Thinking of an Icon A5, any owners here? | Page 2 | FerrariChat
Buy

Thinking of an Icon A5, any owners here?

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by PA32Pilot, Nov 28, 2023.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Page 2 of 2
  1. NeuroBeaker

    NeuroBeaker Advising Moderator
    Moderator

    Oct 1, 2008
    38,918
    Huntsville, AL., USA
    Full Name:
    Andrew
    #26 NeuroBeaker, Feb 9, 2024
    That was why my dad didn't buy the Icon A5. He got a $20k quote for hull insurance here in Alabama because, apparently, sea planes hit semi-submerged objects quite frequently resulting in expensive claims. He decided he didn't want to land on water quite that badly so bought a low hours Cessna 172 instead and has been updating all the avionics.

    The A5 is a very cool looking plane though. :cool:

    All the best,
    Andrew.
     
  2. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2020
    1,888
    Glendora, CA
    Full Name:
    Jamie Kirk
    #27 PA32Pilot, Feb 10, 2024
    I’m gonna crank out 50 hours this year and see what rates are next year. If still high I may just go no insurance.

    Got 15 hours in the last 3 days. Flew 10’ off the water up the river to Lake Mead and saw Hoover dam and then back down the river to Havasu.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    donv, alum04org, Juan-Manuel Fantango and 8 others like this.
  3. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    38,310
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #28 tazandjan, Feb 10, 2024
    Looks like fun.
     
  4. sigar

    sigar F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 30, 2005
    3,403
    NorCal
    #29 sigar, Mar 8, 2024
    I see Icon just increased the useful load 60# to 490#. Is that applicable to existing airframes or just new ones? STC required?
     
  5. chris_columbia

    chris_columbia Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 5, 2008
    822
    Columbia MD
    Full Name:
    Chris
    #30 chris_columbia, Mar 8, 2024
    E-prop increases the takeoff trust of the rotax engines(a lot); somehow without losing cruise performance. How is this possible with a fixed prop? And it's smoother. Heard about it from RV-12 people. Everybody(rv-12) is switching to them. Icon did it this year. That is my understanding of how Icon raised load. I guess the 60lbs doesn't push it out of LSA category, because prop definitely isn't 60 lbs lighter?
     
  6. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2020
    1,888
    Glendora, CA
    Full Name:
    Jamie Kirk
    #31 PA32Pilot, Mar 8, 2024
    Prop and spinner is already composite, no way they save any weight swapping. Heard the 4 blade is quieter.

    The 60lb increase is not retroactive, starts with the 2024 models from what I’ve read. Not sure why, airframe or components haven’t changed.

    I’m really enjoying the plane, it’s a Great Lake machine.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Decided to fly it back to California instead of driving due to traffic. Strong headwinds and had a blistering 67mph . Sub 1 hour trip in my Saratoga was 2.6 hours in the Icon. But I did it in 8 gallons lol.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    donv, Bisonte, BJK and 3 others like this.

    7. View more ferraris for sale

    2023 F8 Tributo Spider $469,000

    575 Miles

    2014 Ferrari California $117,900

    28,700 Miles

    2016 Ferrari California T $119,950

    25,400 Miles

    2003 360 Spider $93,500

    35,015 Miles

  7. chris_columbia

    chris_columbia Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 5, 2008
    822
    Columbia MD
    Full Name:
    Chris
    #32 chris_columbia, Mar 12, 2024
    8gal for 2.6hrs is just amazing. I think this kind of flying suits a lot of people even if they don't know it. I mean what's the rush if you enjoy flying, plus a lot of the people I know do 50-80% of their flying just to stay proficient, so speed doesn't matter. How is the turbulence verses the Saratoga? I hear different things from different fliers. The ones that own 4 seat planes say the LSA's are bouncy. The ones that fly LSA's say there isn't much difference. I've talked to 2 people that sold Cherokee 180's and built or bought Vans RV-12's. Both said performance(speed) and bounciness were the same if not better in the 12.
     
  8. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2020
    1,888
    Glendora, CA
    Full Name:
    Jamie Kirk
    #33 PA32Pilot, Mar 12, 2024
    I fly enough that I don’t usually ever have to fly just to stay proficient.

    I’m on the West coast flying the deserts and mountains, you get shaken around. I did all my proficiency flying required for insurance in the Icon with winds 20G30+, it was still very easy to land and fly.

    There was one time I got a good wing dip with a gust flying near the mountains on the way home in the Icon.

    Yes you get blown around more but I would not say you get beat up more. You feel it more and have to correct more because you don’t have aileron or rudder trim.

    I am going to fly back to Arizona next week except this time I’ll get a tailwind. I’ll report back.
     
  9. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 16, 2012
    21,901
    In the past
    Full Name:
    Jim
    #34 jcurry, Apr 5, 2024
  10. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    60,207
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    #35 rob lay, Apr 5, 2024
    how often does this happen with planes and exotics? Either you can have a great, cool, and unique piece of machinery that is in high demand or you can build something conservatively with bottom line in mind, but no one wants it. Is it even possible to build something cool in high demand at a profit plane or cars? Only exception I can think of is Cirrus.
     
    donv and jcurry like this.
  11. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2020
    1,888
    Glendora, CA
    Full Name:
    Jamie Kirk
    #36 PA32Pilot, Apr 6, 2024
    Aircraft manufacturers filing Chapter 11 is a right of passage.
     
    jcurry and rob lay like this.
  12. chris_columbia

    chris_columbia Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 5, 2008
    822
    Columbia MD
    Full Name:
    Chris
    #37 chris_columbia, Apr 6, 2024
    Vans was healthy until it wasn't. Let's not jinks Cirrus.

    Another right of passage is them being bought by a Chinese or Indian company. Who's buying Mooney?
     
  13. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    60,207
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    #38 rob lay, Apr 6, 2024
    Diamond another innovator that skirted bankruptcy, probably just made it as Chinese owned.
     
  14. sigar

    sigar F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 30, 2005
    3,403
    NorCal
    #39 sigar, Apr 7, 2024
    Even Cirrus didn't really make it. They're Chinese owned. They just saw the writing on the wall and didn't need to actually file bankruptcy to admit they were broke.
     
    jcurry and rob lay like this.
  15. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    60,207
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    #40 rob lay, Apr 7, 2024
    Columbia was a better plane than Cirrus, great innovation, but finances so fragile that a single hail storm did them in. Unfortunately big corporate Cessna just couldn't efficiently manage them.
     
    sigar likes this.
Page 2 of 2

Share This Page