Icon A5
| A5 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Prototype in 2010 | |
| Role | Amphibious light-sport aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | ICON Aircraft |
| First flight | July 9, 2008 |
| Status | In production, 1,850 customer orders pending |
| Number built | 7 |
| Unit cost |
estimated US$247,000
|
The ICON A5 is an American amphibious light-sport aircraft being developed by ICON Aircraft. A concept aircraft was first flown in 2008, and creation of the production tooling began in December 2012. The first production aircraft made its first flight on July 7, 2014, and made its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on July 27, 2014.
The A5 is a high-wing flying boat-type amphibious monoplane with a carbon fiber airframe and retractable undercarriage. It seats two people in an enclosed 46-inch-wide (116.8 cm) cockpit and is powered by a single 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 iS engine driving a three-bladed pusher propeller. Dornier-style sponsons provide hydrodynamic stability, housing the retracted main landing gear, and act as a step for crew and passenger. The wings can be folded aft for ground transport and storage. Equipment includes an angle of attack indicator, an unusual feature in general aviation aircraft. A whole-airframe Ballistic Recovery Systems parachute is optional, except for in U.S.-registered A5s where it is mandatory, due to ICON's exemption to the U.S. LSA weight limit. The A5 uses many different design elements to provide a manageable stall recovery.
ICON Aircraft positions the A5 with a recreational focus, stating that the aircraft competes with powersports vehicles such as ATVs, motorcycles, watercraft, and snowmobiles, rather than other airplanes. ICON CEO Kirk Hawkins said "it's not about the usual metrics of speed, range, payload, altitude, and complex cockpits. It's about getting you out there and interacting with your world." As part of this effort the cockpit interior was designed by BMW designers. ICON's media debut in Wired and coverage in the mainstream media showed that theer was significant interest from outside the aviation community, and ICON has reported that 35% of its customers are not pilots.
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