ICON A5

thepetrostate

thepetrostate

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John "For The Petrostate" Martin
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I am following a thread in Usenet about amphibs. I know this plane, the ICON A5 isn't in the air yet (I think) but it did get me to thinking about amphibs in general.

I don't seem to find much around about these planes, not counting the Cessna retrofits, true amphibs. Is there something about the nature of this style of plane that has limited its appeal?
 
Flying boats are usually slow. Small flying boats usually have very little freeboard. The A5 has done some flying (prototype).

The biggest drawback on the A5 seems to be a very anemic useful load. Also, the mechanism for their auto-folding wing in a flying prototype does not yet seem to be ready for prime time.

I wish them the best of luck and hope they sell 1000's
 
I would actually be interested in an A5 ... but for the 139K price tag. A bit much, if you ask me.
 
jhausch said:
Flying boats are usually slow. Small flying boats usually have very little freeboard. The A5 has done some flying (prototype).

The biggest drawback on the A5 seems to be a very anemic useful load. Also, the mechanism for their auto-folding wing in a flying prototype does not yet seem to be ready for prime time.

I wish them the best of luck and hope they sell 1000's
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The useful load is an issue, thanks for pointing that out. Could you help me with the term "freeboard"?:dunno:
 
Ken Ibold said:
I would actually be interested in an A5 ... but for the 139K price tag. A bit much, if you ask me.
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That's today's price sans options and wiht a $5,000 earnest money deposit. They may need to show X potential sales before they can go to production, those sales reflected in the EM. Like hirise condos.
 
Ken Ibold said:
distance between waterline and water in the cabin.
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Thanks, Ken. I noticed that they mentioned a sump, I am assuming this would be for water over freeboard or do amphibs typically take on water (through the RG for instance)?
 
thepetrostate said:
Thanks, Ken. I noticed that they mentioned a sump, I am assuming this would be for water over freeboard or do amphibs typically take on water (through the RG for instance)?
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water over the freeboard -- any more than a splash -- is bad juju. The sump is there because small leaks occur from control cables etc, just like in a boat.
 
Ken Ibold said:
water over the freeboard -- any more than a splash -- is bad juju. The sump is there because small leaks occur from control cables etc, just like in a boat.
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Hm, must make for some serious instrumentation design issues. Hadn't thought about the influx of water, especially saline waters.
 
I like the wing folding mechanism, too.

My understanding that only the show demo has the ability. The desire to automate that process (ant not add ton's of weight) will be no easy task.

As others explained, "freeboard" is the distance from the waterline to the lop of the cabin/cockpit. Small flying boats seem to have very little freeboard.
 
jhausch said:
I like the wing folding mechanism, too.

My understanding that only the show demo has the ability. The desire to automate that process (ant not add ton's of weight) will be no easy task.

As others explained, "freeboard" is the distance from the waterline to the lop of the cabin/cockpit. Small flying boats seem to have very little freeboard.
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I'm wondering if this isn't a better alternative, not a pure ampnib but hell of a good design, load, etc.

http://www.remos.com/en/remos-g3.php?item=foldingwings

No sumps, freeboard issues, 110kt cruise....throw on a pair of skis..
 
Will be featured on The Discovery Channel tonight (9/18):

http://www.iconaircraft.com/news.html

ICON Aircraft will be showcased in Discovery Channel's Next World series in an episode called "Future Flight," which takes to the skies of tomorrow on-board shape-shifting planes, top-secret military aircraft, and jets with self-healing wings. Discovery's production crew visited Los Angeles in late June to interview Founder and CEO Kirk Hawkins for their feature on the ICON A5.

Discovery Channel
Thursday, Sept. 18
8:00 pm (check your local listings)
Episode will also air on Discovery's HD Theatre channel (date and time TBD).

For more information, visit http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/next-world/next-world.html
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The Icon prototype has fixed, not folding wings. The articulate and locking mechanism is quite elegant, but not ready for prime time.

There are several smaller ultralight styles of hull-down(amphibious) planes available now. The one that seems to have the market pretty will done is the SeaRey. The Aventura also comes in for honorable mention.

They are purpose built planes, to go from land to water and back frequently. A standard hull plane, with floats/gear is ungainly, costly, slow, and pricey. There are a lot of them in AK because they do two jobs well at different times of the year.

I'm shopping for the hull style amphib now, and will be getting one in the near future. It won't be an Icon. :)
 
I think Amphibs have appeal in areas like florida, Minnisota, Maine etc. Places with lots of lakes and water OR if you had a vacation home on the water. yeah the nature of the plane is land and water but lets face it the real appeal is the water abilities.

The ICON is also one of the first if not the first to design a plane panel and interior like a car. That theoretically has a lot of appeal to folks.
 
How many of the sales to date would you spec'late are because is has an instrument panel that looks like a car?

AdamZ said:
I think Amphibs have appeal in areas like florida, Minnisota, Maine etc. Places with lots of lakes and water OR if you had a vacation home on the water. yeah the nature of the plane is land and water but lets face it the real appeal is the water abilities.

The ICON is also one of the first if not the first to design a plane panel and interior like a car. That theoretically has a lot of appeal to folks.
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AdamZ said:
I think Amphibs have appeal in areas like florida, Minnisota, Maine etc. Places with lots of lakes and water OR if you had a vacation home on the water. yeah the nature of the plane is land and water but lets face it the real appeal is the water abilities.

The ICON is also one of the first if not the first to design a plane panel and interior like a car. That theoretically has a lot of appeal to folks.
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There is a great deal of visual appeal, transportability, storage and towing ease..a lot of aesthetic and emotional appeal. Sorta James Bondish. :smile:

LSA/Sport recreational flying for the wealthy, I suppose.

Lot of flash, cash and promises and I don't see any real data on airworthiness, testing, maintenance, etc etc.

My take on it as yours, it's a boat replacement or boat enhancement.

:dunno:
 
wabower said:
How many of the sales to date would you spec'late are because is has an instrument panel that looks like a car?
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Great question Wayne. I'm not sure. I'm not even sure what the sales are but I think that it probably appeals to the person that 1) has a lot of $ 2) Is inclined to think that gee this is just like a car its gonna be easy to fly. Not my idea of how a panel should be laid out but who knows I may come around. I really hate saying this I think its a neat plane and would be a heck of a lot of fun but I also think that it may attract folks who don't want to bother so much with all that techincal aviation stuff :rolleyes:like airspeeds, angle of attack, throttle settings:frown2: and just wanna fly. I hope not but thats my fear.
 
Not to worry, Adam, they're all flying Cirri.

AdamZ said:
snip . . .but I also think that it may attract folks who don't want to bother so much with all that techincal aviation stuff :rolleyes:like airspeeds, angle of attack, throttle settings:frown2: and just wanna fly. I hope not but thats my fear.
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AdamZ said:
Great question Wayne. I'm not sure. I'm not even sure what the sales are
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Zero in the air, 450 presold yet TBD.

but I think that it probably appeals to the person that 1) has a lot of $ 2) Is inclined to think that gee this is just like a car its gonna be easy to fly. Not my idea of how a panel should be laid out but who knows I may come around. I really hate saying this I think its a neat plane and would be a heck of a lot of fun but I also think that it may attract folks who don't want to bother so much with all that technical aviation stuff :rolleyes:like airspeeds, angle of attack, throttle settings:frown2: and just wanna fly. I hope not but that's my fear.
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My take as well and I believe they are delivering their marketing to the whiz-bang, easy as pie to fly novices who will be attracted to a 20 hour sport pilot and seaplane addon licensing - in the air in two weeks and $150,000.

:yikes:

Please, Lord, keep them over the lakes. :D
 
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