Sport Pilot Talk

This should start a lively debate!

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=m ... be3c73fbdd

If I were a position holder (I'm not, nor am I the target demographic), I think I would balk at that purchase agreement.

I started a thread on the topic over on COPA, where there are at least a few attorneys. I'll keep you apprised of their general take if they choose to post.

The lack of real deliveries in spite of their announcements and PR Is also disconcerting after all this time.

I wish them the best, but none of this bodes well for them.

Ugh...just awful. Control freaks.

Just two words.
No way.

I want my deposit back!
Oh, wait... I never put down a deposit. Because of s#!t like this!

I can't wait to pay $250k for an airplane with a data/video recorder that spies on me for the manufacturer, and has a 20 year life limit on the airframe. One I can't even sell without both paying a $2k fee to Icon, AND finding somebody as dumb as me to agree to the same rules. But at least I can't take the airplane E-LSA to get around any of this, either.

SIGN ME UP!

Ah, but at least your money will go to good capitalist Silicon Valley tycoons, and not those slimy Eastern European furriners!

According to W. C. Fields, there is a sucker (customer) born every day.. Sure they will find some to purchase there wares... Just not in the intelligent world. Did they move their headquarters to Moscow? Price in Rubles? Contract, blood sample, DNA test? And a limited airframe life to boot? What a deal..... Don

P.T. Barnum?

Unfortunately, the ICON deal is over control of the customer’s use of an expensive investment. My Moscow comments were based on the Russian governments over control of the leased AN-124 Condors. In my past career, I dealt with many foreign countries who leased Condors to move freight (military) to the US Bases. The Russian lease restrictions required and stipulated that “All maintenance work must be performed at their Ukraine maintenance facility”. Any mechanical problem from a blown engine, hydraulic failure, electrical failure, avionics failure, or such required the leasee to ferry the Condor to the Ukraine. ICON’s over control will lose clients as there are other options for seaplanes without data recorders, etc.

I was just down at our local FBO, and looking through the new issue of CONTROLLER I noticed two ads for sale, ICON A5s. One wants $45,000, alleging delivery later this year, the other just says "call for price". I guess these were pre-sales, with delivery to occur sometime in the future, and these folks want someone to buy out their commitment. Gee - I wonder why?

Another link to the story here: http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... c_sect=tts

Data and video recorders with live feeds to Icon? Really?!

There's now an extensive news story, done by AOPA and reflecting the views of all sides about this (bizarre) purchase contract, which you can find here:
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... c_sect=tts

Did I hear someone report this company was founded by at least one principal owner who's a marketing whiz? You gotta give those folks credit, they've got the spin on this all worked out in much the way they've effectively managed the nature of the conversation about the Icon all along. In part, they represent the 17 page contract, with provisions never seen before, as protecting the owner by making him/her a safer pilot. (Watch out for some whiplash when reading some of their carefully crafted logic). The above article is thorough, I thought, and does take a bit of time to read...but for those who've been entertained by the Icon saga to date, it's a worthwhile read.

Eddie forgot the tagline: It isn't just that they remind some of us of P. T. Barnum, but that a sucker is born every minute.

Wow, that article makes it look even worse and paints CEO Hawkins as a total jackass. The following quote:

“I have no interest in running a business that’s barely trying to get by and pander to customers,” Hawkins said,

might as well read:

"I'm in this for the money and don't give a good goddamn what the customers think," Hawkins said.