The 'Tesla of planes' is here and can be flown by anyone
An amphibious plane, that requires very few hours of training to fly will soon be available for purchase.
Icon A5
Picking up on the trend for the ultimate in luxury and privacy, the minute Icon A5 is a light sport aircraft that has been described at the ‘Tesla of planes’. Designed by Los Angeles-based aviation firm Icon, it was tested in September on New York’s Hudson River and has since received over 1500 preorders. Although, with a fly distance of just 450 miles you may not want to give up your private jet just yet.
The plane, which looks like a cross between a sea-plane, jet-ski with a little bit of sports car thrown in, requires just 20 hours of training, meaning those without a full pilot’s license will soon be able to charter there own light aircraft.
Icon A5
Designed to inspire people to fly, Chief Designer Kirk Hawkins told Bloomberg that he looked to Tesla cars for inspiration, where travel and adventure go hand-in-hand. ‘This plane has elevated the flying experience first, so you have a very visceral connection with the flying environment. We want to make the barrier to entry lower for anyone whose dream is to fly.”
Icon A5
Starting at $189,000, with the full spec version costing $250,000, the plane has raised the bar for the luxury aeronautical industry. If you pass the training, you are in for aviation thrill of a lifetime: possessing foldable wings, the plane can be stored in a garage and unfolded in two minutes. Wherever you take the plane you can land, be it on water, dirt strip or a traditional runway. You can also transport it yourself on a trailer, take it on holiday or away for the weekend. Forget about the mysterious flying car, the flying jet-ski is here.
