Hard to believe, isn’t it? Summer is over, we’re into fall and looking at winter. Surprisingly, that means that in a couple months the sale of boats and other watercraft begins to ramp up. Marine shows are commonly scheduled for the dead of winter. If that seems odd, think of it this way: When it’s cold and ugly outside, why not think about boats and bikinis? Being pilots, of course, we think about seaplanes. This article focuses on two bits of good news for relative newcomers to this aviation sector, shifts to challenges facing two longtime suppliers of LSA seaplanes, and ends on a positive note. Let’s get into it… What’s Hot? Icon Aircraft — “We have some exciting news in the Icon world today,” started a news release from the A5 LSA seaplane producer. “Our 200th production just rolled off the assembly line!” The Vacaville, California company reported starting deliveries to customers in early 2018.
Ups and Downs of LSA Seaplanes — Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Fall 2023
LSA seaplanes are the focus of this article but one article can't begin to cover them all. Atol Avion seen here is back with renewed investment. Read more here.
What's Hot?
Icon Aircraft — "We have some exciting news in the Icon world today," started a news release from the A5 LSA seaplane producer. "Our 200th production just rolled off the assembly line!" The Vacaville, California company reported starting deliveries to customers in early 2018.Icon's Tijuana team assembled for a photo with A5 #200. Primary fabrication is done in Mexico while final fitting happens in Vacaville, California.
What's Not?
The industry's longest-continuously-active supplier, and the builder of another well-known LSA seaplane are experiencing difficulties in 2023. Although some clues existed last year, Progressive Aerodyne appeared at shows with their pioneering Searey as did the Seamax produced by a company once known as Airmax in Brazil. This year, activities slowed to a crawl, as reported by persons close to each design.Seamax Update — Reliable news regarding Seamax is even more sparse, but word at the airport is discouraging. Previously operated by the ever-smiling Miguel Rosario, the maker of the Seamax M-22 found buyers all over the world and got a great start in the USA. However, in recent years, the Brazilian company found itself in difficulty. Other managers have been in charge for some time according to reports trickling out of Brazil but the battle evidently is not proceeding smoothly.
Aventura Still Going Strong
Seeking to end this article on a positive note, another longtime producer, Aero Adventure, is going strong with their Aventura LSA seaplane. What's particularly interesting is the dichotomy of the situation. On one end is Icon's A5 approaching $400,000. New Zealand's Wave has not stated price recently. While it will likely come in under Icon, this is a highly-developed aircraft and it will not be a bargain.Even well used this Aventura II, nicknamed "Bumble Bee," flew beautifully on a recent aerial photography mission where this aircraft carried the camera guy, me.
ARTICLE LINKS:
- Icon Aircraft, all contact info and articles or video on this website
- Vickers Aircraft, all contact info and articles or video on this website
- Aero Adventure, full page of content with contact information