Search:

Yep, that's correct. Helen was my primary flight instructor. Small world! :)

Thanks Floatsflyer. I look forward to hearing their response!

In looking at the FAA's response to the exemption and listening to some of the interviews they did with Earl Lawrence and Kirk Hawkins, etc... it would seem the response to that argument is basically...

Icon posted some additional photos from their Oshkosh setup on their Facebook page. Here's a shot of their production version for the main instrument cluster:

3170 MAIN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
The...

One other question for you Floatsflyer:

Did you happen to poke them for a bit more information on what they meant by the "tough decisions" they had to make which led them to the current 1,510lbs? ...

I have heard quite a few good reports on the SeaRey. The flight school at my home airport is also a dealer for the SeaRey. It's certainly quite a bit cheaper than an A5....

Very interesting, Floatsflyer, and thanks for the reply. Not sure where you live but there are probably enough A5 supporters here to start a flying club. Would make the A5 down right affordable! :)...

Nice! Welcome back. I was really bummed that I couldn't make it out there this year.

I heard it was unseasonably cool so that must have been a nice change from the usual heat.

What did you...

Sign me up! I'll take 2.... ;)

Where's FloatsFlyer? I thought for sure you'd have posted something since the news broke of the weight exemption being granted given your support of the A5...

3165

It really does have cup holders.... lol!

An interesting read on the thought process the FAA went through to arrive at its decision. The document attached in the following link for the A5 docket specifically addresses some of the concerns...

A couple of interesting articles posted today:

This one provides a few more tidbits than the standard press release did on the granted exemption:...

Yeah, I was a bit surprised as well. What had me believing they might get it was the length of time and the types of questions the FAA was asking in their follow up additional information request...

hydroguy2, you are correct. Icon stated today that the production A5 will have an MTOW of 1510 pounds. What they requested and what the FAA approved allowed them to go up to 1680 but Icon says for...

Makes sense. Although I hope this doesn't mean they pulled the cup holders out of this updated design...

Anyone care to guess what exactly this means?

The FAA’s decision enables ICON to continue with A5 manufacturing, currently scheduled for first production aircraft in spring 2014. The FAA’s...

Wow!

Full Press Release from Icon on the granted weight exemption:

FAA Recognizes ICON Aircraft’s Safety Achievements, Grants Spin-Resistance Weight Exemption

LOS ANGELES (29 July...

hmmm.... When you put it that way.... Just need to find that $10,000 deposit money first. Let me go check the couch, I think there might be some loose change in there I could scrape together. ;)...

I was at EAA Airventure last year and spoke to the Icon folks at length. They were still quoting the $139,000 plus CPI price which one of them told me would be in the $160K to $170K range.

Oh...

Or that new Sonex mini jet, the subSonex, that's about the same price ($125,000).... plus the wings are removable... no cup holders though. :)

Popeye, thanks for the information and the extra research regarding the Part 23 stuff you posted earlier today.

Agreed! I had seen recent posts from Icon on Facebook putting the price closer to $170K which falls in line with CPI-W rates, but $189K is ridiculous!!

They state they are using CPI-W as of...

Is that even a possibility? Can a denied weight exemption request be appealed?

Very interesting. I did not know the Ercoupe was an LSA.

As for part 23 aircraft, I'm curious why they would delineate a very specific spin-resistant standard (full envelope 14 CFR 23.221(a)(2)...