What do you folks think about the Icon A5

[Henning]

I saw the MVP concept flying boat at Oshkosh. Same price point and delivery schedule as the Icon but it also has convertible space for camping on it. pretty damn slick. We'll have to watch that one.

Is that the one with the pop top, fishing deck, and tent?

 

[SkyDog58]

I saw the MVP concept flying boat at Oshkosh. Same price point and delivery schedule as the Icon but it also has convertible space for camping on it. pretty damn slick. We'll have to watch that one.

I saw that last year at OSH. I didn't go this year. Has it advanced beyond the mockup stage yet? Has it flown?

 

[SkyDog58]

I wonder about the true utility of the folding wings though. Sure, if your are trailering it, it's pretty much a must-have. However, if I'm considering an amphibian for $200K, I'd grab a Buc and build a hell of a nice dock to fit the non-folding wings for $30-40K (with a boat lift, too) and still come out smelling like a rose. I just don't understand the thought process behind spending a ton of money for little utility, I guess.

To me the attraction of the folding wing would be able to squeeze it into a hangar with another airplane. I doubt if I would want the hassle of hauling it back and forth to the garage at my house. Besides, I have enough stuff in the garage already. Being able to house two aircraft in a hangar for the price of one though does have some attraction.

 

[Velocity173]

I saw the MVP concept flying boat at Oshkosh. Same price point and delivery schedule as the Icon but it also has convertible space for camping on it. pretty damn slick. We'll have to watch that one.

Now we're talking real utility. 189K for the production plane. I think these guys were highlighted on one of the Aviators episodes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ytS5xjdd9YY

 

[James331]

I've done a highly technical computer analysis on the drag penalty with floats and I figure on only losing 10 kts. I expect 290 KTAS at FL250. That's nothing to slouch about.

Also, I'm planning on routing some of the air that's used for pressurizing the cabin and direct it into the floats to pressurize them as well.. They'll be a valve on the aft of the float that lets the air escape. The thrust alone from that should be more than enough to offset the 10 kt drag penalty.

You all can have you're folding wings. I'll take a 300 kt float plane any day at 3/4 the cost.

I would think based on the math the raptor uses, it would actually pick up 50kts on floats and increase it's service ceiling to FL600

 

[jmp470]

I guess I'm pretty stupid, if I get a read on this thread. In 2009 I bought a 2006 Cirrus Sr 20 for $160K and sold it almost 2 years later for $157K. While it was a great plane, it would not fit my needs now. Their are 5 people in my immediate family, me, wife and 3 kids. An airplane will cost about $400K to haul us all.

However, since I sold my Cirrus I have changed my thoughts on an airplane all together. We are currently waiting for our 2016 Allegro Motor home to be built, additionally, we are on the list of 1,000 depositers on the Icon A5.

So for less than a $400K airplane to haul my family (where I would need a minivan and a hotel room waiting) I can drive anywhere in the USA and trailer my Icon A5.

This way, my airplane is a toy, no more BS medical exams, I don't care about IFR user-fees, etc.... The only thing better would be a quad-copter... that way I don't even need a lake, grass field or air field.

But, I'm a firm believer that GA in its current form needs to die... Currently, GA is to prohibited. You need a hangar, an airfield, etc... way to many requirements, thus it is not user friendly. If you could walk outside your apartment, fire up your quad-copter and travel anywhere you want... GA would be viable and thriving...

 

[Velocity173]

I would think based on the math the raptor uses, it would actually pick up 50kts on floats and increase it's service ceiling to FL600

Yeah but then you've got the whole pressure suit and RVSM requirement that I don't want to deal with.:wink2:

 

[docmirror]

I guess I'm pretty stupid, if I get a read on this thread. In 2009 I bought a 2006 Cirrus Sr 20 for $160K and sold it almost 2 years later for $157K. While it was a great plane, it would not fit my needs now. Their are 5 people in my immediate family, me, wife and 3 kids. An airplane will cost about $400K to haul us all.

However, since I sold my Cirrus I have changed my thoughts on an airplane all together. We are currently waiting for our 2016 Allegro Motor home to be built, additionally, we are on the list of 1,000 depositers on the Icon A5.

I don't think you're stupid. You could have an amphib Kitfox, Avid, or Kolb. There's also a lot of non-rigid wing boat hull aircraft that can be towed right now.

Having said that, none of them have the design attributes of the Icon. They will land on water or land, they will seat two, and they can be towed behind anything.

Now, as to the market situation, has anyone, ever while driving seen just one motorhome towing any kind of sport plane anywhere? I'm guessing there might be some few out there, maybe in covered trailers possibly but speaking as someone who drives a lot, and travels in areas where there is a lot of sport aviation, outside of coming and going to Airventure, or SunNFun, I've have never seen anyone towing a light sport plane of any kind. Not sure Icon will have much penetration in the fractional market. Would like to be proven wrong, but unlikely.

 

[Velocity173]

I guess I'm pretty stupid, if I get a read on this thread. In 2009 I bought a 2006 Cirrus Sr 20 for $160K and sold it almost 2 years later for $157K. While it was a great plane, it would not fit my needs now. Their are 5 people in my immediate family, me, wife and 3 kids. An airplane will cost about $400K to haul us all.

However, since I sold my Cirrus I have changed my thoughts on an airplane all together. We are currently waiting for our 2016 Allegro Motor home to be built, additionally, we are on the list of 1,000 depositers on the Icon A5.

So for less than a $400K airplane to haul my family (where I would need a minivan and a hotel room waiting) I can drive anywhere in the USA and trailer my Icon A5.

This way, my airplane is a toy, no more BS medical exams, I don't care about IFR user-fees, etc.... The only thing better would be a quad-copter... that way I don't even need a lake, grass field or air field.

But, I'm a firm believer that GA in its current form needs to die... Currently, GA is to prohibited. You need a hangar, an airfield, etc... way to many requirements, thus it is not user friendly. If you could walk outside your apartment, fire up your quad-copter and travel anywhere you want... GA would be viable and thriving...

No you're not stupid at all. You just have far more disposable income then I do to afford an aircraft that has a very restrictive application. If you like touring the country and camping and flying VFR around lakes, then the Icon meets your mission. Definitely nothing wrong with that.

My future mission is flying IFR, with 4 people, long distances at the fastest speed possible. While I make fun of the Raptor, in all seriousness, that plane, if it somehow achieves the benchmarks they have set, will exceed my mission requirements. And it meets them at a far less price than an Icon.

As far as medical, hanger, license and all that? I really don't find them prohibitive. Just requires a little work and planning to get all of those taken care of at the appropriate times. Just have to make aviation a priority.

 

[txflyer]

Rep at Osh said they delivered their first one to the young eagles last week.

I like them, but it wouldn't fit my mission and the price is out of LSA and what it stands for territory imo...

 

[jmp470]

No you're not stupid at all. You just have far more disposable income then I do to afford an aircraft that has a very restrictive application. If you like touring the country and camping and flying VFR around lakes, then the Icon meets your mission. Definitely nothing wrong with that.

My future mission is flying IFR, with 4 people, long distances at the fastest speed possible. While I make fun of the Raptor, in all seriousness, that plane, if it somehow achieves the benchmarks they have set, will exceed my mission requirements. And it meets them at a far less price than an Icon.

As far as medical, hanger, license and all that? I really don't find them prohibitive. Just requires a little work and planning to get all of those taken care of at the appropriate times. Just have to make aviation a priority.

that's what I thought my mission was, until I lived in D.C. and it took me over an hour just to get to the plane, without traffic, forget rush hour.... The biggest turn off to aviation in a larger city is the lack of access, IMO....

 

[SkyDog58]

In the end, if any airplane fits a person's individual mission and there is a market for it, it is a good airplane.

 

[Velocity173]

that's what I thought my mission was, until I lived in D.C. and it took me over an hour just to get to the plane, without traffic, forget rush hour.... The biggest turn off to aviation in a larger city is the lack of access, IMO....

Oh I agree with you there. Gotta be living in the right place for it to be convient. If fact, I'd say the hanger issue is the main thing preventing me from flying more. I only pay $225 a month (fits both planes) but I hate driving 45 minutes to get there just to go up for a 15 minute flight.

 

[talkingbob]

Every landing I make is a short field landing in all regards except braking. I always land with minimum energy and the plane not flying. I pretty much always tag at threshold unless I have to go to the far end of a long runway, then I land long, but still the same.

Me too! And here I thought I was the only one...

 

[Waynec]

I think they have found a hole in the market and can be successful with this. Many people have more than one plane and this adds an option for a toy. I will stick with my Bonanza for my mission.

 

[Landshark]

That AOA gauge is cool! I like that it is a a gauge that resembles a wing. Very intuitive and provides plenty of information. Right now, when doing steep turns, I am in the dark as to how much available performance I am using versus what I have left. 45 degrees, no sweat, 50 degrees, getting closer. Maybe I can do 60 in a level turn but not really sure. I could see this helping with the impossible turn as well.

Are there any AOA guages available with a needle or wing like this one?

 

[roncachamp]

Now let me ask you this. Am I allowed to land anywhere where there is water or is there certain restrictions by the FAA?

If the water is not in some SUA or TFR the FAA doesn't care where you land but there are other government agencies that do. Some state departments of natural resources can be pretty fussy about that, for example. The Seaplane Pilots Association is a good source of info.