http://www.local10.com/news/florida/...-national-park
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No one hurt. CEO Hawkins must be really pissed. The writer called it an Ultralight!
It looks like they were equipped for free diving
Wonder if that's covered in the 1,254 page buyer agreement?
So much for the idiot proofnicity of the Icon.
Cary
At least it still floats.
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.
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.
I'm trying to come up with another smartass comment, but I can't...
From Icon, reported on another forum:
Isn't pilot error prohibited by their sales contract?Quote:
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.
Looks like the sales contract won't hold water......
Apparently the resale value isn't that great, leaving the buyer "underwater?"
Waterboarding is considered torture but check this out!!
That represented 5% of the Icon fleet
Rick
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
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.
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