• Icon Aircraft's A5 amphibian. (ICON Aircraft)
    Icon Aircraft's A5 amphibian. (ICON Aircraft)
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ICON Aircraft's A5 has progressed from idea to aeroplane with the first production airframe flying in July.

Yesterday, ICON released details of the first flight of its LSA amphibian ahead of Airventure at Oshkosh.

The aircraft, ESN-1, was built over a five-month period from January to June 2014, and flew on 7 July 2014 in Tehachapi, California. ESN-1 is one of three that will be used to verify performance and complete FAA approval prior to the start of customer deliveries in May of 2015.

“This is one of the most significant milestones to date for ICON. It represents the culmination of years of research, design, engineering, and manufacturing dedication by an outstanding team,” said ICON Aircraft Founder and CEO Kirk Hawkins. “The A5 is no longer a prototype or concept aircraft; it’s a sophisticated, production-ready, consumer-focused aircraft.

"The entire ICON team is pouring its heart and soul into bringing the A5 to our customers, and it shows in the truly exceptional execution of the product. I couldn’t be prouder.”

ICON plans to begin operating in its new 140,000-square-foot facility in Vacaville, California, in early 2015. Once at full production rates, the factory will be capable of producing more than 500 aircraft per year.

The A5 will be powered by a 100-HP Rotax, giving an estimated top speed of 105 knots and range of 300 nm.

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