After a fitful production start for the A5 light-sport aircraft, Icon Aircraft has regrouped. The company has built a composite factory in Mexico to “improve and control the manufacturing process while simultaneously reducing cost,” says Icon’s founder and CEO, Kirk Hawkins. While the new Tijuana-based composite shop is getting up and running, Icon has opened two training facilities for its A5 amphibian — one at its headquarters in Vacaville, California, and one in downtown Tampa, Florida. A third facility is expected to open soon at an undisclosed location in Texas.
Learning to Fly the Icon A5
Key Takeaways:
- Icon Aircraft has relocated composite production of its A5 to a new factory in Tijuana, Mexico, and is implementing design modifications to overcome initial manufacturing challenges and improve quality.
- The company is strategically focusing on flight training for its A5 amphibian, opening multiple centers across the US and developing specialized curricula, particularly for its significant base of non-pilot deposit holders.
- Icon's A5 training program, developed by former military pilots, adopts a unique "fun-factor" approach to learning practical water operations, emphasizing angle of attack, and utilizing military-style briefing and debriefing methods.
- Despite past customer "flak" and delivery delays, Icon's strategy involves using early production aircraft for its training program to refine the A5 and ensure a higher quality, "squawk-free" aircraft is delivered to patient customers.
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