at the wing roots and the intersection between the vertical stabilizer and the fuselage, wheel pants, as well as the instrument panel and canopy structure. For reduced weight but added strength, the landing gear is also composite construction which can take a heavy amount of stress regularly without issues.