The controversy of the week last week was surely the purchase agreement that light sport aircraft (LSA) manufacturer Icon Aircraft has developed for buyers of its A5 amphibious airplane. Some of the language in the agreement is unusual in the context of what buyers of light aircraft are used to seeing. Much of the agreement seems intent on protecting Icon from product liability litigation: the buyer has the option of paying $10,000 to eliminate a clause under which the buyer agrees not to sue Icon.
Other clauses, as well, are raising eyebrows.
Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.
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