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An engineer builds four-seater planes in the garden, inspiring future aviators

Ashok Aliseril, a mechanical engineer based in Essex, England, spent 18 months building a four-seater Sling TSi aircraft in his garden. The project began in early 2020 when Aliseril ordered a self-assembly kit from the South African company Sling Aircraft. Although the UK went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Aliseril was undeterred and set up a workspace in his garden shed.

Aliseril's engineering background and experience with home improvement projects proved beneficial during the construction process. The aircraft kit, designed for hobbyists, required hands-on experience and familiarity with specialized tools. Aliseril built the tail and wings during the summer of 2020, and the fuselage section later that year. Each stage of the project was inspected and signed off before Aliseril could move on to the next task.

The plane, named G-Diya after Aliseril's youngest daughter, was signed for its first flight in January 2022. After several test flights, it was issued a permit in May of the same year. Aliseril shares ownership of the plane with three other pilots, which he says has become a community experience, providing opportunities to fly with others and learn from each other.

Aliseril's first taste of flight came when his wife, Abhilasha, gifted him a 30-minute flight experience for his birthday. He got his private pilot's license in 2019 and started chartering planes for short flights. However, as his family grew, he found that the two-seater planes typically available for private hire were not suitable. This led to the idea of ​​building his own aircraft, which would not only accommodate his growing family, but also provide him with a better understanding of the aircraft to facilitate long-term maintenance.

Since the completion of the aircraft, Aliseril and his family have enjoyed numerous trips to the UK and as far as Bergerac, France. The plane has flown more than 300 hours in the past two years, traveling as far as Norway. Aliseril hopes that more young people will take up similar projects in the future, highlighting shared ownership of aircraft as a cost-effective way to create connections in the world of aviation.

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