Icon Founder Perished In Wingsuit Accident

Steen Strand, CEO of Emteq Labs, was he first to note that Kirk Hawkins perished August 19 in a wingsuit accident:

Strand Posted, "I have devastating news to share. We lost Kirk, my close friend and partner at ICON Aircraft, to a wingsuit accident in Switzerland."

Hawkins was the leading force behind the failed effort to develop an affordable amphibian LSA that came to be known as the ICON A5... It was promised to be available for what was ultimately an unrealistic price, though ICON went to to book hundreds of orders with a production rate and schedule that was never reached. Many of the claimed orders never came to pass and after that point, the company suffered through multiple legal issues, bankruptcy, and is now owned by a Chinese entity with nebulous plans for future production. 

Hawkins' accident occured as he jumped out of a helicopter with three others near to the Swiss peak of the Eiger summit. Using the wingsuit as a primitive glider, and conducting what is known as 'Proximity Flying', Hawkins glided along the east ridge before he was unable to sustain sufficient lift to avoid trees just west of Schüssellouwinegraben, whereupon the collision resulted in fatal injuries. The accident is reportedly under investigation. 

FMI:  invest.emteqlabs.com/