ICON A5 Gets Avionics Upgrade

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ICON Aircraft has announced that it is now offering the Garmin G3X Touch flight display as an option for its A5 amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA). The new avionics package, which will include an optional two-axis autopilot, is expected to be available beginning early next year for limited edition model year 2021 A5s. The G3X Touch display will replace the standard-configuration A5’s Garmin aera 796.

“Our owners have put more than 20,000 total hours on their A5s, and one theme we’ve heard from them—in addition to the incredible fun they’re having—is the desire for an upgraded avionics and navigation package,” said ICON Aircraft President Jason Huang. “The Garmin G3X Touch takes our commitment to product improvement to the next level, greatly enhancing the adventure flying experience while seamlessly fitting into our intuitively-designed cockpit.”

Garmin’s G3X Touch provides an infrared touch-control interface and can integrate controls for radios, transponder and navigation on a single display. The two-seat A5 has a top speed of 95 knots, useful load of 430 pounds and 427-NM range. The amphibious LSA is powered by the Rotax 912 engine and features a spin-resistant airframe, folding wing design and whole-aircraft parachute system.

Kate O'Connor
Kate O’Connor works as AVweb's Editor-in-Chief. She is a private pilot, certificated aircraft dispatcher, and graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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6 COMMENTS

      • I think he means that you don’t need a 2-axis autopilot in a VFR lawnmower, which I’d agree with.

        But it turns out that what airplane buyers want is an acre of glass and all the features, and are willing to pay for that. Cessna dropped their steam-gauge 172 option because they said nobody was ordering it.

        • Yes James the autopilot and overkill in what you profoundly called “a VFR lawnmower” is what I meant. That, and how about less eye candy to distract
          A-5 owners from real flying and upping their lousy safety record.

  1. To me this signals the beginning of the end (if it wasn’t already happening) of Icon. To expensive, not the right product, slow and better market options if you want a LSA that is easy to fly and land on water. After I got my SES rating, we looked at Pestral and ICON. Truth is, we found a nice 172 on floats, 1/2 the price, better payload and more practical. Just my .02

    • Agreed, but the 172 is not an LSA, and doesn’t have the acre of glass demanded by high-end private buyers. Their buyer demographic doesn’t care whether it’s $400k, $500k or more – just look at Cirrus single prices, which are approaching $1 million for the G6 model.

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