AIRHART AERONAUTICS

Airhart Aeronautics Sling: the automated aircraft that promises to democratize flying and reduce accidents

In an effort to make flying more accessible and safer, Airhart Aeronautics has unveiled the Sling, a prototype four-seat aircraft that promises to reduce operating costs and accidents.

The Sling is powered by a turbocharged Rotax 915iS engine with a cruising speed of nearly 175 mph and an impressive range of around 800 miles. Unlike traditional aircraft, the model eliminates many of the conventional cockpit controls, replacing them with a single control stick.

This allows the pilot to simply push the stick in the desired direction, facilitating takeoff and landing. The flight control system also automates a variety of functions, providing an experience similar to driving a car.

Clearer information for pilots... Airhart CEO and co-founder Nikita Ermoshkin says the goal is to allow pilots to input a destination and have the software determine the best route, taking into account factors such as terrain, weather and air traffic.

In addition, the Sling system can convert radio communications into text, displaying the information on a screen in the cockpit.

This makes instructions from air traffic controllers easier to understand, eliminating the need for immediate memorization. In the future, the technology could include automated verbal communication with controllers.

Sling pilots currently require the same level of training as any other private aircraft, but proposed regulations could open the way for simplified training. Sling’s control technology has redundancy systems to mitigate failures, and in extreme situations, the aircraft has an emergency parachute that can be manually deployed. Pricing and availability...Airhart Aeronautics is accepting pre-orders for an initial run of 50 Slings, with a $1,000 refundable deposit, for a total price of $500,000 per unit.

Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026. The company also has ambitious plans to develop even more affordable models, with the goal of building a fully-featured aircraft for around $100,000.

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