During November 2009 James confounded his family’s doubts about the wisdom of engaging in an aircraft development and manufacturing business by undertaking not to cut his hair until The Airplane Factory had delivered three aircraft. He is standing by the undertaking, as is apparent from the developments evidenced in the photos below.

Since the loss of the round the world production prototype Sling on 13 February 2010, The Airplane Factory has focused chiefly on three things. The first is the static re-testing of every single component of the Sling, partly for confirmation purposes, but mostly so as to increase the approved aircraft MAUW from 600kg to 700kg. The second is performing comprehensive analytical studies on the Sling so as to determine why it transitioned into a flat spin after three turns, and whether this is likely to occur if the aircraft is again used for intentional multiple turn spins. The third is the development of the company production line for full production purposes so that aircraft of a high standard can be quickly, efficiently and cheaply produced from 1 July 2010.

In the interim the business has received confirmed orders for seven aircraft and expects to deliver the first three by mid July 2010. Thereafter The Airplane Factory expects to deliver two aircraft each month until year end, increasing the number thereafter. James, one of the company founders, is waiting anxiously for the delivery of Sling number three, having undertaken not to cut his hair until this momentous event in his life. Photos will be posted when the date finally arrives. Meanwhile, the developments to date are visible above.

Final flight testing on the replacement factory demonstration aircraft, at 700kg MAUW will take place during July 2010 for purposes of approval to this level. Although the company’s expectation is that the Sling will still be used first and foremost as a light sport aircraft, this will provide the opportunity for those pilots who hold PPL’s to fly it at a higher MAUW where this will be of convenience.

Finally, The Airplane Factory has acquired premises on the Tedderfield Airfield south of Johannesburg and will be relocating to that site during July 2010. This will serve to provide the extra space required as well as facilitate final assembly and flight testing.

Joseph Straka, founder and CEO of Stratos 07, the Czech Republic registered company which manufacturers the Magnum ballistic parachutes which the Sling is designed to incorporate, visited The Airplane Factory. Joseph’s generosity in providing a free parachute and rocket for testing purposes facilitated the testing of the modified ballistic parachute fitting arrangements. Stratos parachutes have, to date, been deployed in more than 100 real life ‘saves’.

On Saturday 1 May 2010 a Stratos ‘Magnum 601’ parachute fitted in The Airplane Factory’s serial no 003 Sling, used exclusively for testing, was deployed for test purposes. The deployment went off exactly as planned and in accordance with the design parameters. It seems clear that if the parachute had been deployed in a genuine emergency situation it would successfully have saved the life of the pilot and any passenger.

This test was particularly meaningful for James and Mike, who flew the production prototype Sling around the world, leaving just 10 days after her first flight. They completed the trip in the faith that if all else failed they would be able to rely upon the ballistic chute (not a Magnum chute!) as a last resort. Some months later, during advanced, multiple turn spin testing, the parachute handle was pulled and the parachute failed to deploy. Fortunately the pilots were both wearing personal emergency parachutes, which they used to descend safely to the ground. The failure was a sobering one for James and Mike, however, and they now have a special commitment to ensuring that the Sling’s ballistic parachute set up is 100% reliable.

Click on the video link below to see a short film of the test performed.

Terry Musiker, who is the holder of an aeronautical engineering degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, joined The Airplane Factory team. Terry is working on the development of two additional Airplane Factory aircraft models. One of these is a high wing LSA based on the Sling, the other remains for now a secret which will be revealed prior to year end.

Jean d’Assonville, previously the quality controller and test pilot for Shadowlite, (manufacturer of Jabiru aircraft in South Africa), acquired a minority shareholding in and was appointed a director of The Airplane Factory. Jean is working on the establishment of efficient, consistent and safe production procedures for Airplane Factory Aircraft.

Below is a post made by Marc Gregson, one of the test pilots who flew the Sling before, on Avcom (South Africa's largest general aviation forum) with regards to the accident that happened over the weekend.

Hi All,

Just to answer a few questions, and clear the speculation...

I did a large amount of the original test flying on the Sling (Did not do the spin tests, however). After many hours of testing, and tweaking on the D6 (first prototype), the "Sling" production prototype, with some major (and minor) improvements, proved to be a really nice aircraft to fly! A nice combination of manouverablity, well balanced controls, and forgiving, predicatable flying characteristics, prompted us to buy a Sling (will be arriving in March )! Second to Mike and James, I have the most hours on the Sling. I have spoken to James in detail, so I am not speculating on this post.

The fact that Mike and James have gone to the effort and expense to put their aircraft through a thorough, and intensive spin testing program, makes me extremely happy and comfortable in the attitude and ideals of The Airplane Factory, and like others have said, shows their commitment to building a safe and reliable aircraft.

Now the facts about yesterday's spin testing, and accident:

The first set of spin tests were done with one pilot, and half tanks (giving a lighter load and forward C of G. Incipient spins were completed left and right, as well as full turn, and one and a half turn spins both ways, and the recovery was normal, and exceptionally good.

The second set of spins were done with full tanks (normal tanks, not long range), and two test pilots, making it MAUW and rear C of G. Again, incipient spins, full turn, and one and a half turn spins were done, left and right, with normal , and again, exceptional recovery.

At this point, the Sling had passed all the requirements for the spin tests!

On the return flight from the second set of spin tests, the Pilots were so impressed with the spin characteristics, that they decided to enter a sustained spin, to find out if the spin stayed stable. Unfortunately, after the second rotation, the nose pitched up, making the spin flatten out, and rotation speed increased. The pilots tried to recover, but once they hit their hard deck of 4000ft, they decided to abandon recovery. They shut the engine, and deployed the Balistic chute. The rocket fired, but the chute didn't deploy properly. They then opened the canopy, and bailed out (they estimated just above 3000ft), parachuting to the beach. One of the pilots cracked a vertebrae in his neck when his chute opened. Once the pilots were out, the aircraft recovered itself (probably due to a now forward C of G), and proceded to crash into the sea in a descending turn. The aircraft floated for about 2 hrs, then sank a few hundred metres off shore, before they could tag it with buoys. They seem to have lost the position of the aircraft after sinking!

The reason for doing spin testing, is to make sure that an aircraft is safe for the pilots who will later fly it. Only good can come from what they've learnt during this exercise. It is sad to lose such an iconic plane (which I loved!), but good that no one was seriously injured, thanks to the excellent procedure and discipline showed by the test pilots!

Bear in mind, that very few of the light sport aircraft around, are actually spin tested, as this is not a requirement for most European certification processes. In fact, a few people that have tested certain LSA aircraft, found them very difficult, and in fact, almost impossible to recover. The vast majority are not spin tested. I appeal to all pilots, to not spin an aircraft that is not approved for spinning. A spin is a complex aerodynamic situation, with many unknowns. If the manufacturer says don't do it... DON'T DO IT. I hope that everyone learns a lesson from this.

James has indicated that they wil be getting another aircraft together soon, which they will do further spin testing on. All in the interest of making an already awesome aircraft, even better!

I am really glad that people are viewing this in the positive light in which it should be seen! I'm impressed.

Fly safe, and enjoy!

Cheers,
Marc

The Mercury newspaper had a bit more in-depth report this morning on their front page
Click here to view the newspaper article

Natal Witness newspaper reported on the accident over the weekend.
Click here to view the newspaper article (142kb)

The Airplane Factory Sling, which flew around the world during July and August 2009 crashed into the sea at Tinley Manor Beach on Saturday 13 February 2010.

Mike, James and the Airplane Factory team are devastated to have lost their round the world Sling, but are hugely relieved that no-one was seriously hurt in the accident. The accident took place when the test pilots, Carlos Garcia-Cabral and Sean Fraser, were doing spin testing of the aircraft. In initial tests the aircraft recovered predictably and quickly. In the interests of testing the aircraft above and beyond the ordinary requirements, and in view of the sterling performance of the aircraft up to the point of the accident, the pilots on board, both qualified test pilots, decided to increase the number of spins before recovery. It appears that at the end of the second turn the spin flattened and the spin speed increased. Unfortunately the pilots were unable to recover the aircraft in the altitude available to them. At 4 000 foot they cut the engine and deployed the ballistic chute. While the rocket deployed, it appears that the inertia of the main chute, together with its surface area against the "relieved hole" rivets in the parachute escape hatch prevented the main chute from escaping. The test pilots were able to exit the aircraft and parachute safely onto the beach.

While the owners of The Airplane Factory are extremely disappointed to have lost the aircraft in which they flew around the world, they recognise that testing aircraft beyond the limits which ordinary pilots will ever have to face is inherently risky. Mike said, "If one is going to lose an aircraft, I suppose that the best possible way for it to happen is in testing aimed at ensuring the final safety of members of the public. The flight formed part of a structured test program, which was why both pilots were qualified test pilots wearing parachutes. No member of the public is likely ever to be placed in the position in which the pilots found themselves." James said, "While we are obviously devastated to have lost our prototype aircraft we are proud to have been testing it to its outer limits. It was because the plane performed so flawlessly during initial spin tests that it was tested further. We’re just glad no-one was seriously injured and The Airplane Factory will continue to ensure that its products are tested and proven to the highest levels. It’s not without reason that the test pilot who was flying the aircraft when it crashed had said of the Sling ‘If someone kills themselves in this aeroplane, then they’ve got a death wish.’ Its precisely because TAF is willing to perform this kind of testing that the Sling is as safe an aircraft as it is."

At the moment we are awaiting more news from Mike & James from Tinley Manor Beach, as they are looking at the possibility of recovering the Sling.

The Airplane Factory's Sling featured on CNN this morning!

Mike Blyth and James Pitman won the the James Gilliland Trophee at the annual Aeroclub of South Africa Awards evening. Congratulations to both of you for a well deserved award!

Mike & James arrived back at Springs Airfield, Johannesburg after flying for 40 days, visiting 13 countries, and covering a distance of approximately 45,150km in the Sling light sports aircraft which they had built with their team at The Airplane Factory.

The Sling 002 test flight was successful with everybody feeling the excitement during the tests. Have a look at the Around The World link for more photos and news.

You can also bookmark the link http://www.airplanefactory.co.za/world to go directly to the Around The World Expedition pages in future.

The apparently endless weeks of detailed drawing and design work are nearing their end and construction proper on Sling 002, the "Production Prototype" Sling which Mike and James are planning to fly around the world, has started in earnest. The wings, standard save for the insertion of additional 83 and 87 litre fuel tanks in each, are nearing completion. In four hours on Sunday and 8 hours on Monday 24 and 25 May 2009 Mike, James and Steve put together the bulk of the rear fuselage. At last there is again something in the factory that resembles an aircraft! We now hope and expect to have Sling 002 ready to fly by the third week of June 2009, at least three weeks before departure for Oshkosh.

Everyone at The Airplane Factory and friends, are working like mad for the 15th July "Around the World" take-off. Rear fuselage now looks like an aircraft.

The modified wings with modified long range fuel tanks on Sling 002 are almost complete.

Test flying of the development prototype Sling is essentially complete, the design of the production prototype having been settled. The development prototype Sling has flown 41 exemplary hours, undergoing various modifications along the way.

Mike, James, William, Steve, Johan and all others involved in The Sling's development are absolutely delighted with the way she flies, every single design objective having been achieved. Others who have flown in and commented favourably on the Sling include Class 1 test pilot, Dave Stock, 2006 World Advanced Aerobatic Champion and Red Bull Air race competitor Glen Dell, SA Flyer editor Guy Leitch and test pilot and instructor, Marc Gregson.

The Airplane Factory has already commenced construction of the production prototype Sling which Mike and James intend to launch at Oshkosh in July this year. How will they get it there? Fly it from Johannesburg of course, and back the other way! See our Round-The-World link to learn more about the planned flight.