I figured I should know how to fly a TSI before I try to test pilot my own. I called around all the other build centers and TSI owners but the only TSI in North America that the FAA allows to train on is in Torrance. They operate just like any other flight School. You sign up on flight schedule pro, schedule a time, show up do your flight leave and that’s it.

I did actually have a lot to learn. The first day we did mostly touch and goes at Long Beach airport. The following days we did trips to places such as San Bernardino, flew over the shop Queen Mary. I’m used to a cirrus SR22 with 310 horsepower. That thing is always above the power curve. The sling flies like it’s always below the power curve. It is constantly closer to what I would call slow flight, Than what i would say cruise. I guess what I mean by that is, in the Cirrus you can just point the nose and go. In the Cirrus, if you want to go up (even if you’re just at cruise power) you can put the nose up and you go up. In the TSI you have push the throttle all the way forward and point the nose up to climb at all. The Sling’s cruise speed is about 40knots slower. At cruise , climb prop setting, 80% power and 5500rpm we were struggling to do 132k tas. Even after only a couple minutes of that, We had to pull back to 65% power because the egt were exceeding 1700f. I am used to 178k. But in other aspects, it’s a dream to handle. Very responsive to turns, easy to do a 360 at 60degrees and not lose any altitude. The interior is pretty tight. No extra elbow room.

After my flights I was able to walk around and look at the build center. They currently occupy half a dozen hangars. Most of the builds are done in two of them. Looking at the other build really helped a lot. I got a lot of questions answered just by looking. And found some mistakes I made. Special thanks to Shawn, the engine guy. He was very helpful.

Random info acquired that I found interesting,

Sling academy in Torrance uses 25% avgas and 75% costco 91.

Wayne’s 135wt has the Sensinch (sp) prop not whirlwind.

No one uses a nose wheel tug to move planes, they push down on the rear fairing and HS. And drag it around.

Final approach speed 75-80.

5400rpm holds level. More climbs, less drops/slows.

aileron trim really isn’t necessary. And elevator isn’t really either. It handles easily enough without them.