Mosaic is coming! Are you ready?
OK, Mosaic is still around 15 months away (based on FAA’s often-repeated statement). But good companies plan ahead for changes they can foresee. Icon is moving to increase capabilities on their A5 LSA seaplane… plus, the company is responding to customers who gave feedback to the California aircraft manufacturer.
As most readers now know, Mosaic LSA can be larger and therefore they can carry more. While these airplanes remain more than a year from first deliveries current LSA models are expanding their capacities in preparation.
Go Bigger!
Icon Aircraft released news about the 2024 A5. “After nearly two years of rigorous R&D, testing, and production preparation, Icon is excited to announce that it has increased the gross weight of the A5 by 60 pounds, resulting in a new useful load of 490 pounds (up from 430 pounds),” the company stated.
This change comes from a gross weight increase to 1,570 pounds.Upping the Ante Pre-Mosaic — Icon Bumps Useful Load of A5 LSA Seaplane
Mosaic is coming! Are you ready?
OK, Mosaic is still around 15 months away (based on FAA’s often-repeated statement). But good companies plan ahead for changes they can foresee. Icon is moving to increase capabilities on their A5 LSA seaplane… plus, the company is responding to customers who gave feedback to the California aircraft manufacturer.
As most readers now know, Mosaic LSA can be larger and therefore they can carry more. While these airplanes remain more than a year from first deliveries current LSA models are expanding their capacities in preparation.
Go Bigger!
Icon Aircraft released news about the 2024 A5. “After nearly two years of rigorous R&D, testing, and production preparation, Icon is excited to announce that it has increased the gross weight of the A5 by 60 pounds, resulting in a new useful load of 490 pounds (up from 430 pounds),” the company stated.
This change comes from a gross weight increase to 1,570 pounds. How can they do that before Mosaic arrives? Aren’t they limited to 1,430 pounds as permitted on LSA seaplanes or floatplanes? No, they’re not.
This article described Icon’s petition to FAA for additional weight as they assured safety qualities FAA sought. Yet Icon did not initially use all the gross weight given to them. After engineers proved the structure was able to carry more weight, they could simply make the change and amend their ASTM documentation for FAA, a task made easier as Icon has already been working closely with FAA on a Type Certified version of A5 in Primary Category (more below).
As A5’s Rotax 912iS burns less than five gallons of fuel per hour, the company said, “This equates to an additional two hours of endurance or the ability to carry more baggage or heavier passengers.”
Backwards compatibility — Of interest to present A5 owners, Icon added, “All 2024 A5s will include this weight increase, and the solution can also be retrofitted on previous models as part of an option package that includes a 4-blade lightweight propeller from eProps that delivers increased performance and additional weight savings.”
“In response to feedback from our owners and prospective customers, we elected to undertake further research and development to test the airframe and fully understand what we needed to do to increase the useful load,” said Jerry Meyer, Icon’s CEO. “The solution is a reinforcement of our commitment to innovation, and a 60-pound increase is significant, especially in the LSA category.”
4-Blade eProp
In conjunction with the gross weight increase, Icon said the 4-blade propeller that Icon announced in 2023 is now standard on all new A5 LSA. The company said “eProps‘ new propeller provides a 21 percent reduction in ground takeoff roll in standard conditions, increasing the versatility and safety of the aircraft.”
“The 4-blade propeller is a huge upgrade to my Icon A5,” said Santiago Masdeau, an A5 owner based in South Florida. “I’ve flown more than 100 hours with the original 3-blade and now I have around 20 hours on the new carbon fiber 4-blade. Immediately, I noticed less vibration and noise, better acceleration, and improved takeoff distances. I’ve also experienced an increase on my cruise speed at 5,000 rpm and lower fuel burn. The entire experience is better, and it looks amazing, too!”
A 2024 A5 Limited Edition starts at $409,000 with the Garmin G3X Touch available as an upgrade. Additional options include autopilot, a digital attitude indicator, a variety of signature paint schemes and colors, and Sirius XM Weather.
Icon’s announcement of these improvements to the 2024 Icon A5 LSA comes on the heels of the FAA granting a Type Certificate for the A5 in Primary category. The company believes that type certification will allow Icon to expand its market potential around the world, especially in countries that have not yet adopted ASTM standards. The type certified version of the 2024 Icon A5 starts at $434,000.
ARTICLE LINKS :
- Icon Aircraft, all contact info and content on this website
- Icon’s weight increase allowed by FAA, article on this website
- eProps, all contact info and content on this website
- Article about several LSA seaplanes, on this website
- Icon A5 Video Pilot Report, via this website
Mosaic is coming! Are you ready?
OK, Mosaic is still around 15 months away (based on FAA’s often-repeated statement). But good companies plan ahead for changes they can foresee. Icon is moving to increase capabilities on their A5 LSA seaplane… plus, the company is responding to customers who gave feedback to the California aircraft manufacturer.
As most readers now know, Mosaic LSA can be larger and therefore they can carry more. While these airplanes remain more than a year from first deliveries current LSA models are expanding their capacities in preparation.
Go Bigger!
Icon Aircraft released news about the 2024 A5. “After nearly two years of rigorous R&D, testing, and production preparation, Icon is excited to announce that it has increased the gross weight of the A5 by 60 pounds, resulting in a new useful load of 490 pounds (up from 430 pounds),” the company stated.
This change comes from a gross weight increase to 1,570 pounds.
Sun ‘n Fun e-blasted, “6 Things To Do When You Land at Sun ‘n Fun 2024!” The half-century-old event runs April 9 to 14, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida.
Fly ‘n Early Aircraft Camping packages allow you to fly in as early as Saturday 4/6/2024 and stay through Thursday 4/11/2024. Includes camping and admissions for one or two persons. Great for those who fly-in early and depart on Thursday!
Ready for some aviation alphabet soup? LSA and VREF get together. The first abbreviation you know well. The latter may look familiar but the appraisal service appears concentrated on higher-end aircraft, which makes sense as those aircraft comprise the bulk of the U.S. aircraft fleet.
“VREF listing ensures accurate market valuation of the MC-01, facilitating smoother financing and insurance processes for buyers,” Shalom continued. “In addition, such recognized listings allow value to be accurately forecasted, providing a reliable benchmark for resale value.”
Despite a highly workable gasoline engine that many will prefer, the temptation of electric is especially strong with Phoenix.
“The Phoenix motorglider is a taildragger with a twist. The tailwheel is controlled by the rudder pedals via cables to the rudder and steel rods connecting the rudder to the wheel. The tailwheel never “breaks free” or castors. Also, the main wheel disc brakes are controlled by a lever on the left control stick, which operates both main wheel brakes equally when used; no differential braking.
“The 15 meter (49 foot) wingtips give the Phoenix a 32:1 glide ratio, which means a lot of float or ground effect. Begin with the 11 meter (36 foot) wingtips that produce a 20:1 glide, which reduces ground effect and the amount of patience required by a learning pilot.
Once on the ground, they say to “keep about one pound of force on each rudder pedal to keep them aligned in the neutral position. Apply very light pressure to one side or the other for directional control. It only takes very small adjustments on the rudder pedals when the plane is rolling at 40 knots. Keep the spoilers full open until clear of the runway. When doing touch and goes, don’t be too quick to close the spoilers on the go or you may get airborne unexpectedly or lose control directionally as the tailwheel comes back off the ground. Slow way down to 20 knots or so before closing the spoilers and adding power for another take-off,” finished the experts.
That’s a safety margin every pilot can appreciate, even if you have to train a little bit to use it effectively.
Following the success of Highlander, “Troy went back to the drawing board,” Just said, “and in 2013, SuperSTOL was released.” The significantly changed model featured a completely new wing with automatic leading edge slats that deploy at the right speed without pilot input.
“Such freedom opens up endless possibilities for adventure and off-airport fun, or even your own backyard,” said Just Aircraft. That pretty much defines SuperSTOL.
On three separate visits to Rotax I was able to attend one of their Fly-in events plus a special visit just for aviation journalists.
Given its globe-spanning reach, the company’s World Tour 2024 will bring the company directly to customers and businessmen alike. Read below what each of the locations has to offer.
Then we have what I’ll call the Mosaic LSA crowd. These are pilots with larger budgets — perhaps they sold a Cirrus or Bonanza and have equity to put toward a new aircraft. These experienced pilots are accustomed to well-equipped aircraft with generous cruise speeds.
Show up at Spruce Creek (7FL6) on a nice flying day with a sharp new airplane and you are almost certain to draw a crowd. Sparker did. We almost had to shoo people away so we could get on with our demo flight.
Our demo flight took us from Spruce Creek (7FL6) to DeLand (KDED) and back with maneuvering in between. We operated at altitudes of 1,200 to 4,500 feet on a mild day in the low 70s with modest humidity. My focus was on aircraft maneuvering and flight controls because the deluxe instrumentation is already familiar to pilots and because I would use Trey’s experience at flying from South Carolina for cross country speeds and fuel burns; these provide real-world experience, not a test pilot’s controlled findings.
Any producer looking to sell an advanced aircraft such as Sparker better make it deluxe… and TL did. From its 50-inch-wide cockpit (a foot wider than a Cessna 172) to its Kevlar cockpit cage to its potent engine to its airframe parachute, Sparker lacks for little. Yet “little” isn’t what TL designers sought.
The seats themselves have tall back support and are electrically heated for colder climates or higher altitude operation. You can load up those seats with some larger pilots.
All instruments are within a comfortable reach and TL installed more screens than other LSA, a total of three 10-inch 
It’s built mostly of carbon fiber with Kevlar reinforcements around the occupants. The main spar is also carbon fiber. Capable of an 11 G ultimate load, Sparker felt absolutely solid and rigid in the air, even when banked aggressively back and forth (see video).
He also noted that TL anticipates installing mostly the newer 160 horsepower 
My usual Dutch roll coordination exercise went well quickly after only a few reversals to figure out the control applications. Sparker needs approximately equal amounts of stick and rudder. The controls are slightly heavy but the aircraft is very responsive. The dampened handling makes Sparker comfortable as you are less likely to overcontrol. As my experience grew Trey permitted me to bank steeply where I found Sparker eager to do my bidding. Even in very steep banks, Sparker maintained altitude easily.
Sparker is going to please the Mosaic crowd. At $327,000 this is no Part 103 ultralight or Sport Pilot kit aircraft. You’ll need a generous budget but you will get a lot for your money. So far as I could see, TL didn’t miss a trick with Sparker. Check it out in person at 
Your labor investment will be about 300 hours. Here’s how Tabor Coates broke down my inquiry about build time: “We (he and partner, Chance Parker) logged 330 hours over nine months but we took our time assembling our demo aircraft. Plus, we had other projects at the time so we worked on it when we could.”
Nynja designers moved the fuel from behind the seat in Swift to two wings tanks holding 31.5 gallons of fuel along with a header tank behind the seats. This change “allowed more baggage aft of the seat, taking better advantage of Nynja’s big useful load,” noted Tabor.
Possible trike pilots divide into two groups: hang glider pilots who love the idea of a self-launch capability, or… fixed wing pilots open-minded enough to give one of these a try. Most won’t take the opportunity but for someone who enjoys motorcycling or water thrill craft, trikes might work for you.
In England very light-weight aircraft are called “Sub-70 (kilograms)” and “SSDR.” I’ve often 
“The 9 (Nine) is coming to Sun ‘n Fun 2024,” exclaimed Tabor, speaking about the newest trike from FlyLight (see below).
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A pivotal moment occurred a couple of years ago when I engaged in a conversation with a paramotor instructor friend about training. I noticed that some paramotors were now equipped with wheels and used for tandem instruction. Upon inquiry, my friend revealed that they had obtained an FAA exemption by removing the term “foot-launched” from their regulations, allowing the use of wheels. To my surprise, the exemption specified that it was granted for training in a two-place powered paraglider or powered hang glider. However, the training vehicle could have two seats but must adhere to the definition of a Part 103 ultralight in all other aspects.
A few sources confirmed $1,000 is a common fee. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying a check ride isn’t worth that much; it’s merely a bigger number than expected, although my young pilot friend still has to come up with that amount of dough. Whew!
To finish an airplane in Spain for this year’s show in Lakeland, the team must make sure everything is right, prepare TrueLite for shipment, cross the ocean, pass Customs, get it delivered locally, and finally get it checked out and ready for close examination at Sun ‘n Fun. All that needs to happen in 10 weeks. I’m telling you after many years of reporting such developments — that will be a challenge.
On a recent trip to Spain, Chip expressed, “I checked out Francesco’s new long wing with slotted flaps installed on the TrueLite in Spain.” He also noted the improved wing tip, saying, “Francesco is waiting on good flying weather for the test flights.” After this last modification is proved, the plan is for that aircraft to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to Sun ‘n Fun.
“The engine is working great! …and I was able to reduce fuel consumption to 5 liters hour (about 1.25 gallons per hour) at a lower cruise speed but I can maintain the same 95-100 kilometers per hour (59-63 miles per hour) at same rpm as before with the shorter wing!
Check these one-of-a-kind offerings:
Like everything on this website, all these features are free for the using (although email is requested to use PlaneFinder 2.0). I hope you’ll go explore this website thoroughly. The good folks at Flying Media that acquired this content in March 2023 have promised to keep thousands of articles and tens of thousands of photos available.
Mosaic as a completed regulation is still 16 months away, according to FAA’s oft-repeated statements about how long they need after comments have closed. The agency has a lot of work remaining on this proposed regulation.
Beside FAA, 
GoGetAir’s G750 evolved from an aircraft I had seen earlier in Europe called One (image). A stylish design One used a sports car approach, two rear seats of limited carrying capacity. One Aircraft was designed by Iztok Šalamon after he began that company in 2014. One Aircraft shut down operations in 2019 when GoGetAir was established.
“We took the things that we love and we have built on them,” noted the couple. “The result is the innovative GoGetAir line of aircraft. In order to achieve the best possible comfort for the pilot during G750’s nine-hour endurance, the aircraft is equipped with adjustable rudder pedals as well as with adjustable seats and three different foam density of seat cushioning for maximum comfort.”
Europe-based light aviation journalist 
Now, GoGetAir offers the turbocharged, intercooled 
With Rotax 915, G750 takes off in less tha 400 feet of ground roll and can climb 1,500 feet per minute. Max cruising at altitude, G750/915 will burn 6-7 gallons per hour. Under ideal conditions, full tanks of 35 gallons offers range of nearly 1,000 nautical miles.
The timing of Scissortail and GoGetAir is excellent, with only 16 months or so before Mosaic is released. In the meantime, FAA has registration categories such Experimental Exhibition that allow import of a small number of fully-assembled aircraft to test the market.
G750 is a costlier choice as will be many mLSA. At $270,000 to $340,000, depending on optional equipment and finishes, G750 is helping to define a price point for Mosaic LSA. Extra seats and extra capabilities cost real money.
Another reason for strong interest in this simple flying machine was its four-stroke engine, modified from a Generac engine. At the time, 2010 or so, four stroke on genuine Part 103 ultralights was extremely rare.
I refer to “the Flying Farmer,” Gene Smith. Every year it seemed he would bring a new variation of something he casually called his backyard flyer. One year, after being challenged by weather the prior year, Gene decided not to fly to Oshkosh. With help from his son Larry, Gene created the current last iteration of the Back Yard Flyer seen in nearby images.
I never weighed the finished and I’ll be it was close to the line but Gene and Larry said it weighed “251 pounds even with tricycle gear.” One reason why it looks heavier than allowed is the larger-diameter welded tubing that comprises most of Back Yard Flyer. Most observers are fooled because you expect welded to be steel (generally thinner diameter tubes). Welded aluminum is relatively unusual but the Smiths report it made a robust airframe able to handle the bigger engine.
Gene proved the naysayers wrong back in the early 2010s — yes, pilots complained about the cost of airplanes then, too. His Backyard Flyer could qualify for Part 103 and could be purchased for less than $20,000. In early 2024, an equivalent amount of dollars would price Back Yard Flyer at $28,000. and for that, most would consider it a bargain.
“After Grandpa (Gene) passed away in 2016,” Alaina Lewis wrote, “we decided we couldn’t offer adequate customer support for the plane. We still have all the tooling and jigs and have no plans to sell the design. We will continue to offer customer support for anyone who has a Back Yard Flyer or any of our engines.”
While the powerplants are independent to prevent failure propagation, they are orchestrated to play as a team, forming a so-called distributed electric propulsion system that handles maneuvers around the different flight axes. Each motor and propeller is strategically canted just off the vertical — all tilt slightly away from center — to aid control effectiveness. Controlling power at each motor alters the flight motion.
Designed differently from other Part 103 ultralight eVTOLs, Hexa is tall. The cabin structure is affixed to the “overhead powerplant.” Landing gear are fastened below and perform double duty as floats. To assure stability for a vertical take off and landing aircraft, six gear legs ending in floats are spaced around the perimeter. A seventh float is under the cabin. These allow landing on water and are energy absorbing on terra firma.
“Coasting” in flight
After my encounter with Hexa, let me assure you, you really won’t want to stop flying this machine!
No wonder,” exclaimed some! More than a decade back, they approached a retail price of $400,000. After ten years of dollar inflation, that number would be way past $500,000 today.
“From the cockpit to the wingtips through the Seafoils, a number of technical innovations offer elegance, operating convenience, and exceptional aerodynamic performance,” claimed Lisa. They promoted a top speed of 156 miles per hour (135 knots), range of 1,250 miles, with fuel consumption of 4.2 gallons per hour. “Akoya takes off and lands in as little as 650 feet,” they said (full specs on image below).
Thanks to folding wings (photo & video), Akoya could be stored in a garage or, if you happen to run in more elite circles, perhaps aboard your yacht. With its then-stratospheric price tag of $395,000, Lisa had to appeal to very well-heeled customers, including yacht owners one supposes.
My longtime videographer and LSA seaplane expert, Dave Loveman described Akoya as “…an LSA featuring unique ‘Seafoils’ which it uses for taking off from water. Akoya is amphibious, with a retractable landing gear that can be equipped to take off or land from land, water, or snow.”
Longtime aviation journalist James Lawrence wrote, “Some bright minds at Lisa Airplanes, a French company, had a great idea to take the hydrofoil concept and apply it to an LSA seaplane. I’d often wondered why hydrofoils haven’t been done before; it’s such a great concept.”
“Seafoil is a trademarked name, which adds a little more marketing sizzle to this steak. They’re connected to a retractable gear that can be rigged with wheels or skis, and also to motor-driven, pivoting wings.”
Jim concluded his remarks, “This is a ‘luxury amphibian’ with sexy hydrofoil wings on its futuristic hull. It’s priced sky-high at $395,000. Like the equally costly Icon A5, Akoya is sleek, stylish, and downright gorgeous.”
The big Chinese money disappeared from aviation some years ago. As Lisa and their Akoya never made another appearance, this appears to be another design lost to history though long experience in this industry has taught me never to assume a good design is forever gone. Worthy designs have often re-emerged.
Thanks for your interest in Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and, coming some time in 2025, aircraft that will comply with the new MOSAIC rules (as well as the expansion of Sport Pilot privileges.) A lot is happening here in 2024 and we intend to keep up with events!
Right before Christmas, read about the maiden flight of Junkers side-by-side A60, a year-end recap provided by Icon Aircraft, and year highlights from leading engine producer Rotax Aircraft Engines. Let’s get started…
“The style and fun factor of the A60 is enhanced by the new retractable undercarriage, the nose wheel and the fact that the pilot and passenger sit next to each other,” continued Junkers. “With two different versions, a closed cabin and an open cockpit, the A60 offers a versatility that will delight pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. Side by side it´s a celebration of freedom and a shared passion for flying.”
“In 2023 we’ve continued to invest resources into expanding the Icon Flight Training Network. The two most recent additions are Channel Islands Aviation in Camarillo, California, and Iconic Adventures in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. There are now more than 65 Icon Authorized Flight Instructors (IAFI) in the U.S., and we continue to expand both here and overseas. Over 16 Icon Authorized Flight Instructors were trained in 2023 alone.”
The company continues to make progress after the global upset that came with Covid-induced shipping delays (and sky rocketing costs). “We are still quoting 8-10 months for deliveries,” said Marc, though that figure is lower than most airframe producers are quoting in late 2023, so Rotax in Austria is catching up with orders.
LE for Lowered Engine
While a nearby image shows how smoothly an electric motor fit on the older Swan, now all that hardware can be tucked inside the nose for reduced drag. AVI already has good experience with the electric for those interested in that option.
Not a Kit
Normally at Mt. Vernon, “It’s all about the airplanes!” It will again be so come September 5-7, 2024 — more on that below.
Same Great Benefits
For 2024, the Mt. Vernon Expo will operate its 16th year. That exceeds the run the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo had — 15 years from 2004-2019 — making Midwest LSA Expo the longest-running Light-Sport event in the world.
Midwest LSA Expo was the one-and-only event to happen in 2020. The good crowds that attended were very grateful Chris and group made the effort during that otherwise rather terrifying year.
We feel the Midwest LSA Expo is the most convenient and affordable of its type in the country. The host City and Airport are located at the crossroads of two major interstates and are 1 hour, 15 minutes by ground from Lambert St. Louis International Airport. Over 1,200 hotel rooms and 60 restaurants are within three miles of the event site. Over 50% of the entire U.S. population is within an eight-hour drive from Mt. Vernon!
Midwest LSA Expo. Inc. specifically created the event to educate aviators about all facets related to the LSA industry including the many different aircraft types, available engines, and LSA performance; promote the sale of LSA’s, the use of LSA aircraft for flight training and in rental fleets; and promote economic development in the southern Illinois region.
See coverage of John Dickenson‘s achievement in 
Fellow Australians (and showmen) Bill Bennett and Bill Moyes grabbed Dickenson’s triangular bar with the pilot suspended behind it and took it much further but their success selling tens of thousands of hang gliders rode fully on Dickenson’s innovation.
But isn’t flying for hire prohibited in Part 103? Yes, it is.
After six years of development, testing, and now entering production, Lift announced, “Hexa is now available for sale to public agencies.” The company said that five production Hexa aircraft are allocated to new public agency partners who opt in soon after the announcement.
Aero Asia show producers are the same team who puts on a favorite European show, 
Image from Chi-Tai “Tai” Hsieh of LSA producer 
Aero Asia plans a successive trade fair for November 2025, skipping a year as is common for such events outside the United States.