Fuente: ourworld
In 2004, the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), working closely with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), created what has been called "The biggest change in aviation in 50 years." They created an entirely new category of aircraft, 'Light Sport Aircraft' (LSA), as well as a new category of pilot license (Sport Pilot), both aimed specifically at consumer recreational flying.
Since LSA are targeted to recreational pilots who primarily fly for fun, LSA are designed to be affordable, lightweight, and easy to operate. ICON was founded in 2005 by Kirk Hawkins to build aircraft to cater for this new catagory of pilot and planes. Hawkins, a graduate from the Stanford Business School, is an accomplished engineer, a former U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot, and long-time motorsport enthusiast. ICON"s engineering and development team came from Burt Rutan"s famed Scaled Composites, which created such record setting projects as Voyager, Global Flyer, the X-Prize winning SpaceShipOne, and Virgin Galactic"s SpaceShipTwo.
ICON Aircraft"s sole purpose has been to bring the freedom, fun, and adventure of flying to all who have dreamed of flight. With these ground-breaking FAA rules solidified, ICON believes that consumer-focused sport aircraft can do for recreational flying what personal watercraft did for boating.
ICON"s sport aircraft are not only designed to deliver an amazing and safe flying experience, but also to inspire us the way great sports cars do. After years of development with some of the world"s best aerospace engineers and industrial designers, ICON Aircraft has released the first of its line of sport planes, the ICON A5.
- 1,320 pounds (600kgs) maximum takeoff weight (1,430 pounds for seaplanes)
- Maximum airspeed of 120 knots (138mph/220kmh)
- Maximum two-person seating capacity (pilot + passenger)
- Single, reciprocating engine
- Fixed or ground-adjustable propeller
- Non-pressurized cabin
- Fixed landing gear (retractable gear allowed for seaplanes)
- Maximum stall speed of 45 knots (52mph/80kmh)
The ICON A5 looks like great fun and, with prices starting at around $140,000 is realtively affordable. We can only hope that the calibre of the pilots is on a par with the quality of the aircraft and it does not become an annoying jet ski of the sky.
For more information (and how to order), please check out www.iconaircraft.com
