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Hi all, I have SN0023 (Founder’s Edition 02/100). We have one of the older planes in customer hands, so we’ve been through the year 5 maintenance and the BRS parachute repack in the last few months. Thought I’d share the expenses.

We had Avian Aeronautics do our Year 5 maintenance. This involves major work on the Rotax, essentially replacement of all non-metal parts. And other larger items. They do good work and have been fair in the past. Year 5 Annual, done last fall, came to $16,553.

We just completed the BRS repack. Icon invoice for that was $7931 but we also had to pay to have them send a guy (by truck) from Vacaville to Seattle and stay a couple of days. Travel bill $3742. He was terrific to work with.

Total maintenance costs over the last 7 months for the big annual and the repack, $28,226 (yikes).

Sharing so that you aren’t surprised. Your mileage may vary of course and I’ll bet it will be more efficient if you can get your plane to Vacaville.

Still worth every penny.
—Mike

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Thanks for the PIREP Mike. Hopefully Icon has (or can get someone trained) in Florida too for the re-pack install. Cirrus has major challenges with the supply chain with their chute which has led to aircraft groundings, fingers crossed that Icon will be on top of it since demand is very predictable.

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Mike, did you perform the Exhaust System retrofit or are you still original? I am ASN00024 and My exhaust is giving up the farm. 360hrs.

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Hi Mike, Im 0040 and right behind you, I have mine schedules end of November,,,,,thanks for the heads up......David

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Mike - I have SN0043 and need to have the BRS repack cone by 10/31/23. I'm still looking for local shops and hope I don't need to get someone from Vacaville involved. It's a long way from CA to PA. Thanks for your post.

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Does anyone else have the same memory or experience, or is a BRS repack a seven or even 10 year item on a Cirrus, and I think every other airframe out there?

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I received an email from Mandy @ Icon a few days ago concerning this very topic. She states that they are currently looking for clarification from BRS as to whether our first repack is at 7.5 years after manufacture date - or at 8 years. She said they hope to have a definite answer in a week or two.

That being said, my A&P called BRS to see who can do the removal & repack. He was told that it MUST be completed at an Icon service center. So I think we are all SOL trying to get someone local to do this. I have also asked Mandy for clarification as to which Icon service centers can do it - is it ONLY Vacaville and Tampa - or is it any factory trained mechanic?

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I received an email from Mandy...that they are currently looking for clarification from BRS as to whether our first repack is at 7.5 years after manufacture date - or at 8 years.

That makes a lot more sense to me than 5 years as referenced in the initial post. Whew.

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Well I should have clarified in my post when I said "manufacture date". I was referring to parachute manufacture date. Most of the early production aircraft have chutes that had sat for months and months before installation. My particular chute was manufactured in June 2016 - but the aircraft was delivered NEW to me in May 2019. So almost three years off the life of the chute before needing repack right there.

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My particular chute was manufactured in June 2016 - but the aircraft was delivered NEW to me in May 2019. So almost three years off the life of the chute repack right there.

Wow, that sucks.

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My 5-year (SN046) was just estimated at $28,000+ WITHOUT the repack. This is crazy stuff. Buyer beware.

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That’s nuts. Would be ok if it was Monopoly money.

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In disbelief, I sent the estimate to ICON to review and (basically) got a "looks right" response. To be fair, there is minor corrosion remediation required (original owner flew in salt water), but the plane has only 240 hours on her, has always been hangared, and has been exceptionally taken care of...

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Would definitely make prospective Icon buyers think twice. I’m personally surprised on the amount of service bulletins that are coming in. I’ve only owned this second hand icon for two months. While it’s nice that Icon is on top of everything, to correct known issues. I think that serious consideration should be used on the pricing. Just because someone buys an Icon doesn’t mean that money isn’t an issue.

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Tommy - do you have an breakout estimate for the rotax rubber replacement in your overall estimate?

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Jim Andrews just finished mine - N504BA - 220 hours - and the cost was something short of $27K with over $6K going to Icon for the parachute. It did include engine hoses, nose gear limit switches, a new battery, new altimeter (installation only on the last) and repair of a minor hangar ding on the wing tip. Jim was VERY thorough and uncovered a few items missed on earlier annuals that needed minor attention. He claims the next 4-5 annuals will be significantly less expensive. That's if I don't age out of flying in the interim.

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I did a quick research of the cost of a new (delivered in a box) Rotax 912, $22,000. No idea what the expense to install it would be, just wondering if we view them as 5-year engines, then discard, are we better off? If about the same, which I suspect, I would rather have the 0 time engine than the 1/2 life engine. Food for thought.

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Since you’re quoting the price, the 912iS is $26,500.

I did a quick research of the cost of a new (delivered in a box) Rotax 912, $22,000. No idea what the expense to install it would be, just wondering if we view them as 5-year engines, then discard, are we better off? If about the same, which I suspect, I would rather have the 0 time engine than the 1/2 life engine. Food for thought.

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$8,264 Rotax Rubber Replacement
$2,625 Annual - Airframe
$7,331 Service Bulletins
and the rest is related to misc leaks, corrosion, broken retainers, new battery, etc.

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In addition to that considerable expense, How much time over the past two years Were you without use of the plane because it was in maintenance?

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I own another LSA similar to the icon with a 915 turbo Rotax. My time in maintenance for it is never more than a month including annual inspection. My average time in maintenance for the icon is five months out of each year (that's going back five years). The other plane by an esteemed Czechoslovakia manufacture rarely issues service bulletins and rarely needs to. With regard to the recent " mandatory" tube fold parachute service bulletin , Icon has not demonstrated that there is any incidents or compelling evidence that the expensive and time consuming procedure is needed. The contrast here suggests excessive unjustified risk Aversiveness to the expense and taking of the time of use of the airplane by the manufacturer. Icon also renders ownership of the icon less attractive and potentially confiscatiory by bouncing back and forth between how to conduct a particular fix usually coming down on the most expensive one taking their time doing that. It seems that they have little regard for the expenses they are piling on the owners as well as and more importantly for the pilot , the time of use they are taking away.

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Have you had Avian do SB-050223-A 'Install Wing Fold Tube Cover' ? how did it go? How long did it take? How much did it cost?

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My Year 5 costs were about 35-38K total due to the addition of the Muffler retrofit to all the items listed by others above. Now I have a 15K Annual coming year 6 if you include the Annual, 3rd Altimeter, Nosegear microswitches SB, Maingear Microswitches SB and that annoying SB for the 3% of Icon Owners that leave their plane wings folded in the rain. That SB means the WHOLE Parachute pack has to come out again after the initial repack and rocket replacement. More risk for something going wrong... This little airplane is not cheap to sustain. Ohhh and my main windscreen is delaminating... not sure how much that will be to fix...

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These costs are definitely discouraging for prospective buyers. Between that and the reported lengthy down time for repairs could make someone think twice.

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For anyone who has done the Rotax rubber replacement at year 5: Did your shop also replace the shock mounts for the engine. IMHO it is technically not a part of the Rotax engine but just wondering if it was found that there was enough deterioration that they needed replacement. On the Lockwood site it is priced at $1252.50 - and I can't tell if that is for the set of four shock mounts or for each mount individually!

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For me, YES the mounts were replaced and it made a big difference. Much smoother in the cabin. The engine will be 6" in the air so the swap is straightforward.

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Have you had Avian do SB-050223-A 'Install Wing Fold Tube Cover' ? how did it go? How long did it take? How much did it cost?

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that service bulletin is due to be done for me in May. I will let you know

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SN180 and had my first annual completed and bringing it to full SB compliance under warranty (thankfully).

Only 66 hours on the plane due to my majority of training in C172's in the last 6 months as I just completed my Instrument rating.

$5300 for the annual, included travel for A&P (Jimmy Andrews - great service), and all recent SB's (under warranty for me). Timeline (2 days).