Icon A5 Request For Weight Increase Exemption Status

[zaitcev]

Now for other thoughts. What will happen to the performance of the A5 when the weight is increased over 17% with the same engine.

They have repeatedly stated that they'll continue to use Rotax 912, now in the iS guise. Unfortunately with 250 extra pounds they are even heavier than Cessna 150.

Further, the promised price is nearly the same as other upscale LSA's such as the CTLS. The few flying boats there have been have typically cost upwards of 50% more than a similar land plane. I expect the actual price of the A5, if it ever is delivered, to be much more than predicted.

Price is my concern also. What's more, if you spring a price increase upon position holders, many are going to drop, especially when they were made jittery by schedule slips. We saw it with Eclipse, and we saw it with Cessna 162. In case of Skycatcher, a 44% price increase caused a complete sales collapse, from which it hasn't recovered yet.