ICON Delivers!

[martymayes]

http://www.local10.com/news/florida/miami-dade/2-survive-ultralight-aircraft-crash-near-biscayne-national-park

[rwanttaja]

http://www.local10.com/news/florida/miami-dade/2-survive-ultralight-aircraft-crash-near-biscayne-national-park

It was apparently delivered to a Flying Glub...glub....glub....

Ron "Been a long week, it's all I got" Wanttaja

[Floatsflyer]

No one hurt. CEO Hawkins must be really pissed. The writer called it an Ultralight!

[saber25]

It looks like they were equipped for free diving

[martymayes]

Wonder if that's covered in the 1,254 page buyer agreement?

[Floatsflyer]

Wonder if that's covered in the 1,254 page buyer agreement?

That was amended a year ago after big backlash from buyers. It's now 967 pages plus first born male child.

[Cary]

So much for the idiot proofnicity of the Icon.

Cary

[Bill Berson]

At least it still floats.

[DaleB]

I wonder whether it really "crashed into the ocean", or if they just managed to swamp it after landing? Or maybe a taxi incident? I really know nothing about water operations, but it doesn't seem like it would be too big a challenge to capsize/swamp one if you tried. Doesn't look like that is very rough water, but I'm sure a guy could find a way if he was really intent on it.

[Floatsflyer]

doesn't seem like it would be too big a challenge to capsize/swamp one if you tried. Doesn't look like that is very rough water, but I'm sure a guy could find a way if he was really intent on it.

Reports so far do not provide any details of the circumstances leading to what we only see in the picture. All small 2 and 4 place flying boats sit very low in the water, for example this Icon, other similar light sport designs like the Searey, homebuilts like the Osprey, Catalina, Volmer, and certifieds like the Lake. Subject to water conditions, they can easily be swamped. Burt Rutan's latest(he says last) design is a flying boat that sits really low in the water.

[Frank Giger]

It looks like they were equipped for free diving

Hahahahahaha...

[rwanttaja]

It looks like they were equipped for free divingHahahahahaha...
It's not exactly "free" diving; ICON requires that you install a MVR (Mask Voice Recorder) and spy cameras that continually record your depth and blood-oxygen level.

Ron "green Spandex is a no-no" Wanttaja

[Floatsflyer]

It's not exactly "free" diving;

True, but it is the continuing saga of a company and it's sinking fortunes.

[Dana]

I'm trying to come up with another smartass comment, but I can't...

From Icon, reported on another forum:

During flight operations of two A5s down in Miami, Florida, this Saturday, 1 April (no joke), one of the A5s experienced an extremely hard landing that resulted in hull damage that caused the aircraft to take on water. Both the pilot and passenger were uninjured. While the aircraft subsequently submerged up to the wings, it remained afloat and was towed approximately eight miles to a marina where it was loaded onto an A5 trailer and transported back to ICON. The situation is still under thorough review by ICON, but all initial information suggests pilot error.

Isn't pilot error prohibited by their sales contract?

[martymayes]

Looks like the sales contract won't hold water......

[martymayes]

Apparently the resale value isn't that great, leaving the buyer "underwater?"

[martymayes]

Waterboarding is considered torture but check this out!!

[wyoranch]

That represented 5% of the Icon fleet
Rick

[Floatsflyer]

I'm trying to come up with another smartass comment, but I can't...

Here Dana, you can have this one with my compliments. Icon press release:

"We said it was spin proof, not submarine proof."


I'm feelin' like Henny Youngman(you youngins' go ask your parents).

And btw, it's not smartassism, it's sarcasm. ;>)

[rwanttaja]

Well... on Icon's side is the fact that homebuilt seaplanes/amphibians suffer a higher accident rate, anyway, due to the additional hazards of water operation. The Fleet accident rate (accidents per number of registered examples) of the Searey is actually higher than the Lancair line.

Ron Wanttaja

[Floatsflyer]

Following the structural mishap on landing in the ocean off Miami and after very careful and deliberate consideration, Icon CEO Kirk Hawkins and the Board of Directors have made a joint statement:

"Since after 10 years without a single customer delivery of the Icon A5, we have decided to pivot and go in a new and different business direction. We are excited and proud to announce that we have just completed our 27th round of private equity financing and have purchased all the assets of the Sea Ray boat company. We will immediately begin to design and build a new "unsinkable" boat. We will showcase this new boat called the Hubris at the Fort Lauderdale on the water boat show later this year. Deposits will be taken at this time. Prior to this, we will be at Oshkosh in July for one last time where we will auction off the 2 remaining proof of production A5's.

[Frank Giger]

Well... on Icon's side is the fact that homebuilt seaplanes/amphibians suffer a higher accident rate, anyway, due to the additional hazards of water operation. The Fleet accident rate (accidents per number of registered examples) of the Searey is actually higher than the Lancair line.

Ron Wanttaja


With respect to our seaplane people, it always seemed to me that amphibs combined the adventure of aviation with all the hazards of boating.

[Floatsflyer]

With respect to our seaplane people, it always seemed to me that amphibs combined the adventure of aviation with all the hazards of boating.

A diss to the millions of responsible boating enthusiasts out there. 71% of the earth's surface is covered in water. Fly seaplanes!

[Frank Giger]

Yes, but a good natured one, be sure. :)

There are things in the water. And they're just waiting for you to join them where they lurk unseen.

Frank "Landlubber" Giger