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Cluemeister

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About 5 months ago someone sent me a link to a story about the Icon A5.  I was instantly fascinated with this plane.  I had always had an interest in flying, but never had the time or resources to make it happen.  At this point in my life I have more time and resources than previously, so I started looking into the Icon.  After much research, I decided the Icon was not right for me after all, but perhaps learning to be a Sport Pilot definitely was.

 

Then I stumbled upon this site.  I've poked around this forum now for about four months, trying to learn as much as possible.  I've asked multiple questions, and each time I get thoughtful answers from experienced pilots.  This is a great community of owners, and your helpful approach is much appreciated.  

 

Next week I take my Sport Pilot written test, and then I head to Lockwood in Sebring, FL where I'm booked for 9 days of flight instruction.  Hopefully that will get me a good start on my certificate.  After that, if the training goes as expected, I will continue training, finish up this summer and then be in the market to buy an LSA.   

 

So thanks again to all of you for your helpful support of a prospective pilot.  I'm looking forward to being an actual pilot on this board.  Special thanks to Eddie for taking me up in his Sky Arrow, and to Andy for recommending Jeff Hudson at Lockwood.

 

 

 

 

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It's never too late - I got my private 15 years ago at the age of 70. About five years ago I switched to Sport pilot

and traded my 182 for a CTSW since it fit my needs and was less hassel. The only mistake I made was not starting to fly

a half century ago. Lots of luck.

ps; I'm in Fort Pierce, call if I can help.

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After reading the comments on this thread, just maybe us baby boomers will give a good infusion of new pilots. I'm in the same boat, prior to retirement didn't have the time or money. I did manage about 15 hours solo in a 150 back in 1982, and a couple hundred hours in hang gliders from 1979 to 1984. Now I plan to get the cart in front of the horse twice. Last month bought a home and hangar in an air park, now I need to find a plane to buy and train in.

 

Cluemeister, here is another aspect to aviation that might be of interest to you, it is for me, and that is back country flying and camping.   https://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum

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Good luck, Cluemeister!  Looking forward to your announcement that you're a freshly minted pilot!

 

Like you, I saw the Icon A5 and that rekindled my dream to fly.  Probably the gauge cluster was a lot more friendly than the busy (but now familiar) panel we're used to flying.  Sadly life (work?) gets in the way and I've spent about a year to get to the point where I'm ready for my checkride.  I thnk your approach of devoting dedicated time to the flight instruction makes a lot more sense (and is quicker.)

Best of luck!

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The Icon is a slick looking product and I too had the same thoughts without much knowledge about how cool it would be to own it.  Then after buying a plane and flying for two plus years you learn where the Icon fits in the grand scheme of things.

 

Once you have decided to get a Sport Pilot license (versus a private pilots license and the medical) you will be looking at a two-seater with a 1300 pound gross max (the Icon weighs more because they made a "spin resistant" design and got an exception to the rule).  What is on the panel is not important in the long run since you will learn to fly with either round gauges or glass panel anyway and will want one of those two techs in your own plane.  The Icon set of 8 round gauges are just another way to present the same basic six-pack of instruments all planes must have...

 

Before plunking down a chunk of change on the Icon you should first figure out what kind of flying you want to do the most.  

 

Do you need/want a water plane and are willing to do the extra training to land one on water?  Do you think you will be folding up your plane and parking it on a trailer at your house?  Do you want to trade-off slightly less speed, higher cost and less fuel efficiency to get those two things?  That is the Icon value proposition over other SLSA products like the FD CTLSi.

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Hi Hamburger,

 

I did like the Icon, but it ended up not being what will fit my mission.  I plan to fly two types of missions:  By myself to visit relatives and do fun things like golf, and fly with my wife to weekend getaways to places we've never been within 3-4 hours flying time.

 

So as you can imagine, the Icon does not fit that.  :)

 

But that is a beautiful plane.  And if you want to fly around for the heck of it and land on water, the Icon would be a fun plane to own.

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Hi Hamburger,

 

I did like the Icon, but it ended up not being what will fit my mission.  I plan to fly two types of missions:  By myself to visit relatives and do fun things like golf, and fly with my wife to weekend getaways to places we've never been within 3-4 hours flying time.

 

So as you can imagine, the Icon does not fit that.  :)

 

But that is a beautiful plane.  And if you want to fly around for the heck of it and land on water, the Icon would be a fun plane to own.

 

The Icon is a stunning design and perfect for people living on a lake. 

 

If you are planning to take clubs in the plane you will care a lot about baggage space.  Most SLSA do not have much room for baggage that is elongated.  The FD does have a trick way to do it...they have curtains behind the seats that can be removed to allow clubs to be placed from the cockpit into the baggage area.  I don't know how well the RV or a Remos or a Pipistrel would do the same thing.

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The Icon is a stunning design and perfect for people living on a lake. 

 

If you are planning to take clubs in the plane you will care a lot about baggage space.  Most SLSA do not have much room for baggage that is elongated.  The FD does have a trick way to do it...they have curtains behind the seats that can be removed to allow clubs to be placed from the cockpit into the baggage area.  I don't know how well the RV or a Remos or a Pipistrel would do the same thing.

 

Agreed the Icon is stunning, but I don't plan to live or land on a lake, and the high cost was off-putting.  But as a design, it did a wonderful job of re-invigorating my interest in flying (much like Cluemeister's), and to that end, it did an admirable job.

 

In terms of golf clubs, the Remos has a deep compartment behind the pilot's seat that will accept golf clubs.  But other than that, space is limited.  

 

Your other post was spot on though, 100Hamburger... after flying and thinking through what your mission parameters are, your thoughts change.  I love the looks of a low wing, but loading an older family member into the cockpit would be a challenge.  Plus there aren't too many low wing LSA that have the useful load needed to carry a bigger guy (me.)  The Remos meets both my mission and useful load needs.

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The other thing that puzzles me is that the Icon is shockingly slow for such a slick looking bird.  IIRC the cruise speed is 90 knots, and the Vne is 105 knots.  

 

Though apparently it is the "Tesla of airplanes"...   :rolleyes:      

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3240615/The-Tesla-planes-arrived-Futuristic-Icon-A5-seaplane-reaches-110mph-flown-long-197-000.html

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The other thing that puzzles me is that the Icon is shockingly slow for such a slick looking bird.  IIRC the cruise speed is 90 knots, and the Vne is 105 knots.  

 

Though apparently it is the "Tesla of airplanes"...   :rolleyes:      

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3240615/The-Tesla-planes-arrived-Futuristic-Icon-A5-seaplane-reaches-110mph-flown-long-197-000.html

It's not just the speed.  It seems that it under-performs in just about every other department too ........ apart from desirability, of course!

Looks like the Brits swallowed all the hype, too.

 

We have a saying here in Ireland:

'If you get the reputation of being an early riser, you can lie in till noon'.

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Jeff Hudson is a great instructor.  Very patient and he makes you feel relaxed with his relaxed manner. Very experienced and very good with the stick and rudder, which is helpful while learning.  He has done my flight reviews for the last 9 years.

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Concur.

Another excellent CFI/DPE is Romke Sikkema. Tremendous experience with all models of Flight Design aircraft. He was recommended by Jeff Hudson. Both are out of Sebring (KSEF).

Just finished a BFR with Romke last month.

It was the best $120 I spent since I got my airplane. I plan on flying with Romke, at least once a year.

 

As I was telling Bill, Romke was my DPE and did a stage check with me (since he knew he was going to DPE for me, to keep the stage check legal he did zero instruction, just watched me fly).  Really a top-notch guy who wants you to fly the plane to its full capability.  Between Romke and Jeff, I think you have two of the top LSA instructor pilots in the eastern half of the USA.

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