An FAA audit has cleared the way for the Icon Aircraft to start production of the A5 amphibious LSA.
The FAA conducted a comprehensive compliance audit at Icon's Tehachapi, California, factory on 11 June, and later issued the A5's S-LSA airworthiness certificate.
Icon can now start work on it's production backlog of 1250 orders.
“The successful completion of the FAA’s audit of the A5 is one of the most critical milestones in our company’s history,” said Icon Aircraft CEO and Founder Kirk Hawkins. “This means that after years of intense development by the Icon team, our customers and the media will finally get a chance to experience the A5 firsthand and form their own opinion.
"We believe we created one of the safest, easiest to fly, most fun, and coolest light aircraft on the planet, and this is just the beginning for us. Icon’s mission is to help reinvent flying by making it more accessible to all those who dream of it. It’s a very personal, heartfelt mission for our team, so this is another proud moment along that journey.”
Production will move to a new factory in Vacaville, California.
Icon expects to deliver the first A5 to a customer at Oshkosh on 20 July this year.