Flying the Icon A5
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- The Icon A5 is one of the newest and most exciting aircraft to be developed in this country for a long time. The aircraft is small, nimble, sporty and fun. With its amphibious design, low cost operation and sexy styling it has been the focus of aviation enthusiasts worldwide.
I have wanted to fly off of water for a long time. In fact before I became a pilot I saw a similar airplane at an airshow back in the 80s and thought to myself at that time that when I got older instead of an RV like a lot of retired people I was going to buy something like that.
I have been following the development of the aircraft since it was first announced in the early 2000s. I got a call from Gary Knight from Icon Aircraft a few weeks ago and he invited be to come to Lakeway Airpark just outside of Austin Texas and experience this amazing aircraft first hand.
What an amazing stroke of luck that was.
Flying this aircraft truly is a new type of experience for me. It is certificated to meet the light-sport category which means easier access to people who aren't full private pilot rated. The challenges of obtaining the full certification are cut considerably and most importantly the medical requirements are less restrictive. Basically if you qualify to drive a car in the US you meet the needs medically to pilot one of these.
The thing that stands out the most for me is summed up in the company's statement "No Airport Necessary" . In fact one version of this amazing vehicle has folding wings and can be trailered and towed to a boat ramp for launching.
To me the ultimate freedom is to take off on any strip and land on any lake you choose and Texas is covered in lakes. Not to even mention other great states like Florida and dozens of others in the U.S. It is powered by a fuel sipping Rotax engine and burns a fraction of the fuel an airplane like my Bonanza will burn.
Join me in a great adventure with a cockpit view of the process of flying and airplane off of Lake Travis in Austin TX.
www.iconaircraft.com
I much prefer a stick rather than a yoke. Love the AOA and simplicity of the instrumentation. I keep buying Lotto tickets.
Yep they first priced this thing around 100 grand...that didn't work out.
Same I hope u and I both win 1M or more
Amazing Video! My dream aircraft
Thanks for the support!
Amazing video!
Thanks for watching!
Lovely video. A5 is simply awesome.
Thanks for the nice comments I really appreciate it!
Beautiful ~ icon A5 . .
Yes, it is!
Oh man, I loved your video. One desire of mine is to fly one of that someday. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Starting to feed my piggy bank in 3, 2, 1... :D
Thenio, thanks for watching and good luck with your dreams.
I wish I could go for a ride along in this aircraft. I am a disabled Vet so I will never be a pilot so I get my fix in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is my aircraft of choice in the sim.
I started out on Microsoft Flight Sim too, way back in the beginning I used to love to fly Sims around the Big Island of Hawaii....later I got to do it in real life. A dream come true! Best of luck to you my friend!
Oh and Thank you for your service and your sacrifice for this great country! Now more than ever !
@@MrDucatizombie I am uploading the video as we speak so it should be ready to view by tomorrow. I think I did a good job replicating your flight, did the stall test, the two water landings. The sim needs to adjust the water friction. In the sim the Icon goes on forever in the water even with no power. I almost ate it on the landing but recovered. Let me know how a sim jockey did lol. Funny you should mention the Big Island, I was stationed with the 25th ID at Schofield Barracks Hawaii and trained on the Big Island.
How's the weather and sound inside the cockpit? A/C I'm guessing and prolly noisy with out headphones?
It was similar to most aircraft I have flown
I wish I had a rich long lost uncle. I love this plane.
Hahaha....buy those lottery tickets!
Great!!!!
Thanks for watching
LOL I was going to ask about the parachute. Sitting in the cockpit in Virtual Reality looking around I saw that pull handle and wondered how it worked.
Yes as the old adage goes. Never jump OUT of a perfectly good airplane....just take it with you! Haha.
@@MrDucatizombie LOL When I was in the Army I jumped out of quite a few of them. I am going to recreate your flight in Microsoft Flight Simulator as best as I can. Let me know how I did.
That icon aircraft would be a bad ass with twin engines....
Then it would not be a light sport and a whole bunch of rules come into the picture
That would be interesting for sure. nice control of water taxi ops.
wow... dear santa
Hey I asked him first!
Beautiful video.The only thing here is the annoying music, that at times is very loud, which was dealt with by muting this otherwise perfect flight.
Totally awesome and informative flight for a would be soon to want to get his / her pilot’s licence as well for a person that is already got one. It sure beats training in a float plane anytime.
Thanks for recording the whole thing. Loved it.
Hey thanks for Watching.
Thanks for the ride. I want one too. Did you get one yet?
Haha...I sent a letter to Santa
@@MrDucatizombie, I'm not even a pilot, and I want one. I would love to go for a ride tho. I do fly the RC version of it. It's one of my favorite planes to fly off the water. Hope Santa sends you one. :-)
I will more likely get the RC version....hahaha
Cool plane. Just wish it had more payload though.
I'm curious, why do you think it needs to haul more, I'm 200 plus an he was 180. It tops put at 90 knots its not really a traveling vehicle, more of a ski-do with wings....hahaha
I want one
I guarantee they want to sell you one!
What’s the range of this plane?
At an economical power setting about 600 miles before refueling....thanks for watching
Wow , that’s great distance for a little plane like this!
Now an A6 with hybrid Engine. Now we got a PriusAir
Hahaha....what could go wrong there
@@MrDucatizombie it takes longer to visit a gas station ⛽️😉
Great Video, Except the Blaring music towards the end that ruined it.
Can the A5 be landed on a grass runway and what is the range?
I would imagine but we didn't try it, Gary offered to bring it to my hone base so I'm sure it will. The gear is heavy duty
Goods air craft
Lindo
Gracias Señor!
@@MrDucatizombie isto é um sonho para mim mas está longe
@@valdecilopes6453 I am guessing the translation is " it's a distant dream for you " and my reply is" for me too brother "
Stable? I am getting dizzy just watching
It was actually very stable from my perspective. Not everyone would feel that way...hahaha
Like the A5 and it’s spirit of adventure but overweight over priced under powered
A lot of people agree
The problem, of course, is that by the time you can afford it, you're as old as this pilot. hahaha
That about sums it up! Work hard, buy toy, then you die!
Seaplane with underpowered skidoo engine. What could go wrong?
It didn't feel underpowered and having the ability to land on any available water as well as land increases your options incredibly.
Sad part is i can buy a nice used cessna 185 amphib with the 550 conversion or used 206 on floats for the price of this overhyped toy..
Ain't that the truth...rather have the 206 myself
185 better but not crazy about amphibs
But you cant park those in your driveway
Very annoying music
Thank you for watching