ICON Shares Glimpse Into Manufacturing Plant

The friends at ICON Aircraft recently shared a short video on Youtube providing unique insights into what it looks like in one of the worlds most modern aircraft manufacturing plants. The multi-part series will feature and put a bright spotlight on the unique challenges in carbon fiber aircraft manufacturing. On a bit over 300.000 sq.ft of factory floor, the company converts construction plans into touchable A5’s, before shipping the plane to Vacaville for final assembly, engine installation and delivery preparation.

Carbon fiber proves its value as the material of choice to weight conscious aircraft companies around the world. Beating the strength of wood and aluminum at “Hello” comes with the added benefit of being feather-light, but also adds a level of complication to the mix that those who build tube and fabric or riveted air-frames don’t quite have.

In an exclusive interview with ICON’s Vice President of Manufacturing, Veronica Rubio said: “It took us over two years of development in Tijuana to get to where we are today. Implementing lean manufacturing principles throughout systems and processes across our sites has enabled us to build in house, from start to finish, all composite assemblies for the A5 supporting production rate and quality in our Vacaville facility”

The manufacturer recently completed the bonding of it’s 100th airplane in Tijuana and we learned that deliveries of “Founder Edition” A5’s are ongoing. The dealer network is being expanded. The aircraft which is spin resistant and departs traditional aircraft and cockpit design, has demonstrators present in various parts of the United States.