ICON Aircraft announced on Wednesday that it has completed assembly of its 200th A5 amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA). The first A5s were delivered to customers in 2017 with ICON reporting that there are currently owners in “30 states and 13 countries across five continents.” The A5 is manufactured at the company’s facility in Tijuana, Mexico.
“Building 200 A5s is a significant milestone for us as a company and for the hundreds of ICON employees who have worked tirelessly to get this incredible airplane into the hands of owners,” said ICON CEO Jerry Meyer. “It has been quite a journey, and the best reward is seeing owners out there flying their A5s, having their own adventures, and connecting with our growing community.”
According to ICON, it is currently producing between 4 and 5 airplanes per month. Powered by the Rotax 912 engine, the two-seat A5 offers a top speed 95 knots, 427-NM range and useful load of 430 pounds. It comes equipped with the Garmin G3X Touch flight display and features a folding wing design and whole-airframe parachute system.
Hard to believe they have sold so many with an average price over $300,000.
200? Nobody show them the production numbers from the seventies. They will just get depressed.
What’s not to like? Their lawyers in charge of marketing. High price. Low power. Mandatory flight and voice reorders. Maintenence only allowed by factory service centers. Hold harmless agreement so owner can’t sue Icon. Mandatory 10 year airframe overhaul/refurbishment. If owner sells they have to send Icon $5,000 transfer fee and have buyer sign new contract with same provisions with Icon. Who owns this puppy after you buy it? Sure, sign me up 😳
Precisely. So, don’t sign me up.
Doing some very rough math and assumptions on their profitably, 4-5 planes per month at 300-400K each probably makes about $1200 per month for each of the roughly 160 people in that photo. Of course the CEO and a few others probably get most of that so probably <1000/mo for most of them. Good thing they are being produced in Mexico.
In addition to the onerous conditions when one “buys” an A5, with such small numbers of production, it is no wonder that they are so expensive….
This is what happens when a company produces rich men’s toys and lawyers get involved…
Yeah, all the other front cost after you pay 385,000 really? 2000/month expenses after 8 yrs some inspection that costs $7500.00, $500.00 oil changes? Airplane overhaul at 2000 hours $20,000.. Who would agree to all of this? I currently owe a 1984 Piper Malibu and my first annual inspection was $3400 total and that’s a 6 place Airplane that cruises at 200 kn at 25,000 feet. And I paid 265000.00 for this airplane. And I saw something like airframe total hours 10,000 then you scrap the airplane ?My first airplane was a Beachcraft musketeer, 150 horse and 120 knot airplane with 10 hours on the engine I bought it for 25,000. I wouldn’t take this airplane if they gave it to me. You don’t even need your private pilot certificate to jump in the thing the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. The X Toronto Blue Jays pitcher that died in one had the thing for three weeks and he wasn’t a private pilot. What’s that tell you ? And how much confidence do you have in a manufacture that makes you sign something that says you can’t sue them. This is why majority of people buying this airplane are not pilots. Gordon