I'm with you on that one, too, Florian. There are a helluva lot of shiny brochures, news bits, a great webpage and all that stuff for an airplane which has yet to be delivered. I do have to change one thing I said...the 2015 date is based on the "next available delivery position"...they have orders for 500 of them. Since Cubcrafters (my own personal gold standard in the LSA market) are putting out 6 or so a month, 2015 against a backlog of 500 is either hugely aggressive or they are smoking something strange there in L.A. Which is, of course, reasonable.

Hell, more I think on it, isn't it odd that they have 500 folks on a waiting list? I mean, how many can they make a year? If they actually sell that many airplanes, that ought to make Icon a game-changer in the LSA world. I guess part of the 500 is the fairly inexpensive cost to get on the list. $5K

It is a puzzlement to me. Seems like building 500 airplanes between (some date after now when they deliver their first airpane) and 2015 will be a huge challenge.

Jim

Tractor barn. Shouldn't be a problem...we're set up for a really tall err...tractor. The inclined ramp has become a raised...umm...patio which has a much smaller grade off to the side. Pictures next week.

We looked at the incline and imagined losing control of the...umm...tractor was we were pulling it out...the next stop would be the next valley over .

Jim

I like it!

The Icon A5 reminds me of the SeaRey, without the folding wings...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8LeOLs5PMw

Yea, very similar, also look at the SeaMax, made in Austrailia.

This one too

Both Cool, but kinda like a moped, it works but it's sure not a HARLEY, and not near as cool.

I'm sorry, my friend, but I don't see how you can watch this video and say it's good for nothing:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/T-aZTi8bY3Q[/youtube]

Travelling is a great use for airplanes, but it's not the only use. I agree with you that it's top priority, though. If I own one airplane it has to be a good travelling machine. If I own two, however...

Now I can live out at the lake and commute to work! Very cool. My Baron is a great plane. But it is a traveling machine and not so much a go up and poke around machine. In fact the only time I have fouled plugs in the Baron is 1500FT pleasure flights over the lake.

So do you think it feels so different being in this plane compared to your Bonanza?

I see your point. Technically you could attempt this low and slow flying in a Bonanza. It would be a bad idea to go as slow or as low, however. The only way to know if it "feels" different would be to try it in both, I suppose. My guess is, due to the lower stall speed, lighter weight, high wing, removable windows, wrap-around canopy, simple panel, center stick, etc... yes, it probably does feel quite a bit different, and better suited to fun sight-seeing flights.

One thing I can say for sure, the water landing certainly feels different!

I see your point. Technically you could attempt this low and slow flying in a Bonanza. It would be a bad idea to go as slow or as low, however. The only way to know if it "feels" different would be to try it in both, I suppose. My guess is, due to the lower stall speed, lighter weight, high wing, removable windows, wrap-around canopy, simple panel, center stick, etc... yes, it probably does feel quite a bit different, and better suited to fun sight-seeing flights.

One thing I can say for sure, the water landing certainly feels different!

Engine in the rear, crumple zone in front, good harness, slow speed, Pax impact safety design a bit ahead of 1968 standards, unless the engine continues forward, should be reasonable, way less mass to slow down. anyway I sure don't want to find out.

So it's safe to fly low and slow in the Icon? As low as he's going if he has an engine out he's dead.

Only works above a certain altitude. He's like 20 feet over those rocks.