With its modern fuel injection system, the 912iS offers better fuel efficiency, improved performance at various altitudes, and more consistent power delivery. Unlike older carbureted engines, the 912iS reduces the risk of carburetor icing and requires less frequent maintenance, which minimizes downtime for operators. Its advanced electronic engine management system ensures precise monitoring and control, providing real-time data and diagnostics that contribute to safer and more predictable operation. Overall, the combination of modern engineering and reduced maintenance needs makes the Rotax 912iS a more reliable and cost-effective option than legacy engine technologies.

Modern Garmin avionics significantly enhance reliability over older steam gauges and vacuum-driven instrumentation. Digital systems like Garmin’s eliminate the risk of mechanical failures common in traditional gauges and vacuum pumps. Garmin’s avionics offer consistent performance and built-in redundancies – no more leaks or vacuum pump malfunctions leading to sudden loss of critical flight data.

The airframe itself is driven by the goal of simplicity – pushrods rather than cables and pulleys, composite landing struts rather than leaky olio struts, steerable nosewheel for positive control, and one handed braking to minimize uneven braking and skidding.

Burning Mogas rather than 100LL, and using only 3.5GPH, gives you the lowest hourly operating costs.

At the 2000 hour TBO, when you completely replace the Rotax 912iS engine for only $24k and 1 day of downtime, you’ll be glad not to be paying $90k for a new legacy engine or spending $30k for an overhaul and seeing your plane sit unused for months and months while you wait.

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.

The standard assembly process for each Sling begins with the different aircraft subsections being assembled. After the Empennage, Wings, and Fuselage are ready they are sent off to receive their Primer and Epoxy painting. Concurrently, the engine, electronics and canopy are fitted. When the parts come back from painting the wings and empennage are bolted to the fuselage and tested. Lastly, the fairings are put in place and the aircraft is ready for testing.

Each part of the aircraft manufacturing process has a full set of quality control procedures that The Airplane Factory directors personally oversee. Each part part is carefully inspected and all metal is punched precisely by our CNC machines. The quality assurance managers then inspect the entirety of the shipment before sending out to the buyer.