BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 19:29

Username Protected wrote:

You missed HIS point! this guy is brilliant. I have been following him since the very beginning. Take a little time and read his Bio. He is trying to bring people into aviation that have never even set behind the controls of a private plane, let alone flown one. To do what you are suggesting would require an aquisition cost far beyond most peoples comfort zone/ability.
I have no idea, but it would not surprise me if there is not a " Icon Skunk Works" secretly working on what you are talking about. But they have to crawl before they can walk.
Dont underestimate this guy, he has assembled the absolute very best of aviation gene pool and I believe this might just be the next Cessna 172, only this one will float on purpose!!

Who are you talking about? The guy that invented the ICON?

Can the ICON be used as a trainer?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 19:35

Username Protected wrote:

Can the ICON be used as a trainer?

Don't you need a medical to be a student pilot or does LSA waive that requirement also?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 19:45

From the website: "Before graduating from Stanford Business School in 2005 and founding ICON, Kirk flew F-16s in the U.S. Air Force and 767s for American Airlines. Prior to the USAF, he worked in both aviation and aerospace engineering most of his early career. After earning his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, he was the Director of Engineering at an aerospace contractor before returning for his Masters in Engineering from Stanford University in 1995, specializing in manufacturing"

He is not exactly an amateur. Not to mention his list of investors. It reads like a who's who of the Fortune 500. I dont think an expensive cross country amphib would sell anyway. I do think, however, that Icon could join the fast, composite, cross country market later on.

Username Protected wrote:

You missed HIS point! this guy is brilliant. I have been following him since the very beginning. Take a little time and read his Bio. He is trying to bring people into aviation that have never even set behind the controls of a private plane, let alone flown one. To do what you are suggesting would require an aquisition cost far beyond most peoples comfort zone/ability.
I have no idea, but it would not surprise me if there is not a " Icon Skunk Works" secretly working on what you are talking about. But they have to crawl before they can walk.
Dont underestimate this guy, he has assembled the absolute very best of aviation gene pool and I believe this might just be the next Cessna 172, only this one will float on purpose!!

Who are you talking about? The guy that invented the ICON?

Can the ICON be used as a trainer?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 19:49

I like it "ALOT"! I already have a traveling machine. Maybe we are part of the market this guy is shooting for also. I'm surrounded by water, a hangar minutes away and might even consider a partner on this one. :bugeye:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 20:00

Ed,

This is SO perfect for fair weather days in your area. Huygens lake loon lake macinaw petosky alpina. . Damn fine answer to a problem we don't have. Simple easy safe (ish ) a home run if I lived in the area still. Lake Lansing to TC in 2 hours no traffic .

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 20:36

Jason,

If you get your sea plane rating then you'll get the point!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 20:39

Username Protected wrote:

Jason,

If you get your sea plane rating then you'll get the point!

Then I'll get a turbine beaver.

I don't think you need a sea plane rating for the Icon. Do you?

BTW, I love the idea of the ICON. I just wish they weren't making it an LSA. I love the idea of an amphib Bonanza. It'd be great!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 20:47

I sure would like to have this thing parked in my back yard/tied up to my dock! Then I could stroll out of the house, jump in and fly the 3.4nm to the airport so I could take the Bo on a longer trip :dancing:

Too bad I don't have an extra 100AMUs burning a hole in my pocket. The only thing better would be having a PBY tied up to the dock :woot:

The neighbors would no longer complain about how loud my car is when I fire up those R 1830s and taxi out of the cove :rofl:

We can always dream

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 21:04

Username Protected wrote:

Jason,

If you get your sea plane rating then you'll get the point!

Then I'll get a turbine beaver.

I don't think you need a sea plane rating for the Icon. Do you?

BTW, I love the idea of the ICON. I just wish they weren't making it an LSA. I love the idea of an amphib Bonanza. It'd be great!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 May 2012, 21:54

Username Protected wrote:

No sea rating, just training endorsement like high-performance/complex..

Are you sure about that? If you're operating it as a seaplane, it seems you'd need a seaplane rating. Or does the Light Sport situation change that?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 May 2012, 05:31

I wonder what the max wave-height is to land this thing. A carbon-cub ambphibian would be more attractive the way I look at it.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 May 2012, 09:13

Username Protected wrote:

I wonder what the max wave-height is to land this thing. A carbon-cub ambphibian would be more attractive the way I look at it.

It will not surprise you greatly that I agree with you on this one, Florian :bud:

. And...whilst the cost would be higher, you wouldn't have to wait until 2015 for delivery. I think the current delivery date for a CCSS is in December.

And damn, that would be huge fun! As my...err...driveway (see the hitch in my airfield thread)...matures with the grass we plan, I may just go that way. There are actually some pretty good lakes near us, and it appears that the floats have little negative effect on the performance. :woot:

Take-off and landing distances on land are close to the same and cruise speed is also about the same.

All that and just a bolt-on. And it performs: against the aircam on floats in a contest...winner: CCSS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zEkDMlAC1U

Jim

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 May 2012, 09:43

You know, we can put the video here. [youtube]http://youtu.be/jZWC_2MjExk[/youtube]

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 May 2012, 13:00

Mh, the 'stall resistant' aircraft. Where have I heard that before.....

Oh right, the Cirrus and the Columbia are 'stall resistant', so is the Ercoupe. Yet plenty of people have killed themselves in all those types in stall and stall-->spin accidents.

We need to create stall-resistant pilots who dont fly into bad weather if we want to improve things.

I love the Icon concept an I hope that it succeeds. I dont see how it will be a 'game changer' for anything. The people who like to fly a plane from their dock in the backyard already have a Piper Cruiser or straight-tail 172 on a lift. What worries me about the Icon guys is how much energy and coin they spend on fluffy marketing. It is an LSA, how much R&D can you really need.

2015 ? WW2 was over by the time between the Icon program launch and when this thing will go into production.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 May 2012, 13:01

Username Protected wrote:

And damn, that would be huge fun! As my...err...driveway (see the hitch in my airfield thread)...matures with the grass we plan, I may just go that way. There are actually some pretty good lakes near us, and it appears that the floats have little negative effect on the performance. :woot:

Take-off and landing distances on land are close to the same and cruise speed is also about the same.

How is that going to work with the height of your hangar (ahem, sorry, large toolshed) and that inclined ramp you have in front of it ?