By Sean Tucker, EAA 1467963

This piece originally ran in the July 2026 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.

I’m that kid who fell in love with airplanes at an air show in the mid-1970s.

I always dreamed about flying and of one day becoming a pilot. My journey of building, flying, and owning an airplane started with building plastic World War II models. I worked my way from balsa wood models that used a rubber band to power the propeller, to building and flying remote control models. In 1990, I earned my private pilot certificate and soon after reported to Air Force pilot training. Military flying became my profession for just shy of 23 years, both on active duty and in the Air Force Reserve. Since 2001 I’ve also flown for the airlines. Aviation has been not just a career but a lifelong passion.

However, had you told a younger me — or even me from just a handful of years ago — that I would one day build, fly, and win an award for my own airplane, I wouldn’t have believed it.

So why build my own airplane? As retirement approached, I knew I wanted to keep flying, but I wanted the kind of airplane that would let me be hands-on with the maintenance. I narrowed my choice down to two four-seat experimental aircraft: the RV-10 and the Sling TSi. At first, the RV-10 was the front-runner. The Sling, with its Rotax engine and unusual hand brake, seemed like an unlikely candidate. In fact, when I traveled to Torrance, California, in 2020, it was mainly to cross the Sling TSi off my list.

That changed the moment I stepped into the cockpit. At 6 feet, 1 inch, I expected the TSi to feel cramped, but the cabin felt surprisingly comfortable. By the time I taxied to the runway, the hand brake, which was something I had been skeptical about, was already no longer a concern. Then came the real surprise: the takeoff. The Rotax 915 iS delivered power far beyond my expectations, and as I climbed and turned crosswind, I had the sense of being back in the T-6 Texan II from my Air Force flight instructor days. Everything about the Sling felt right. I walked away from that flight thinking, “Oh my, I think I’m going to build one of these.”

When I asked my wife what she wanted in the airplane, her answer was simple: an air conditioner. Also a military and airline pilot, she had spent years drenched in sweat in cockpits around the Pacific and Caribbean and wanted a more comfortable experience. That request would turn out to be one of the biggest challenges of the build. I partnered with Evan Brunye in Boise, Idaho, who was willing to take on the task. Over the course of a year and a half, I commuted to Boise almost monthly, working side by side as N141D slowly took shape from a flat-pack kit into a finished aircraft.

I started the build at the aft fuselage section and moved my way forward along the fuselage to the firewall. It was rewarding to see the small individual pieces of aluminum come together into a structure that was strong. I could already see myself traversing across the United States in the metal structure sitting on top of the build table.

The wings were next. The first work I did on the wings was countersinking rivet holes on the main spar. I must say this was a little nerve-racking, but I made it out of that section of the build with nicely countersunk spars. An interesting part of the Sling build is that all the skins from the wing spar forward require countersunk rivets. That includes the fuselage sections from the wing spar forward. The majority of the remaining rivets are domed rivets that sit on top of the skin.

The process of building turned out to be far more rewarding than I imagined. Incorporating the air conditioner was especially challenging, but also one of the most satisfying parts of the project. Evan designed a brilliant system, with overhead rotary controls, servo-operated vents, and even colored LEDs (blue for AC and red for heat). N141D became the first FAA-certified airworthy Sling TSi in the United States to include an air-conditioning system.

Despite flying for a living, I’ve been surprised by how much joy I find in my Sling. Every hour I spend with it, whether that be performing an oil change or taking it cross-country to visit family, truly excites me. It isn’t just the airplane itself, though the Sling TSi is a stellar performer; it’s also the sense of community. Being part of the Sling family has been one of the unexpected highlights of this journey.

Looking back, the build was more than just assembling an aircraft. It was about reconnecting with the wonder that first drew me to aviation as a kid staring at the sky in the 1970s. If you’re considering a similar path, my advice is simple: Don’t hesitate. You won’t be disappointed by the journey!

Attention — Aircraft Builders and Restorers

We would love to share your story with your fellow EAA members in the pages of EAA Sport Aviation magazine, even if it’s a project that’s been completed for a while. Readers consistently rate the “What Our Members are Building/Restoring” section of the magazine as one of their favorites, so don’t miss the chance to show off your handiwork and inspire your peers to start or complete projects of their own. Learn more ->