Sling TSi Gets Brazilian Green Light – A Proud South African Export

By Garth Calitz

When Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) authorised local manufacture of the Sling TSi light sport aircraft in early 2026, it was more than just another regulatory approval in a distant market. For South Africa’s aviation community, it marked another international milestone for one of the country’s most successful modern aerospace exports. From its roots in a Johannesburg hangar to production lines in the United States and now Brazil, Sling Aircraft continues to prove that South African aviation engineering can compete and win on the global stage.

ANAC’s recognition of the Sling TSi as a Special Light Sport Aircraft (Aeronave Leve Especial – ALE) allows Brazilian company TAF Brasil Ltda to manufacture the four-seat aircraft locally. TAF becomes the tenth Brazilian manufacturer to receive Special ALE recognition, expanding the country’s light aviation manufacturing base and opening the door for more affordable access to modern light aircraft in a market hungry for new training and touring platforms.

The Sling TSi stands out in the light sport category for one key reason: it seats four. While most LSAs are limited to two seats, the Sling TSi is only the second aircraft in the world to be recognised under the Special ALE category with four seats. That distinction may sound like a technical footnote, but in practical terms it means flight schools can train more efficiently, owners can carry the whole family (or at least the two favourites), and operators can get more utility out of a single airframe, without stepping into the cost and complexity of fully type-certified aircraft.

ANAC’s approval process included documentation reviews, technical audits at the manufacturing facility and inspections of the aircraft itself. The agency assessed compliance with ASTM International consensus standards, ensuring that the Sling TSi meets accepted safety and performance benchmarks. It is a regulatory approach designed to balance innovation with safety, something South African manufacturers are increasingly familiar with as they navigate global certification pathways.

Sling Aircraft’s journey is one that resonates strongly with the local aviation industry. Founded in 2011 by pilots and entrepreneurs Mike Blyth and James Pitman, Sling set out to design a tough, affordable aircraft suited to the realities of private ownership and flight training. The Sling 2 and Sling 4 quickly gained international attention, helped along by ambitious long-distance demonstration flights that took these “little aeroplanes that could” to some very big places – including around-the-world routes. It was marketing by adventure, and it worked.

The Sling TSi represents the next step in that evolution. Powered by the Rotax 915iS turbocharged engine, the TSi brings serious performance to the light aircraft segment, with high-altitude capability, modern glass cockpits and efficient cruise speeds. For a design that originated in South Africa, seeing it adopted and manufactured abroad is a reminder that local innovation can scale globally when backed by solid engineering and a healthy dose of audacity.

Sling’s international expansion has already included a major production presence in the United States, and the Brazilian approval adds another important manufacturing foothold in a fast-growing aviation market. For South African aerospace, this is not just a commercial success story, it is evidence that home-grown designs can move beyond export sales and into licensed production arrangements with international partners.

Brazil’s regulatory changes in 2022 paved the way for this approval, allowing four-seat aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 1,361 kg to be approved under ALE consensus standards. The shift aligns Brazil with international practice and significantly reduces certification costs compared to full type certification, while maintaining acceptable safety levels. It is a model that other developing aviation markets are watching closely and one that could offer lessons for regulators, including South Africa, seeking to stimulate general aviation without compromising oversight.

For South Africa, the Sling TSi’s Brazilian breakthrough is both a point of pride and a reminder of what is possible when local talent is given global runway. In an industry where success stories are often imported, it is refreshing to see a South African aircraft being welcomed abroad and manufactured there too. Not bad for a company that started out building aeroplanes that were supposed to be “simple.” Turns out simple, done right, travels very far indeed.