HOT 102.7FM HOT 1027 NOT BREAKING NEWS

Record-Breaking Altitude in a Proudly South African Sling TSi

Loading player...
A young South African pilot is soaring into the history books — and she’s done it in a proudly home-built South African aircraft.

At just 21 years old, commercial pilot and instructor Shannon Russell has smashed a world altitude record for women in her class of aircraft, taking a Sling TSi to 32 059ft — that’s higher than many passenger jets fly.

But behind her record-breaking achievement is a deeply personal story of a daughter honouring her late father’s legacy.

HOT1027’s Tara Penny has more...
14 Nov 2025 English South Africa Entertainment News · Documentary

Other recent episodes

Unhinged: Episode 10: "It was do or die..."

Addiction has the power to destroy relationships, careers and families. But experts say sobriety is possible — and sometimes all it takes - is one decision to change the course of a life. Ahead of "Drug Addiction Awareness day" later on this week, we're looking at the crisis in our…
24 Jun 2 min

Unhinged: Episode 9: "Addiction is big business here in SA"

When South Africans think about addiction, they often picture the person using the drugs. But behind every packet of cocaine, every hit of crystal meth and every bag of heroin is a vast criminal network making billions of rands - while profiting off human misery. HOT1027's Tara Penny takes a…
24 Jun 2 min

Unhinged: Episode 7: A Mother's fight to save her son

A Sandton mother whose son battled addiction for almost two decades has written a book about her family's ordeal in the hope of helping others. For every person battling addiction, there are often parents, partners and siblings fighting battles of their own. HOT1027's Tara Penny reports…
23 Jun 2 min
All episodes