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68-474: The ICON A5 is an American amphibious light-sport aircraft (LSA) designed and produced 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. A year later at AirVenture, it was temporarily donated to

136-647: A $ 26 million multiplier from secondary spending. Additionally, the fly in provided 1,700 jobs and $ 39 million in labor income for Winnebago , Outagamie , and Fond du Lac counties. In 2017, it was estimated that the event had an over $ 170 million economic impact on the surrounding area. In 1961, The Rockford EAA airshow had 10,000 aircraft movements. In 1971, the EAA airshow at Oshkosh brought in 600 planes and 31,653 movements. Today AirVenture brings in more than 10,000 airplanes. Special air traffic procedures are used to ensure safe, coordinated operations. For example, in 2014

204-469: A camera and recorder to monitor pilot behavior, that is owned by the manufacturer but must be maintained by the owner. Owners would have to agree to be "supportive" of the company. Future owners were required to sign the same agreement or face penalties. The agreement was widely criticized by the aviation media, including Plane & Pilot , the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association , AVweb and

272-441: A conventional undercarriage. These are not built to take the impact of the aircraft landing on them. An amphibian can leave the water without anyone getting in the water to attach beaching wheels (or even having to have any handy), yet a fully functional undercarriage is heavy and impacts the aircraft's performance, and is not required in all cases, so an aircraft may be designed to carry its own. An occasional problem with amphibians

340-463: A feature not usually found in general aviation aircraft. A whole-airframe Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) parachute is optional, except for in U.S. -registered A5s where it is mandatory, due to ICON's exemption to the U.S. light-sport aircraft (LSA) weight limit. The A5 uses many different design elements to provide a manageable stall recovery. In a September 2017 review following a complete conversion course, AVweb writer Geoff Rapoport said of

408-681: A longer range than comparable helicopters, and can achieve nearly the range of land-based aircraft, because an airplane's wing is more efficient than a helicopter's lifting rotor. This makes amphibious aircraft, such as the Grumman Albatross and the Shin Meiwa US-2 , useful for long-range air–sea rescue tasks. In addition, amphibious aircraft are particularly useful as bush planes that can engage in light transport in remote areas. In these areas, they often have to operate not only from airstrips, but from lakes and rivers as well. In

476-571: A runway. A common solution is to make them retractable, like those found on the Consolidated Catalina ; however, these are even heavier than fixed floats. Some aircraft may have the tip floats removed for extended use from land. Other amphibians, such as the Dornier Seastar , use stub wings, called sponsons , mounted with their own lower surfaces nearly even with the ventral "boat-hull"-shaped fuselage surface. This can provide

544-452: A settlement agreement agreeing to pay the 2013 costs and a further agreement that guaranteed FAA participation for another nine years. The agreement required the association to reimburse the government for AirVenture specific costs that had been provided at government expense in the years prior to 2013. Several days prior to the event, members of the FAA's Technical Operation team from around

612-437: A simpler and lighter oil cooler with better cooling airflow, improved rudder pedal design, improved landing-gear actuators, an improved canopy design with no airspeed limit for flight with windows removed and improved wing and fuselage access panels. In late October 2017, the company announced a large price increase for position holders for the 2018 model year deliveries. The price for a fully equipped A5 will be US$ 389,000, while

680-567: A variety of aircraft supplies, general merchandise, and name brand sponsors such as Piper , Cessna , Cirrus , and many others. The 2020 AirVenture convention and air show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . AirVenture has hosted the debut of numerous revolutionary designs. Richard VanGrunsven debuted his Van's RV-3 at the 1972 AirVenture Oshkosh, a homebuilt that defined new ways of aircraft performance. VanGrunsven would eventually go on to build more homebuilts than anyone else in

748-535: A variety of roles. However, like the pure flying boat, they were made obsolete by helicopters which could operate in sea conditions far beyond what the best seaplane could manage. Development of amphibians was not limited to the United Kingdom and the United States. In any case, few designs saw more than limited service, as there was a widespread preference for pure flying boats and floatplanes, due to

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816-447: Is increased and the company can become profitable. By May, the company reported having completed production of 7 aircraft, with 11 more partially completed. In September 2016, the company announced that production of the composite parts would be undertaken at the company's newly established Mexico plant and not under contract by Cirrus Aircraft . These parts would then be transported to Icon's Vacaville facility for assembly. At that time

884-467: Is not practical, amphibious floatplanes, such as the amphibious version of the DHC Otter , incorporate retractable wheels within their floats. Some amphibians are fitted with reinforced keels which act as skis, allowing them to land on snow or ice with their wheels up. Many amphibian aircraft are of the flying boat type. These aircraft, and those designed as floatplanes with a single main float under

952-435: 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 , house 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. The factory installed equipment includes an angle of attack indicator as a safety enhancement for stall awareness,

1020-555: Is still a large part of the organization's activities, it has grown to include almost every aspect of recreational, commercial and military aviation, as well as aeronautics and astronautics . The first EAA fly-in was held in September 1953 at what is now Timmerman Field as a small part of the Milwaukee Air Pageant, fewer than 150 people registered as visitors the first year and only a handful of airplanes attended

1088-660: Is the largest of its kind in the world. The show lasts a week, usually beginning on the Monday of the last full week in July. During the gathering, the airport's control tower, frequency 118.5, is the busiest in the world. EAA was founded in Hales Corners, Wisconsin in 1953 by aircraft designer and military aviator veteran Paul Poberezny , who originally started the organization in the basement of his home for builders and restorers of recreational aircraft. Although homebuilding

1156-486: Is with ensuring that the wheels are in the correct position for landing. In normal operation, the pilot uses a checklist, verifying each item. Since amphibians can land with them up or down though, the pilot must take extra care to ensure that they are correct for the chosen landing place. Landing wheels-up on land may damage the keel (unless done on wet grass, a technique occasionally used by pilots of pure flying boats), while landing wheels-down on water will almost always flip

1224-681: The Cessna Caravan . Development of amphibians has continued into the new millennium. The ShinMaywa US-2 was developed in the 2000s in Japan for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . EAA AirVenture Oshkosh EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In ), or just Oshkosh , is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at

1292-406: The Consolidated Catalina (named for Santa Catalina Island off the coast of southern California, whose resort was popularized partly by the use of amphibians in the 1930s, including Sikorskys and Douglas Dolphins ) was redeveloped from being a pure flying boat into an amphibian during the war. After the war, the United States military ordered hundreds of the Grumman Albatross and its variants for

1360-633: The Experimental Aircraft Association , among others. In responding to the criticism, ICON CEO Kirk Hawkins issued an open letter on April 8, 2016, that said in part, "To those following the ICON Aircraft Purchase Agreement discussion: We hear you–loud and clear. And I promise, we’re listening carefully...If we need to improve our contract to help safely grow our industry–we will." The company refused interviews to several aviation media outlets on

1428-565: The United Kingdom , traditionally a maritime nation, a large number of amphibians were built between the wars, starting from 1918 with the Vickers Viking and the early 1920s Supermarine Seagull , and were used for exploration and military duties, including search and rescue, artillery spotting and anti-submarine patrol. These evolved throughout the interwar period to culminate in the post–World War II Supermarine Seagull , which

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1496-628: The Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin , United States. The southern part of the show grounds, as well as "Camp Scholler", are located in the town of Nekimi and a base for seaplanes is located on Lake Winnebago in the town of Black Wolf . The airshow is arranged by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), an international general aviation organization based in Oshkosh, and

1564-708: The 1987 AirVenture, Cirrus Aircraft 's founders, the Klapmeier brothers , unveiled the Cirrus VK-30 kit aircraft, which later led to the creation of the successful SR20 and SR22 , the first designs to incorporate all- composite fiberglass construction, glass-panel cockpits and airframe ballistic parachutes for use in manufactured light aircraft . Other past notable designs introduced at AirVenture include Frank Christensen's Christen Eagle II aerobatic kit biplane in 1978, Tom Hamilton's Glasair 1 in 1980, and Lance Neibauer's Lancair 200 in 1985. At

1632-648: The 2018 AirVenture, Jack Bally introduced his Bally Bomber B-17 , a one-third scale, single seat homebuilt intended as a replica of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress , and Mike Patey introduced DRACO , a highly modified PZL-104 Wilga made for STOL and bush flying . The EAA estimated the attendance in 2021 at 608,000 people. In 2018, 2,714 international visitors registered from 87 nations. There were approximately 10,000 aircraft, 2,979 show planes, and 976 media representatives on-site from six continents, along with 867 commercial exhibitors. In

1700-636: The A5 at its Grand Forks, North Dakota , facility. The airframe parts would have been shipped to Icon's Tehachapi, California , plant for final assembly. In August 2012 the first production aircraft was anticipated for delivery in mid-2013 against 850 customer orders that the company says it was holding at that point. In December 2012, production of the tooling master molds began, with horizontal tail fin masters being delivered to Cirrus that month. Wing skin masters were delivered in February 2013. On June 20, 2013,

1768-430: The A5, they sometimes feel like really nice kitplanes. Data from ICON Aircraft General characteristics Performance Avionics Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Amphibious aircraft Floatplanes often have floats that are interchangeable with wheeled landing gear (thereby producing a conventional land-based aircraft). However, in cases where this

1836-628: The Central Service Area arrive in Oshkosh to set up the temporary communication facilities (mobile communication platforms, Fisk VFR approach control and Fond du Lac (FLD) tower). These technicians maintain the facilities during the event and tear down and store the equipment after AirVenture ends. EAA AirVenture relies heavily on volunteers who arrive in the weeks leading up to the air show. The tasks they perform range from parking cars and airplanes, to painting buildings, to helping set up and tear down concerts and shows presented by

1904-604: The EAA. Long-time volunteers receive free meals, tee-shirts, embroidered patches, and free admission into the EAA AirVenture event. National Blue Beret (NBB) is a National Cadet Special Activity in the Civil Air Patrol . The event is two weeks long and is set up so that the second week will overlap with the AirVenture airshow. Participants are Civil Air Patrol cadet and senior members who must go through

1972-544: The ICON A5 purchaser's agreement was made public and was noted by the aviation media as containing many controversial elements not usually found in aircraft purchase agreements. These included contractually required pilot training, maintenance, agreements not to sue, the requirement for factory airframe overhauls every 2,000 hours or ten years (whichever comes first), and a limit on the aircraft's life of 6,000 hours, or thirty years. Furthermore, each aircraft would be equipped with

2040-471: The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce said that Winnebago County had a $ 47 million benefit from the fly in. Additionally, a 1987 UW-Oshkosh study reported a $ 65 million ($ 174 million in 2023 ) benefit to the entire state of Wisconsin. In 2008, a UW-Oshkosh Center for Community Partnerships study showed a $ 110 million economic impact for the Oshkosh area. Of that, $ 84 million was direct impact with

2108-426: The aircraft upside down, causing substantial damage. Amphibious aircraft are heavier and slower, more complex and more expensive to purchase and operate than comparable landplanes. However, they are also more versatile. Even though they cannot hover or land vertically, they compete favorably with helicopters for some jobs and can do so at a significantly lower cost. Amphibious aircraft can also be much faster and have

ICON A5 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-502: The aircraft was taken back to the factory on a trailer and not left with the EAA. In August 2015, the A5 was flown by several aviation journalists, which resulted in overwhelmingly positive reviews, singling out the aircraft's handling and cockpit ergonomics. In May 2016, the company announced that only 20 aircraft would be completed in 2016, instead of the previously planned 175 and that all these would go to training centers. Customer deliveries were announced as being delayed until 2017 at

2244-455: The aircraft, "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, and the exterior was designed by Nissan designer Randy Rodriguez. ICON's media debut in Wired and coverage in the mainstream media showed that there

2312-512: The aircraft: If you really put the hammer down, the A5 can get up to about 90 knots. It is not meant to go far, fast or carry much load. If that's what you need, Icon will happily give you the number for your local Cirrus dealer—or Southwest Airlines. The A5 was designed for fun—and to qualify as a light-sport aircraft, which it barely did by getting a waiver to increase its maximum takeoff weight. There are other new airplanes designed principally for fun, mostly other light sports, but in comparison to

2380-441: The base price will rise to US$ 269,000, although base models will not be delivered until 2019 at the earliest. The price increases amounted to a 30% increase for the base model and more than 50% for the full-equipped model. The initial estimated price in 2008 had been US$ 139,000, which was anticipated to have been increased between then and the start of production only by increases in the consumer price index . As of November 7, 2017,

2448-417: The company admitted that the released contract had been a mistake. Hawkins stated, "It should not have gone out in the form it went out without an explanation. [Customers] had a right to be taken aback." The company issued a revised contract that removed many, but not all controversial elements. Removed were the audio and video cockpit recorder, the "responsible flyer" clause, limiting the owner's cost of

2516-399: The company announced that it had organized production funding of over US$ 60 million, with final funds being provided by a Chinese investor. By July 30, 2013, the estimated production price had risen to US$ 189,000 (from the company's initial estimated price established in 2008 of US$ 139,000) and further raised to US$ 247,000 in 2015. On October 2, 2013, the construction of production tooling

2584-410: The company applied for a Federal Aviation Administration LSA rule exemption to raise the weight of the A5 above the maximum weight for amphibian LSAs, arguing that the required structure to make the aircraft spin resistant necessitated a gross weight of 1,680 lb (762 kg). In May 2013 the FAA requested more details on the procedures used by Icon to test the spin resistance of the aircraft at

2652-591: The company expected to produce 30 aircraft by the end of 2017, against outstanding orders of 1,850. AVweb writer Geoff Rapoport described the company as being "plagued by production delays". By July 2017, serial production had commenced and six aircraft delivered. The company hopes to deliver a total of 15 aircraft in 2017 and 200 in 2018. The first Model Year 18 versions of the A5 were delivered in October 2017. This design update includes an improved nose gear design, more legible and better night illuminated instruments,

2720-531: The company workforce and cutting aircraft production to fewer than five aircraft per month, from a target of 20 aircraft per month. In December 2020, the company added the Garmin G3X Touch flight display as an optional avionics upgrade. In July 2021, the company decided to certify the aircraft in the US primary aircraft category in an attempt to increase sales outside the United States. In April 2016,

2788-789: The crowd. Due to the budget sequestration in 2013 , the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it was not able to send resources to support the AirVenture. Rather than cancelling the event, the Experimental Aircraft Association was forced to sign a $ 447,000 contract to repay the government for FAA resources during the AirVenture. EAA filed a petition in Federal court arguing that the FAA could not withhold services without specific Congressional action. However, in March 2014 EAA signed

ICON A5 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-547: The demand is too small to justify the costs of development, with the Volmer Sportsman being a popular choice among the many offerings. With the increased availability of airstrips in remote communities, fewer amphibious aircraft are manufactured today than in the past, although a handful of amphibious aircraft are still produced, such as the Bombardier 415 , ICON A5 , and the amphibious-float–equipped version of

2924-408: The earliest, due to the need to improve the manufacturing processes to build the aircraft design. The company also announced that, as a result of issues involving starting production, it would lay off 60 employees and terminate 90 contractors, leaving 160 employees at work. CEO Kirk Hawkins indicated that the company has the investors required to continue operations through this period, before production

2992-521: The event in 1977. For many years, its official name was The EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In . In 1998, the name was changed to AirVenture Oshkosh , but many regular attendees still call it as The Oshkosh Airshow or just Oshkosh . For many years, access to the flight line was restricted to EAA members. In 1997, the fee structure for the show was changed allowing all visitors access to the entire grounds. EAA AirVenture holds nearly 1,000 forums and workshops, in addition to their many vendors which bring

3060-673: The event. The EAA AirVenture fly-in has a large economic impact on the Oshkosh area as well as the state of Wisconsin. In 1982, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the fly-in had a large economic benefit to the Fox Valley region. At the time EAA estimated the benefit to be around $ 30 million ($ 94.7 million in 2023 ) and the Oshkosh Convention and Tourism bureau estimated it to be lower, at $ 21 million ($ 56.1 million in 2023 ). In 1989,

3128-543: The event. The large number of aircraft arrivals and departures during the fly-in week makes the Wittman Field FAA control tower the busiest in the world for that week in number of movements. To accommodate the huge flow of aircraft around the airport and the nearby airspace, a special NOTAM is published each year, choreographing the normal and emergency procedures to follow. More than 4,000 volunteers contribute approximately 250,000 hours before, during and after

3196-571: The event. In 1959, the EAA fly-in grew too large for the Air Pageant and moved to Rockford, Illinois . In 1970, when it outgrew its facilities at the Rockford airport (now Chicago Rockford International Airport ), it moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Much of the convention's growth and prominence on the world stage is credited to founder Paul Poberezny's son, aerobatic world champion and longtime EAA president Tom Poberezny , who became chairman of

3264-519: The first Italian aircraft to fly. While most were not amphibians, quite a few were, including the Savoia-Marchetti S.56 A and the Piaggio P.136 . Amphibious aircraft have been particularly useful in the unforgiving terrain of Alaska and northern Canada , where many remain in civilian service, providing remote communities with vital links to the outside world. The Canadian Vickers Vedette

3332-460: The fuselage centerline (such as the Loening OL and Grumman J2F ), require outrigger floats to provide lateral stability so as to avoid dipping a wingtip, which can destroy an aircraft if it happens at speed, or can cause the wingtip to fill with water and sink if stationary. While these impose weight and drag, amphibious aircraft also face the possibility of these getting hit when operating from

3400-489: The higher weight. The FAA also requested a signed statement from the company indicating that the aircraft meets the spin resistance criteria specified for light aircraft type certification in FAR 23.221 (a)(2) . In July 2013 the FAA granted the weight increase. Production delivery dates have been adjusted from initial estimates. In June 2011, the company announced that it had procured an additional US$ 25 million investment, which

3468-594: The larger flying boats could not go, and helping to popularize amphibians in the US. The Grumman Corporation, latecomers to the game, introduced a pair of light utility amphibious aircraft – the Goose and the Widgeon – during the late 1930s for the civilian market. However, their military potential could not be ignored, and many were ordered by the US Armed forces and their allies during World War II. Not coincidentally,

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3536-436: The mandatory airframe overhaul to $ 15,000, and removing the 30-year life limit. Retained were the agreement not to sue, the requirement for company-approved training, and the requirement that the agreement bind future owners. 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

3604-482: The more remote locations during the summer months when the only areas suitable for landing are the waterways. Despite the gains of amphibious floats, small flying-boat amphibians continued to be developed into the 1960s, with the Republic Seabee and Lake LA-4 series proving popular, though neither was a commercial success due to factors beyond their makers' control. Many today are homebuilts, by necessity as

3672-535: The needed stability, while floatplane amphibians usually avoid the problem by dividing their buoyancy requirements between two floats, much like a catamaran . Some non-amphibious seaplanes may be mistaken for amphibians (such as the Shin Meiwa PS-1 ) which carry their own beaching gear. Usually, this is a wheeled dolly or temporary set of wheels used to move a flying boat or floatplane from the water and allow it to be moved around on land. It can also appear as

3740-531: The past, attendance at the event was tabulated on a daily basis rather than on an individual basis. It is unclear whether this practice still exists at EAA Airventure. For example, in 2006 the Oshkosh Northwestern reported that attendance was estimated at 625,000 by the EAA. The estimate was for total attendees each day, so one person attending 7 days would count as 7 attendees. The paper estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 individuals attended

3808-417: The special flight procedures NOTAM was 32 pages long. FAA air traffic staff, including controllers, supervisors, and managers, compete throughout the FAA's 17-state Central Terminal Service Area to work the event. In 2008, 172 air traffic professionals representing 56 facilities volunteered to staff the facilities at Oshkosh (OSH) , Fond du Lac (FLD) , and Fisk . They wear bright pink shirts to stand out in

3876-409: The subject. AVweb 's Paul Bertorelli wrote, "We and other media outlets repeatedly contacted Icon for questions and clarifications, only to be either ignored, rebuffed or given summarily vague answers. At AVweb , we now have an amusing game with Icon. We schedule interviews and they cancel them. Two were cancelled last week. Hey, no fair complaining if we can't discuss any of this." In May 2016,

3944-566: The total number of aircraft produced was reported to be 23, including the models delivered to flight training centers. In January 2019, the company stated that 90 aircraft had been completed and that 1,300 were on backorder. 14 had been produced in December 2018. By July 2019, 100 aircraft had been delivered. Due to the China–United States trade war , Chinese investment in the company was cut in August 2019. This resulted in laying off 40% of

4012-623: The weight penalty the undercarriage imposed. Russia also developed a number of important flying boats, including the widely used pre-war Shavrov Sh-2 utility flying boat, and postwar the Beriev Be-12 anti-submarine and maritime patrol amphibian. Development of amphibians continues in Russia with the jet-engined Beriev Be-200 . Italy, bordering the Mediterranean and Adriatic , has had a long history of waterborne aircraft, going back to

4080-402: The world, exceeding the annual production of all commercial general aviation companies combined. In 1975, aircraft designer Burt Rutan introduced his VariEze canard aircraft at Oshkosh, pioneering the use of moldless glass-reinforced plastic construction in homebuilts, a technique that several aircraft went on to adopt in the ensuing years including composite commercial airliners . At

4148-473: The youth group Young Eagles , with the first official A5 customer deliveries occurring in 2016. As of 2019, 100 A5s had been delivered, although company legal and financial issues have slowed production since 2016. 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 founder and former CEO Kirk Hawkins said of

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4216-479: Was "needed to allow the company to complete engineering development work and enter production - possibly as early as next year [2012]." By August 2011, the company stated that it had sold positions for 694 A5s, up from 400 initially sold at AirVenture 2009. A promotion in conjunction with EAA Young Eagles raised more than US$ 28,000 for the youth flight program. On August 6, 2012, Icon announced that Cirrus Aircraft would produce composite airframe components for

4284-664: Was announced, which "will lead up to the assembly of the first pre-production aircraft to be completed in mid-2014." On July 27, 2014, the first production A5 was unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh . This aircraft was constructed between January and June 2014 at company headquarters in Tehachapi, California , and first flew on July 7. Icon stated that two additional aircraft would be constructed to "verify performance and complete FAA approval". The company at that time planned to begin customer deliveries in May 2015. The first customer aircraft

4352-564: Was developed for forestry patrol in remote areas; a job that previously was done by canoe and took weeks could be accomplished in hours, revolutionizing forestry conservation. Although successful, flying-boat amphibians like the Vedette ultimately proved less versatile than floatplane amphibians and are no longer as common as they once were. Amphibious floats that could be attached to any aircraft were developed, turning any aircraft into an amphibian, and these continue to be essential for getting into

4420-404: Was flight tested, and finished in February 2012. The design meets FAR Part 23 type certified requirements by employing a cuffed wing with multiple proprietary airfoils which change along the wing's span. Lotus Engineering replaced Designworks the same year to develop an "automotive style" aircraft interior and assist with the development of lightweight component manufacturing. In July 2012,

4488-473: Was flown in May 2015, but deliveries could not commence until the company underwent an FAA audit, which was completed on June 11, 2015. In June 2015, the company indicated that they had 1,250 orders for the A5 and plans to build 500 per year by 2017 at its new location in Vacaville, California . On July 20, 2015, Icon presented the first production A5 as a donation to EAA youth group Young Eagles , although

4556-514: Was significant interest from outside the aviation community, and ICON has reported that 35% of its customers are not pilots. A prototype was constructed from 2007 to 2008, and made its first flight in July 2008. In January 2009, the company announced completion of the first phase (27 flights) of a three-phase testing program, including water handling. In February 2009, the prototype entered the second phase of testing to refine aerodynamic and handling qualities. In 2011, an updated " spin-resistant " wing

4624-568: Was to have replaced the wartime Walrus and the Sea Otter but was overtaken by advances in helicopters . From the mid-1920s to the late 1930s in the United States , Sikorsky produced an extensive family of amphibians (the S-34 , S-36 , S-38 , S-39 , S-41 , S-43 ) that were widely used for exploration and as airliners around the globe, helping pioneer many overseas air routes where

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