A Look at the Icon A5 – Easy on Land, Sea, and in the Air

Since the ICON A5 first took flight in 2014, this light sport aircraft has steadily grown in popularity among recreational flyers. Part of its appeal is its eye-catching, sports car-like looks. Manufacturer ICON Aircraft has also improved its product and manufacturing processes, forging an exciting path ahead for this remarkable aircraft. 

Perfect for entry-level sport pilots

The two-seater ICON A5 performs as both a seaplane and an airplane. It’s described as a sports car with wings that manoeuvres like a jet ski – and because it’s easy to store and transport over land, your next adventure is never far away.

Ideally, when you set out on an off-the-beaten-track adventure, you’d want to rent a private plane to get you to those hard-to-reach places. A private jet charter can have you in the air at short notice. What’s more, as well as skipping airport crowds and queues, you can take along outsized items on charter jets, such as snowboards or skis, without the hassle of specialized packaging and excess baggage fees. The A5 is the closest you can get to having your very own private jet at your beck and call.

The ready-to-fly aircraft has been designed by ICON Aircraft to be so intuitive that even a novice can learn to handle it in under 30 hours, the company claims. The recreational plane can be flown by anyone holding a sport pilot licence. This is because the ICON A5 Limited Edition S-LSA is classified in a similar way to other recreational powersports vehicles such as ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), motorcycles, watercraft, and snowmobiles.

The Certified Edition has the same capabilities as the Limited Edition but is certified in the US primary aircraft category by the FAA. This means that the Certified Edition can be used as a personal transport aircraft but may not be used as a commercial carrier of people or property. The Certified Edition is fitted with the Garmin 796 avionics suite and is available in three new colour options.

ICON offers three courses. The first, SFI (sport flying introduction), is aimed at giving those who have never flown before the confidence to fly the A5. Courses two and three are offered by ICON and its flying training partners across the US to transition existing pilots to the A5 operating system. Since the aircraft is amphibious, the first transition TX-S (transition seaplane) course is for pilots who already have a water endorsement or seaplane rating, while the TX-L (transition landplane) course is for pilots who do not have a water endorsement or seaplane rating.

A closer look at the ICON A5

The American amphibious aircraft isn’t meant to go far (its range of 790km would get you from Toronto to New York on a full 76-litre tank), and it hasn’t been built for speed (175kph is as racy as it gets). But what the A5 lacks in distance and speed, it more than makes up for in innovation.

Its canopy treats the pilot and passenger to panoramic views from the cockpit, with the engine at the back and a low instrument panel. For a truly immersive flying experience, the side windows can be easily removed and stowed in the baggage area.

If the aircraft’s controls bring to mind a high-end sports car, that’s because they were created by BMW designers, while former Nissan designer Randy Rodriguez takes credit for the sleek exterior. The A5’s innovative design includes folding wings that can be opened by one person in just two minutes. This feature, and the size of the aircraft – at 7m long and 2.5m high – mean the light sport plane can be stored in a standard home garage. Even refuelling is a breeze: you can tow it to the gas station to fill up with either 100LL (100-octane, low-lead) or 91-octane auto gasoline.

The sports car-like interior of the ICON A5 aircraft.

For easy transportation, ICON created the A5 trailer. In keeping with the A5’s intuitive, user-focused design, it takes just one person under 10 minutes to load/unload the aircraft onto/from the trailer, either on land or in the water.

The private plane is also the first spin-resistant light sport aircraft in the world. This is the result of a combination of design elements. For example, the outsized foldable wings have stall-resistant wing cuffs, and there’s a slight twist in the plane’s carbon-fibre contours and innovatively designed airfoils. The bigger wings called for a larger tail, which in turn required a stronger tail boom. The result was a larger and heavier airframe, with a maximum gross weight (fully loaded with passengers and equipment) of 685kg. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) weight exemption was required to nail the spin-resistant design, though, because the maximum gross weight of other amphibious light sport aircraft is 649kg.

The A5 also has a feature that keeps it airborne and controllable, even when the pilot has inadvertently stalled it. Typically, most aircraft held in a stall, even at full power, go into a rapid descent that can degrade into a loss of control or a spin, but the A5 is designed to float in midair indefinitely, so long as the engine doesn’t overheat.

The plane’s latest avionics innovation is a Garmin G3X Touch™ interface flight display with an optional two-axis autopilot. This optional configuration adds another layer of situational awareness and sophistication to the 2021 ICON A5 Limited Edition (S-LSA). The Certified Edition is fitted with the Garmin 796 avionics suite and is available in three new colour options.

Since the first unit rolled off the assembly line, the A5 has clocked up some prestigious awards, including:

• 2008 Popular Science 100 Best Innovations of the Year

• 2009 I.D. Annual Design Review

• 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (“Gold” in Automotive & Transportation)

• 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (People’s Choice Award)

• 2009 “Gold” Spark Design Award

• 2010 Wallpaper “Life-Enhancer of the Year” Judges Award

• 2010 Red Dot Product Design Winner

• 2015 Flying Editors’ Choice Award

Innovation timeline: from fledgling to full flight

The A5 prototype made its maiden test flight on July 16, 2008. By January 2009, ICON had completed its first phase (notching up 27 flights) of a three-phase testing program, which included water handling. In February of the same year, the prototype entered its second phase of testing to refine its aerodynamic and handling qualities.

From 2011 to February 2012, the updated spin-resistant wing was flight-tested. The design met FAR Part 23 type certified requirements, thanks to its cuffed wing with multiple proprietary airfoils that vary along the wing’s span. Designworks, a global creative consultancy owned by BMW, developed an automotive-style interior for the aircraft and helped with the development of lightweight component manufacturing.

The first A5 was unveiled in the US on July 27, 2014, at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin. It was constructed between January and June 2014 at the company headquarters in Tehachapi, California, and flown for the first time on July 7. Following an FAA audit in 2015, serial production began in July 2017. A total of 15 aircraft were delivered to customers in 2017, followed by 200 in 2018.

The Model Year 18 versions of the A5 include an improved nose gear design, more legible and better night illuminated instruments, a simpler and lighter oil cooler with better airflow, an improved rudder-pedal design, upgraded landing-gear actuators, an enhanced canopy design with no airspeed limit for flight with windows removed, and improved wing and fuselage access panels.

In January 2019, ICON had completed 90 aircraft with 1,300 on backorder, and by July 2019, 100 aircraft had been delivered.

The ICON Certified Edition was Type Certified in the Primary Category by the FAA in July 2021. The aim of acquiring a primary aircraft category certification was to ease the process of adoption and certification by international aviation authorities.

ICON A5 specifications

Number of seats: two

Wingspan: 10.6m

Empty weight: 490kg

Maximum take-off weight: 685kg

Baggage (max): 27.2kg

Take-off distance: Runway 195m / Water 256m

Landing distance: Runway 180m / Water 213m

Fuel: 91 Octane Auto or 100LL Aviation

Fuel capacity: 76 litres

Max speed (VH): 175kph

Engine: Rotax 912 (100hp) – fuel-injected, air and liquid-cooled; four cylinders 

Propellers: three-bladed composite

Sport plane accessories

ICON has continued to add to its product offering over the years. A5 enthusiasts can now purchase the optional A5 trailer, as well as an ICON inflatable dock that fits to a lakehouse, marina or yacht. They are specially designed for the contours of the A5 and manufactured with durable vinyl. There are also A5 engine and canopy covers, and the ICON Wing Support System, which provides stability and added protection in the event of an inadvertent wing drop or pin failure while the aircraft’s wings are in the folded position. The ICON Certified Edition sports a new Signature livery design and is available in three new colour options.

Cost of the ICON A5

The aviation innovations achieved by the A5 have resulted in significant interest in the aircraft from outside the aviation community. ICON reports that 35% of its customers were not pilots prior to ICON A5 Sport Pilot training.

Tempted to give the A5 a try? A fully equipped 2018 model will set you back around C$358,000, while the ICON A5 Limited Edition (S-LSA) starts at C$434,000 (for delivery in the US) and the Certified Edition at C$510,000. The optional ICON trailer for towing has a price tag of around C$46,000. The plane’s total variable operating cost per hour is C$96.

Book a flight on a charter jet with ACS

If you want to get out there and interact with your world but aren’t in the market for an A5, a private jet charter is a good option. At Air Charter Service (ACS), we offer a wide range of aircraft to suit your requirements, from point-to-point helicopters to fast and convenient business jets and corporate jets. Get a fast private jet quote now, or contact us to speak to our team, who will take you through our wide range of services, including the benefits our jet card.

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