Stephen Posted March 16, 2019 Report Share Posted March 16, 2019 Aircraft Released : ICON A5 by VSkyLabs - Test Pilot VskyLabs have released their next project for their "Test pilot" series in the ICON-A5, which is a LightSport amphibious aircraft. The A5 seats two people in an enclosed 46-inch-wide (116.8 cm) cockpit and is powered by a single 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912iS engine driving a three-bladed pusher propeller. Dornier-style sponsons provide hydrodynamic stability, housing the retracted main landing gear, and also act as a step for crew and passenger. The wings can also be folded aft for ground transport and storage. To date (January 2019) 90 A5's have been produced with orders set currently at 1,850 aircraft. The Vskylab philosophy is that you purchase an ongoing project, so any aircraft you purchase is not fully completed and 100%, that is the deal you sign up for to get access to the aircraft, but this Icon-A5 is certainly a far more a completed aircraft than most of the releases than from VskyLabs in the past. Detail is finished certainly to a far higher grade than in the past, with some nice noted features.... Highly detailed, fully animated aircraft exterior and interior 3D model. Fully functional, authentic A5 Angle of Attack display system. Unique and authentic iconography, embedded into the display systems in the cockpit. CAP system (Ballistic Parachute system) modeled along with automatic gear retraction upon activation. Bilge water build-up and purge system are modeled. Removable cockpit windows. The A5's unique custom designed, authentic Landing and Taxi lights. Custom built PFD Companion and a fully functional Autopilot system included. High quality, animated pilot figure for highly immersive experience in 2D/VR modes. Built-in Avitab Plugin compatibility (AviTab plugin is not included). FMOD Sounds. The project is under constant maintenance and development, updates are free. VR (Virtual Reality) compatibility is very good and a focus on the design here... The A5 is surprisingly easy to fly, even to land on water. I found myself very at ease from the start and in control of the aircraft, as the A5 has a very nice flow to it. Water takeoffs and landings are quite easy as well, without resorting to tricks to get airbourne, but wave height is obviously important with such a small craft, 004 metre wave height is about the limit, 1m will crash you around. Particle effects are well done, as the heat outlet from the Rotax is part of the propeller housing you get a nicely blurred propeller feel as part of the effect. Only issue was the very dark instruments on the centre upper console and radio frequencies, full lighting adjustment in place they are all still extremely hard to read or use? But VskyLabs usually fix issues like this quickly. Requirements are: X-Plane 11.30+ Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Recommended - 8Gb+ VRAM for VR And the Download Size is 195Mb The VskyLabs Icon-A5 is now avaliable from the X-Plane.OrgStore, details are set out below... The ICON A5 by VSkyLabs - Test Pilot is now available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here : VSKYLABS Test-Pilot: ICON-A5 Price is US$32.95 ______________________________________________________________________ vSkyLabs Aerospace Simulations has a full extensive website on all projects for updates and information including aircraft manuals available here: www vSkyLabs.com All VskyLabs projects are also available for purchase from the X-Plane.OrgStore here: VSKYLABS _____________________________________________________________________________________ Release notes by Stephen Dutton 16th March 2019 Copyright©2019: X-PlaneReviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olderndirt Posted March 16, 2019 Report Share Posted March 16, 2019 Why do I look at that and think "now that's a tidied up Seabee". Same thing but a lot smoother and the Seabee didn't have a blonde wearing a David Clarke headset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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