Icon A5 Request For Weight Increase Exemption Status

[Floatsflyer]

What reason does the FAA have to grant their wish? I'm glad to see they realized the error of their ways. After 2000 hours on floats, I couldn't imagine flying a seaplane with no flaps.

FAA is on record with respect to considering weight exceptions for safety reasons. Icon's application was based on the additional structural weight required for their spin proof wing. Last year Rod Hightower said he expected that it would be granted for this reason. The Maverick(roadable aircraft/parachute configuration) received excemption but only up to the max weight for floatplanes/amphibians(1430). The Terrafugia received the same excemption for additional weight required to make it street legal. No one except Icon has requested more than the current allowable max weight(1430). The jury is still out...we'll see. My bet is on the "yes".

I agree fully with you, flying floats or amphibs without flaps is just nuts. The reason they originally dropped them they said was to symplify flight systems in their quest to make the plane as safe and easy to operate as possible. I told them safety would be comprimised without them and so did many others.