Can’t decide whether you want to land your LSA on runways, lakes or snow-covered fields? LISA Airplanes arrived at Oshkosh with a flying prototype that can do all three. The Akoya’s fuselage/hull is unique in that in the place of a traditional stepped seaplane hull it has two water seafoils — stubby fins jutting down from the hull — that lift the aircraft out of the water. The company claims they also produce almost no drag in the air, which allows for impressive fuel efficiency. The Akoya’s other performance numbers best another well-known LSA amphibian.
Compared head-to-head with the Icon A5, the Akoya goes farther (540 nm versus 300 nm), on less fuel (18.4 gallons versus 20), carries over 100 pounds more payload, and has cabin that’s five inches wider. Unlike the A5, where buyer must choose between electrically folding wings and retractable landing gear (or a parachute and retractable landing gear), the Akoya can have all at once (including the skis for snow). There is a catch: The Akoya will cost more than twice as much at 300,000 (about $370,000).
