ICON A5 successfully completes FAA audit

On June 11, 2015, FAA officials completed a comprehensive compliance audit at ICON Aircraft’s Tehachapi, California, facility. This allowed them to issue the first S-LSA airworthiness certificate for ICON’s A5 Light Sport amphibian. The FAA audit team reviewed ICON’s production, quality, and compliance procedures and manuals. The audit team included Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) from the Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City, and Los Angeles offices, who assessed the manufacturing facility and performed the airworthiness review of the first customer A5.

With this major milestone complete, ICON will now begin customer deliveries for its eagerly anticipated aircraft, which has a backlog of more than 1250 orders. ICON will deliver its first customer aircraft on 20 July 2015 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin. Several A5 aircraft will be present at the event in late July, with both owner demonstration flights and static displays. The company will transition serial production to its new 140,000-square-foot facility in Vacaville, California, in September.

First ICON A5 for a customer completes inaugural flight

Just after 7:00 am on 24 April, 2015, ICON‘s first customer aircraft completed its inaugural flight at their R&D facility in Tehachapi, California. Following a successful high-speed taxi test, A5 ASN-1 (Aircraft Serial Number 1) took to the air and performed its initial flight flawlessly.

Test pilot and Lead Aero Engineer Jon Karkow confirmed that all systems (including the engine, flight controls, and landing gear) operated as expected. The successful flight precedes our sequence of test flights.

SiriusXM and WSI Introduce In-flight Weather Solution for Apple iPad® and iPad mini™

SiriusXM and WSI Corporation today introduced the all-new SiriusXM SXAR1 Portable Aviation Receiver and updated WSI aviation app to provide pilots with the most relevant pre-flight briefing and in-flight weather information in the industry.  SXAR1 connects with WSI Pilotbrief Optima, giving business and general aviation pilots in-flight access to SiriusXM Aviation via Apple iPad^® and iPad mini™.

WSI Pilotbrief Optima for General Aviation and Enterprise are the first SXAR1-compatible apps; both available now as free downloads from the iTunes App Store. Subscription to SiriusXM Aviation Weather is sold separately.

“SXAR1 is the first portable aviation receiver that delivers SiriusXM Aviation to the Apple iPad or iPad mini,” said Craig Correa, Vice President Marine and Aviation Services, SiriusXM.  “SiriusXM is excited to go to market with WSI to deliver high-definition weather information that pilots can use in the cockpit as well as the ability to listen to the outstanding variety of audio entertainment available to SiriusXM listeners.  All of this is easily controlled by the touch-screen interface of the iPad.”

“Pilot demand for reliable situational awareness dramatically increased when satellite-delivered weather was first introduced into the cockpit,” said Mark D. Miller, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Aviation at WSI.  “During disruptive weather, a richer set of weather data enables preemptive planning to avoid aviation hazardous phenomena. The SXAR1 and Pilotbrief Optima give pilots some of the most informed and enjoyable flying experiences in general aviation today.”

SXAR1 features Bluetooth® technology that offers portability without wires or audio jacks and its compact-size allows for easy placement on the aircraft glareshield or other convenient location. In addition, a rechargeable battery enables multiple legs of flying when fully charged.

SiriusXM SXAR1 Portable Aviation Receiver with WSI Pilotbrief Optima provide situational awareness of weather and related conditions across the U.S. and more than one hundred miles into U.S. coastal waters, as well as delivering the following features and services:

• CONUS Composite and North American Base Reflective Radar, providing a more complete picture of current conditions
• Internal SiriusXM and GPS/WAAS antennas
• Lightning– SiriusXM is the only broadcast weather service providing pilots lightning data on all service tiers
• Graphical winds aloft
• SIGMETs including convection, icing, turbulence, and volcanic ash
• Flight route following
• Airport charts
• WSI Graphical Turbulence
• METARs and TAFs for the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean

Pilots can also use their iPad to control SiriusXM’s audio entertainment while in flight, providing access to commercial-free music; plus premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and Latin music, sports and talk programming, which can be streamed through a Bluetooth^®-enabled aircraft headset or cabin audio system.

The SXAR1 Portable Aviation Receiver is now available at Sporty’s Pilot Shop as well as at www.siriusxm.com/shopaviation at an MSRP of $699.00; subscription sold separately.  For a limited time, SiriusXM is also offering subscribers activating a SiriusXM Aviation receiver with an eligible data package a $300.00 SiriusXM Rewards Visa® Prepaid Card.  For more information on SiriusXM Aviation, service tiers available to pilots, and complete Rebate Offer Details, please visit www.siriusxm.com/sxmaviation.

SXAR1 is designed for compatibility with any second generation or later iPad or iPad mini.

SiriusXM Services, which may include traffic, weather and other content and emergency alert information and data, is not for “safety for life,” but is merely supplemental and advisory in nature, and therefore should not be relied upon as safety critical in connection with any aircraft, sea craft, automobile, or any other usage.

WSI Corporation is the world’s leading provider of weather-driven business solutions for professionals in the aviation, energy, insurance and media markets, as well as multiple federal and state government agencies. WSI is a member of The Weather Company and is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts with offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Birmingham, England. The Weather Company is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the world’s largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has 26.7 million subscribers.  SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S. and from retailers nationwide as well as atshop.siriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other connected devices as well as online atsiriusxm.com. SiriusXM also provides premium traffic, weather, data and information services for subscribers in cars, trucks, RVs, boats and aircraft through SiriusXM Traffic™, SiriusXM Travel Link, NavTraffic®, NavWeather™, SiriusXM Aviation, SiriusXM Marine™, Sirius Marine Weather, XMWX Aviation™, and XMWX Marine™.  SiriusXM holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers. SiriusXM is also a leading provider of connected vehicles services to major automotive manufacturers, giving customers access to a suite of safety, security, and convenience services including automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.

Cirrus Aircraft’s Vision SF50 personal et takes flight in certification program

Cirrus Aircraft announced last week the successful first flight of their second certification flight test aircraft, ‘C-One’ (C1), in their Vision SF50 personal jet program. This achievement marks the most recent significant milestone for the program as C1 joins C0 in FAA certification activities and continues to accelerate the Vision SF50 towards entry into service.

C1’s first flight took place on Tuesday afternoon, November 25, 2014 at approximately 3:30 P.M. CST from Duluth International Airport. Upon completion of the forty-five minute flight, Experimental Flight Test Pilot Terry LeSage reported, “All systems operated as expected and C1 handled quite nicely, just as we predicted. This latest ‘first flight’ is a validation of our dedication and commitment to the design goals of this game changing airplane.”

“Thanksgiving is a very appropriate week for the first flight of C1 to occur,” said Dale Klapmeier, CEO and Co-founder, Cirrus Aircraft. “We can all be thankful for the continued hard work and dedication of the entire Cirrus team and our partners as we continue to change the face of personal aviation. Together we have achieved another major milestone and we can look forward with excitement to our goal of elevating the personal flying experience with this clean-sheet design.”

Cirrus Aircraft currently plans to have three aircraft dedicated to certification flight-testing in the Vision SF50 personal jet program. C1 is the second aircraft to join the program and will be used for an array of certification efforts including Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) testing. C0, the first certification flight test aircraft, joined the program on 24 March 2014 and has accumulated nearly 220 flight hours over 150 flights. This aircraft has primarily been used for aerodynamic performance and handling testing and will continue to expand its flight test regime as the program progresses. The third and final flight test aircraft, ‘C-Two’ (C2), will be utilized for reliability testing, optional equipment testing and is expected to join the program in the near future.

The Vision SF50 is a revolutionary personal jet designed to fill the significant gap between high performance piston singles and light jets. Simple to fly and easy to own and operate, the Vision is designed to be a straightforward transition for pilots of high-performance aircraft, such as the Cirrus SR22T. It features a high-end cruise speed of 300 KTAS, advanced avionics, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™) and an all-carbon fiber structure. With a current list price of $1.96 million and seating up to five adults and two smaller passengers in an expansive cabin, Vision Jet sets a new standard in luxury and flexibility for pilots and passengers. First customer deliveries of the aircraft are currently planned for the fourth quarter of 2015.

Cirrus Aircraft is a recognized leader in general aviation. Its all-composite line of personal aircraft – the SR20, SR22 and the turbocharged SR22T – incorporate innovative and advanced performance, electronic and safety technologies, including Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin® avionics and the unique Cirrus Airframe Parachute System™ (CAPS). To date, total time on the worldwide Cirrus Aircraft SR-series fleet surpassed six million flight hours with 99 lives saved as a direct result of CAPS being a standard safety feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The Cirrus Vision SF50 jet, with over 550 production positions reserved, will provide a new personal and regional business transportation solution: the personal jet. All Cirrus aircraft are made in the U.S. with a direct sales force in North America and authorized sales centers covering export markets in 60 countries around the world. Cirrus Aircraft is wholly owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. (CAIGA).

Cirrus Aircraft's Vision SF50 personal et takes flight in certification program

Cirrus Aircraft announced last week the successful first flight of their second certification flight test aircraft, ‘C-One’ (C1), in their Vision SF50 personal jet program. This achievement marks the most recent significant milestone for the program as C1 joins C0 in FAA certification activities and continues to accelerate the Vision SF50 towards entry into service.

C1’s first flight took place on Tuesday afternoon, November 25, 2014 at approximately 3:30 P.M. CST from Duluth International Airport. Upon completion of the forty-five minute flight, Experimental Flight Test Pilot Terry LeSage reported, “All systems operated as expected and C1 handled quite nicely, just as we predicted. This latest ‘first flight’ is a validation of our dedication and commitment to the design goals of this game changing airplane.”

“Thanksgiving is a very appropriate week for the first flight of C1 to occur,” said Dale Klapmeier, CEO and Co-founder, Cirrus Aircraft. “We can all be thankful for the continued hard work and dedication of the entire Cirrus team and our partners as we continue to change the face of personal aviation. Together we have achieved another major milestone and we can look forward with excitement to our goal of elevating the personal flying experience with this clean-sheet design.”

Cirrus Aircraft currently plans to have three aircraft dedicated to certification flight-testing in the Vision SF50 personal jet program. C1 is the second aircraft to join the program and will be used for an array of certification efforts including Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) testing. C0, the first certification flight test aircraft, joined the program on 24 March 2014 and has accumulated nearly 220 flight hours over 150 flights. This aircraft has primarily been used for aerodynamic performance and handling testing and will continue to expand its flight test regime as the program progresses. The third and final flight test aircraft, ‘C-Two’ (C2), will be utilized for reliability testing, optional equipment testing and is expected to join the program in the near future.

The Vision SF50 is a revolutionary personal jet designed to fill the significant gap between high performance piston singles and light jets. Simple to fly and easy to own and operate, the Vision is designed to be a straightforward transition for pilots of high-performance aircraft, such as the Cirrus SR22T. It features a high-end cruise speed of 300 KTAS, advanced avionics, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™) and an all-carbon fiber structure. With a current list price of $1.96 million and seating up to five adults and two smaller passengers in an expansive cabin, Vision Jet sets a new standard in luxury and flexibility for pilots and passengers. First customer deliveries of the aircraft are currently planned for the fourth quarter of 2015.

Cirrus Aircraft is a recognized leader in general aviation. Its all-composite line of personal aircraft – the SR20, SR22 and the turbocharged SR22T – incorporate innovative and advanced performance, electronic and safety technologies, including Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin® avionics and the unique Cirrus Airframe Parachute System™ (CAPS). To date, total time on the worldwide Cirrus Aircraft SR-series fleet surpassed six million flight hours with 99 lives saved as a direct result of CAPS being a standard safety feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The Cirrus Vision SF50 jet, with over 550 production positions reserved, will provide a new personal and regional business transportation solution: the personal jet. All Cirrus aircraft are made in the U.S. with a direct sales force in North America and authorized sales centers covering export markets in 60 countries around the world. Cirrus Aircraft is wholly owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. (CAIGA).