"5577" - The Seven Day Sling

[John Boucher]

True... still want to see what the kit looks like and if there is a ready built aircraft to view.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Just kidding. I don't think they leave for poland for a while yet and there are a couple demo machines there....

[John Boucher]

I'll make it an Official MISASA PRO inspection then.....

[LenM]

Just returned from Tedderfield...
It is an amazing operation and incredible aircraft!
First time I've seen the Sling up close and it is really a well designed and manufactured aircraft!!

Up to now I've been very impressed by the success of this South African design and construction team, but after seeing the plane, I WANT ONE!!!!

Will be returning tomorrow morning early to snap some photo's and will post on the forum.

[jpitman]

One problem with building an airplane in 7 days is that there’s not a whole lot of time left over to report developments to the rest of the world. Anyhow, we’re now 5 days down (it’s 08h30 on Thursday morning) and our baby is really beginning to look like something that may actually fly quite soon! Jean’s head hasn’t seen a pillow since yesterday morning, but the rest of the team awoke to find the canopy fitted, Sikoflex duly drying. That’s the last element in which there’s a critical time path which requires an immutable chemical process for completion. It we don’t finish up now, it’s just because we’re too lazy or too slow!

Other than Jean, the team stopped work by 00h30 last night, so it was a reasonably early night. Then people only awoke at 07h00 this morning, an hour later than usual. One problem is that we rose to find that our compressor won’t start up, so that provides an additional problem which requires resolution. Lots of those around, however. Meanwhile, the team is really pulling together – to see everyone with their heads down after supper last night, just going for it until after midnight, which Credence played in the background, was quite a sight. The girls have become instant aviation experts and while Cheri and Charmaine built the horizontal stabilizer on their own, Vega and Dudu whipped up the elevator. Bronwyn saw to it that the flaps and ailerons were 100% functional and freemoving and Nomfundo did what she does best – entertained the crowds.

The controls are now clecoed in, ready for final inspection and then riveting. Vince is working on the engine to get all hoses and wires connection before “safetying” it with a million tie-offs, fire-sleeves and so on. The empennage will get fitted during the course of the morning and then the wing in the mid-afternoon. The idea is to have her ready for a W and B by the evening, so that the engine can be run and then, assuming all is good, the final inspections can be done. Braam Hechter of the CAA is in at 06h00 each morning, and he assures us that he’ll be ready to process the paperwork from then onwards tomorrow morning. It does remain to be seen whether it’ll be possible to get everything ready tonight, or whether there’ll be outstanding issues tomorrow morning. The outcome will determine what time ZU-SOL flies.

Absent catastrophe, the last cable ties will be tied up this evening / some time around midnight and the build will have been completed within 6 days. Every which way, there’s no doubt that there’ll be a hell of a party at The Airplane Factory tomorrow night, Friday 3 March 2011. Festivities commence at 17h30 with flying and a more aviation based focus. There’ll be drinks and boerewors rolls. Later things will degrade into the usual Airplane Factory shindig and, assuming that the builders have not absolutely destroyed themselves with their efforts, it’s hoped that that will continue into the early hours.

All are welcome.

IMGP6752.jpg (53.84 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP6955.jpg (35.87 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP7447.jpg (55.11 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP7500.jpg (49.15 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8077.jpg (69.19 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8139.jpg (47.7 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8164.jpg (71.22 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8164.jpg (71.22 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8167.jpg (45.98 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

IMGP8202.jpg (63.97 KiB) Viewed 2281 times

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Seems Nando's has competition for the BEST employer to (play) I mean work for.

Awesome guys. WELL DONE....

[John Boucher]

I find this whole process and challenge quite impressive!

[jpitman]

What a week – the highs and lows just didn’t stop! By yesterday morning, Friday 3 March 2011, the final day, the team was beginning to get quite serious cabin fever and a strange “Big Brother” sensation was beginning to descend upon everyone. Nevertheless, all pulled their weight on the final straight (though some more in their own style than by riveting and filing). The last nacelle was screwed into place at 17h30, against a beautiful Highveld skycape, only to discover that the oil pressure indicator was reading incorrectly on the MGL Voyager. Gareth and the rest of the team’s best efforts were to no avail and at about 18h20 Mike made the right decision - not to fly an aircraft that isn’t 100% serviceable.

So ZU-SOL, nevertheless looking beautiful in the evening light, was pushed across the airfield down from her home of six and a half days days to the TAF hangar on the northern side of the field where her parts were fabricated only weeks before and the team and friends took the chance to unwind with some boerewors rolls and beer. Although a number of people came past to give support and see developments, and many stayed on for some social chit-chat, there was a definite disappointment that ZU-SOL had not taken to the air as planned. That, together with a tidal wave of exhaustion on the part of the build team, meant that the ensuing party didn’t quite live up to some of TAF’s historical ‘opskops’.

Perhaps that was a good thing, though. Mike was off and in bed by 23h30 in the ‘Big Brother hangar’. But, woken by his wife Charmaine at 02h00, he had a vision – that a failed ground wire was what was to blame for the problem with the oil pressure indicator. So down he came again, this time to TAF’s hangar, at 02h00, to have another look. Working alone until 05h45 he eventually isolated the offending wire, got the MGL Voyager reading the pressure and started the engine for the first time. Initial excitement was soon tempered by very low oil pressure readings. Another three hours of work, however, and the reasons for this too were identified – two ground wires instead of one! At last at 09h20, exactly 6 days, 23 hours and 50 minutes after the ZU-SOL kit arrived, she was fully ready to fly. 9 minutes 45 seconds later, just 15 seconds ahead of the ultimate 168 hour (seven day) deadline, Mike took off, confident that everything was right (James and Jean having given up their entitlement to ‘ching chong cha’ it out to see who would do the first test flight - in deference to Mike’s overnight efforts).

The plane flew absolutely flawlessly and has, in the short time since then, flown more than 2 additional hours. The build crew, deliriously excited and exhausted, witnessed the first flights and many got to fly in her in her pristine, yet unpainted state.

It’s a sad moment when the time comes to disband after a great project, but TAF thanks everyone for their help and support during the project. Most especially Cathy Jones and family for their unstinting support, the Howells for their generosity with their hangar, and the camera crew Lloyd, James and Blaine for their herculean efforts.

I don’t yet have the photos James Lewis and Blaine Venter took of the first flight, but I’ll put them up as soon as they arrive. Meanwhile Bruce Perkins, thanks for your absolutely magnificent images of the build, people and other aircraft as posted on Avcom – they really are awesomely spectacular.

Stand by for more news and then, starting 1 April 2011, reports on ZU-SOL’s trip to Europe. A couple of last night's shots below to add to Bruce's.

[John Boucher]

I have to agree with your comment Demon.....

[tsotsi]

[alanmack]

Charmaine proof reading the story for the next mag!

DSC00025.JPG (34.4 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

Cat naps were the order of the week!

DSC00029.JPG (35.96 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

DSC00030.JPG (34.42 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

20 minutes to the roll out!

DSC00034.JPG (41.85 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

The roll out

DSC00094.JPG (39.86 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

DSC00099.JPG (27.45 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

Time for a speach

Time to party!

DSC00123.JPG (32.48 KiB) Viewed 2490 times

Congrats to:
Left to right- Vince Ntuli, Jean d'Assonville, Charmaine Blyth, Mike Blyth, Nomfundo Xulu, James Pitman, Vega Ebbersten, Bronwyn Eyre, Dudu Mathebula, Cheri-Lee Matthews and Gareth Bosch.

[D2O]

Well done!

[John Waterson]

Well done Guys !!

Most impressive.

John Waterson

[AEROYOTA]

Well done.

You have set and kept the standard at you're own ultra high standard.

Wish you all the best for your flight to Europe!

[Leprachaun]

Well done Guys , who , now you have moved the goal posts , whats next ?????

I like your surprizes !