Structures Description
100706-00
The
A5 structures are largely carbon fiber composite construction. Because the aircraft operates on water and is approved for salt water operations, the vast majority of the fasteners and hardware are stainless steel. Parts made of aluminum or other materials are corrosion-protected by anodizing, painting, or other means.
Wing
The wing is a cantilevered design with flaps and ailerons.
The manual wing fold system allows the wings to be rotated and folded back along the fuselage, reducing the
A5 width from approximately 35 feet to 8 feet for trailering and storage. The wing fold mechanism was designed to be simple, allowing one person to complete the task in just a few minutes with no tools required using the procedures described in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook
Warning:
The handles built into the wing tips are to be used for wing folding only. They must not be used for ground handling purposes or pushing/pulling the entire aircraft.
Horizontal Tail
The horizontal tail tips are removable for trailering or shipping purposes. The tips have two switches—one to detect the tip is fully installed and the second to detect the latch is secured. The removable tip latches are located on the underside of the horizontal tail and are placarded to show operation.
Seawings™ Platforms
The Seawings™ platforms tips are easily replaceable by the owner in case they are damaged during docking or other operations. When removed, they decrease the aircraft width for easier ground transport or shipping.
Landing Gear System
The composite landing gear legs are lightweight and corrosion proof. The stainless steel wheel bearings are corrosion-resistant and extend time between required maintenance when used in salt water.
The self-centering, full 360° castering nose wheel allows for ease of movement when moving the
A5 on the ground and aligns the nose wheel to the correct position for gear retraction. Steering is accomplished while taxiing via differential braking actuated by toe pressure on the rudder pedals. Seaweed fins ahead of the nose landing gear door are included to minimize seaweed fowling or entanglement.
The electrically actuated, retractable landing gear system takes approximately seven seconds to retract. The left wing includes gear position mirrors used for visual confirmation of the gear position after verifying the indicator lights on the center console of the cockpit.
In the event of IPS deployment, the gear automatically extends to absorb additional energy at touchdown.
Wheels and Brakes
Tires
Each landing gear assembly is equipped with one wheel and tire.
The main landing gear tires are size 5.00-5, 6-ply aircraft tires with a maximum load rating of 1,285 lbf.
The nose gear tire is size 10-3.50x4, 4-ply aircraft tire with a maximum load rating of 460 lbf.
Wheel Brakes
Each main wheel is equipped with a hydraulically actuated disk brake controlled by a hydraulic cylinder mounted to the hinged top portion of each rudder pedal. These “toe brakes” can be used collectively to slow the aircraft when on the ground, or individually to steer the aircraft.
Hydraulic Parking Brake
The braking system features a hydraulic parking brake accessible by a lever just above the floorboard on the left sidewall in front of the pilot’s seat.
To set, apply pressure to both brakes via the pedals and hold, then move the lever to the “ON” position. The pedal pressure can then be released and the parking brake will hold the set level of braking.
CAUTION:
The parking brake is intended only for short-term use (<10 minutes) while completing tasks such as folding/unfolding the wings. Never leave the aircraft unattended with just the parking brake set.
To release the parking brake, move the lever to the “OFF” position.
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