Crazy Things you've seen while boating

Originally Posted by tommyg

Hard to tell, but looks like an Icon A5, same aircraft Roy Halladay, former Phillies pitcher died in...

agree. for some reason, those kill quite a few folks.

Originally Posted by denverd1

agree. for some reason, those kill quite a few folks.

Not to be an aviation snob but there are a lot of planes that resemble the Icon A5. From the ground you'd be hard-pressed to determine something is an A5 vs some other pusher-propeller seaplane. Planes with a fuselage/hull molded as one piece with stabilizer pontoons on the wingtips, aka pusher configuration - are designs that are are very common. You see this from the Lake Buccaneer to various European and Spanish designs. Icon A5 is simply using a tried & tested configuration and putting it in a non-military, fancy pants version for commercial/enthusiast use. Many of them even have ballistic parachute systems on top of everything.

They've gotten some bad press lately because people made bad decisions as pilots and it is very tragic. I read most if not all of the NTSB aircraft accident reports for light aircraft and the one thing that sticks out to me is that the Icon A5 is like a wealthy person saying "I like fast cars, I am going to buy a Huracan", receiving training sufficient to pass utility exams, and then promptly driving it off the freeway. They are very good and capable aircraft.

Originally Posted by juniorhawk

Not to be an aviation snob but there are a lot of planes that resemble the Icon A5. From the ground you'd be hard-pressed to determine something is an A5 vs some other pusher-propeller seaplane. Planes with a fuselage/hull molded as one piece with stabilizer pontoons on the wingtips, aka pusher configuration - are designs that are are very common. You see this from the Lake Buccaneer to various European and Spanish designs. Icon A5 is simply using a tried & tested configuration and putting it in a non-military, fancy pants version for commercial/enthusiast use. Many of them even have ballistic parachute systems on top of everything.

They've gotten some bad press lately because people made bad decisions as pilots and it is very tragic. I read most if not all of the NTSB aircraft accident reports for light aircraft and the one thing that sticks out to me is that the Icon A5 is like a wealthy person saying "I like fast cars, I am going to buy a Huracan", receiving training sufficient to pass utility exams, and then promptly driving it off the freeway. They are very good and capable aircraft.

yep, as soon as I posted this, I thought " i don't even know how many have crashed." so easy to read and subsequently spread bad information these days with all the media outlets.

after listening to a podcast with their one of their sales guys, only a couple have crashed with 1 fatality? (autopsy was interesting)

Originally Posted by denverd1

yep, as soon as I posted this, I thought " i don't even know how many have crashed." so easy to read and subsequently spread bad information these days with all the media outlets.

after listening to a podcast with their one of their sales guys, only a couple have crashed with 1 fatality? (autopsy was interesting)

Kudos to you to acknowledge this. Most people wouldn't so quickly admit to not knowing.

I feel like I know my aircraft and what I've read is that the Icon A5 is not some goofy death trap that is prone to accidents. On the contrary it's coming out as a highly reliable, powerful recreation light aircraft. Icon makes a point of putting safety first and reminding you that you need to watch your balance, watch your takeoff weight and more. But if you get in to trouble in flight, the ballistic parachute system is there to save your coconuts. They offer training and I believe even REQUIRE training to buy a new one. I am working on my Private Pilots License in real aircraft but have flown the Icon in simulated accidents too. I'm mostly a simulator person, not a true pilot yet.

Right after accidents, people release failure profiles that let you experience simulated accidents as they happened, and experience them in a simulator (like a double engine failure at 2800ft like Sully Sullenberger did). I've used these profiles and I've yet to crash in an A5. I've flown some of the 2-3 crashes and I still can't wrap my mind around them. Hindsight is 2020 but one pilot flew their ballistic-parachute-equipped A5 into trees near a lake in an easily survivable accident. Mr. Halladay (pro golfer) who crashed into the Gulf of Mexico sadly but clearly committed suicide. It's tragic and it is saddening but it's not the plane, it's the usage of it.

Originally Posted by juniorhawk

Kudos to you to acknowledge this. Most people wouldn't so quickly admit to not knowing.

I feel like I know my aircraft and what I've read is that the Icon A5 is not some goofy death trap that is prone to accidents. On the contrary it's coming out as a highly reliable, powerful recreation light aircraft. Icon makes a point of putting safety first and reminding you that you need to watch your balance, watch your takeoff weight and more. But if you get in to trouble in flight, the ballistic parachute system is there to save your coconuts. They offer training and I believe even REQUIRE training to buy a new one. I am working on my Private Pilots License in real aircraft but have flown the Icon in simulated accidents too. I'm mostly a simulator person, not a true pilot yet.

Right after accidents, people release failure profiles that let you experience simulated accidents as they happened, and experience them in a simulator (like a double engine failure at 2800ft like Sully Sullenberger did). I've used these profiles and I've yet to crash in an A5. I've flown some of the 2-3 crashes and I still can't wrap my mind around them. Hindsight is 2020 but one pilot flew their ballistic-parachute-equipped A5 into trees near a lake in an easily survivable accident. Mr. Halladay (pro golfer) who crashed into the Gulf of Mexico sadly but clearly committed suicide. It's tragic and it is saddening but it's not the plane, it's the usage of it.

which sim? I was using FSX a few years ago, but I think a newer version is out now. Would like to fly Sully's and others!

I've been bit the bug again after taking a few years off of training. should be going up tomorrow afternoon to see what I remember and where we need to pick back up. Lot's of good habits can be built in a sim, I plan get FSX reloaded on my laptop and start tinkering with it again.

Originally Posted by denverd1

which sim? I was using FSX a few years ago, but I think a newer version is out now. Would like to fly Sully's and others!

I've been bit the bug again after taking a few years off of training. should be going up tomorrow afternoon to see what I remember and where we need to pick back up. Lot's of good habits can be built in a sim, I plan get FSX reloaded on my laptop and start tinkering with it again.

The new Flight Simulator 2020 allows for recreations of events but I really rely on X-Plane. That's a frighteningly accurate simulator that lets you recreate disasters in a very specific way. You can simulate bad problems, such as dual engine failures due to bird strike at 2800 feet over NYC in an Airbus. That should sound familiar. You can really see how the crew approached the casualty and see what YOU would do. Better sim pilots have managed come back to La Guardia in that situation and land but I haven't. I always have done what Sullenberger did - splash it in the Hudson and pray that you get support from ferries and watercraft in the area without harming a single person on board.