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ICON A5

2016 MODERN

History of the ICON A5

The ICON A5 is a hybrid aircraft design that combines the superior qualities of a light, low and slow travel aircraft with the capabilities of a full-fledged seaplane over water. This is due in large part to the A5's boat-like fuselage design, which, combined with its high wing assembly, ensures excellent lift and drag balance, as well as short-field capability (takeoff runway only 640 feet from land, 840 feet citing water).

The A5 is marketed to light aircraft adventurer customers, with funds available for "sport flyers".

Externally, the aircraft has a completely unique design for private pilots: the two-seater cockpit, as usual, is located near the nose, offering side-by-side seating and hidden by a stylish windshield , but the engine was in a box above the fuselage and mounted aft of the cockpit, causing the tailstock to be mounted lower and part of the hull-like hull. The rear wing is largely conventional, consisting of a single vertical rear wing surrounded by a horizontal plane.

There are "sea wings" on the sides of the fuselage, and the small surface area also acts as a water stabilizer and as a standing platform when landing on the water. The landing gear for ground operation is arranged on three wheels, on wheels, retractable to the bottom of the fuselage and sea wings.

The main wing aircraft is located on top of the fuselage and is attached to the short wing root near the engine casing. The wings are mounted on the shoulders (providing excellent visibility for the pilot and passengers outside the cockpit) and have a no-nonsense design.

The elements also feature a marine-inspired fold, each hinged on the outside of the roots and rotated to sit along the sides of the design.

Power comes from a single four-cylinder, air- and liquid-cooled, fuel-injected Rotax 912 iS-series engine that produces 100 hp and drives a three-bladed propeller unit in a thrust configuration. Performance includes a top speed of 109 mph and a range of up to 427 nautical miles (45 minutes reserved). Dimensions include a barrel length of 23 feet, a wingspan of 34.8 feet, and a height of 8.1 feet. Weight includes 1,080 lbs unladen and 1,510 lbs gross/MTOW.

According to ICON marketing materials, the baggage allowance is 60 lbs.

The cockpit of the plane mimics that of a sports car, with all steam-based gauges concentrated on the dashboard in front of the pilot (sitting on the left). These instruments capture airframe and engine status, such as altitude and speed, while others allow operators to manage engine and fluid functions, including RPM and temperature. The upper part of the center console is embedded with a large-area full-color GPS system to provide real-time flight data. The center console contains auxiliary operating systems such as radio, landing gear controls, bilge pump and rudder controls (for landing/water maneuvers), precision trim controls and external lights.

Additional controls are located above and behind the pilot. The cockpit is spacious enough for just two pilots and passengers, with open-air storage directly aft.

The wide-view windshield is largely unobstructed, which, combined with the flat dash and high-mounted wing main planes, provides unparalleled visibility on low-altitude travel.

The A5 cockpit also has two notable cockpit qualities similar to military fighter jets: These include an angle of attack (AoA) display in front of the pilot's field of view and a joystick control scheme (as opposed to a control yoke). The flight stick is replicated for pilots and passengers.

The A5's declared safety features include anti-rotation certification (through its "anti-rotation fuselage" - SRA), ICON Parachute System (IPS) and low stall speed. Optional accessories include an ICON Amphib trailer for towing and an inflatable ICON dock.

While the unique design has won awards from 2009 to 2015, the A5 has also been involved in several high-profile accidents, including an incident in May 2017 that killed two company employees, and a 2017 Two company employees were killed in an incident in November that killed MLB pitcher Roy Halladay. In both cases, the NTSB determined that pilot error was the cause.

Certain wording in the A5 sales contract was also disputed - and has since been revised in some respects.

Regardless, the dual-class A5 is still a fun LSA for those keen on low-altitude adventures and there's money to be had for it.