World altitude record for women broken in Sling light sport aircraft

Sling Aircraft announced on Nov. 6 that 20-year-old Shannon Samantha Russell has broken the world altitude record for women in her class of aircraft. Russell is a South African commercial pilot and sport pilot instructor. She flew 32,059 ft in her Sling TSi light sport aircraft just one day after she earned her Sport Pilot Instructor certificate. Sling Aircraft stated that she is one of the few qualified instructors ready to teach next-generation MOSAIC aircraft. She also has an FAA Private Pilot License, FAA Instrument Rating and FAA Commercial Pilot License. "This flight was about expanding the performance envelope of the airplane and showing what's possible for women in aviation," said Russel. "I hope young girls see this and realize that the sky isn't the limit, it's just the beginning." RELATED STORIES: CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL backcountry aircraft breaks 74 year altitude record Gulfstream G800 achieves 8th city-pair speed record on way to Dubai Airshow Bombardier Global 7500 business jet sets 150th city-pair speed record Flying unpressurized aircraft at high altitudes can be dangerous, so oxygen specialists and doctors were consulted before the flight and high-altitude oxygen masks and health monitoring systems were used. Another pilot, Jean d'Assonville, monitored everything on board. Russell is the daughter of the late Sling Aircraft South Africa Chief Test Pilot Sean Russell. She brought some of her father's ashes on the record-breaking flight.