Image ID: AHLC3881
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com
When I visited the ICON manufacturing facility at the Nut Tree Airport (VCB) in mid-June, this ICON A5 amphibious aircraft had just completed a training flight and had its wings folded in order to be towed back into the ICON hangar.
Two successful entrepreneurs and a prospective CFI joined me on the tour. The tour of the ICON facility was led by Bret Davenport, ICON’s Flight Sciences Manager and Engineering Test Pilot and Leah Sullivan, an executive assistant at ICON working with ICON’s VP of Engineering, VP of Manufacturing and Director of Quality.
Bret’s background includes serving as a flight test engineer for numerous aircraft at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River between June 2004 and September 2015 before joining ICON. ICON has assembled a unique group of talented aviation and industry professionals, many of whom spent time developing their skills in the military.
Among the highlights of the tour were having the opportunity to examine individual carbon fiber components, to see how solid the folding wing mechanics of the aircraft are and how quickly the wings can be folded, to receive a briefing regarding ICON’s angle of attack sensors and to learn more about ICON’s approach to manufacturing. ICON is integrating technology into every aspect of production from tracking the location of each tool to optimizing the production capability of its aircraft assembly line.
I first learned about ICON Aircraft when the company was scouting possible locations for its manufacturing facility and its director of strategy and business development contacted me regarding the possibility of shooting aerial photography to evaluate Nut Tree Airport as a possible location for its manufacturing facility. Although ICON eventually used in house talent to shoot those scouting shots, I stayed in touch with ICON and watched the company’s progress in developing the A5 and bringing it into production.
While doing seaplane training in San Diego Bay this past April I had a chance to take a demo flight in an ICON A5 with Noah Collins, ICON’s Regional Sales Director for California. Like other ICON employees, Noah has an impressive background which includes 9 years as a naval aviator and 2 and half years as a business development executive with Siemens. The A5 was remarkably stable on the water and in the air.
Despite the challenges that any technology company is likely to experience during its development, ICON is continuing to execute on its mission to create a state of the art aircraft that’s fun to fly, and since it’s certified as a light sport aircraft by the FAA, it’s accessible as a flying option to many people.
Founder Kirk Hawkins, a Stanford Business School graduate who flew F-16s for the US Air Force and Boeing 767s for American Airlines, has assembled an impressive management team. The Board of Directors includes Phil Condit, former chairman and CEO of Boeing and Linden Blue, Vice Chairman of General Atomics. Thomas Wiener, ICON’s president and chief operating officer, previously served management roles at Bombardier Recreational Products, Audi and Daimler Benz.
Interested in owning an ICON A5?
Photo by: Tyson Riniger
If you want to buy one outright and go for a demo flight, contact California’s Regional Sales Director, Noah Collins.
Interested in owning a share in an ICON A5?
A partnership to own an A5 is forming in northern California with San Francisco Bay and Clear Lake locations. For more details please visit:
Details about the ICON A5 are available directly from the ICON web site at:
Outstanding videos about the A5 include:
The ICON Angle of Attack System.
