Safety System Shock! Why This Sling TSi Still Isn’t Finished

Welcome back to Sling Caper 828! This week Glenn was down for the weekend, which meant a big push on the Sling TSi project. Together we wrestled with wing-body fairings that refused to fit, discovered more missing hardware, and installed the parachute and rocket system… only to find Sling had pilfered parts out of the box! From frangible bolts to the elusive rocket cone, it feels like every step forward uncovers another small but critical delay. Safety equipment like the parachute isn’t cheap (think the cost of a nice car), so finding opened boxes and missing parts is more than frustrating – it’s worrying. We also wrestled with trim servo geometry (trigonometry came in handy!), fitted more upholstery, wired up systems, and tackled those awkward seat belts. The good news? The engine bay is nearly ready to run, avionics are powered, and every small fix edges us closer to that first flight. The bad news? We’re still waiting on parts from Sling, Aircraft Spruce, and Glenn’s trip to the States. At 849 build hours, it’s starting to feel like the Sling TSi is almost ready for the “F word” (finished!)… but as any aircraft builder knows, there’s always one more thing. Thanks for following along on this wild aviation adventure. If you’re building, flying, or just dreaming, hit subscribe and join us as we get closer to first flight! Suggested Timestamps (with a mix of SEO & humour) 0:00 Glenn’s back in the hangar – more hands, more progress 0:15 Wing-body fairings: the good, the bad, and the ugly fit 0:58 Out of rivnuts… again! Glenn becomes the official floor-crawler 1:11 Installing the parachute & rocket system (with missing parts!) 2:44 The case of the missing rocket cone… thanks Sling! 3:44 Why missing bolts in a parachute system is NOT funny 4:20 Trim servo trigonometry – the wrong size sent! 5:01 Glenn tackles the world’s worst seat belt job 6:02 Fairings hacked, modified, and made “good enough” 6:37 Landing & taxi light progress (and more waiting) 7:00 Blowout panel curing – RTV, tape, and rainproofing hacks 7:39 Trim servo saga continues… waiting on the right motor 8:02 Avionics in, databases updated, brake repair done 8:33 Stick length dialed in… nearly ready to drill 9:12 Elevator rigging hell – the battle for clearance 9:28 Glenn raids Aircraft Spruce in the USA 9:57 That dreaded “F word” (finished… or not?) 10:08 Radio antenna problems – do I have to drill out the fin? 10:42 Wrap up: closer than ever, but still waiting for parts