I have one, bought it used for 60 $. Flies very nicely once you get it off the water. You have to watch out on the landings. That huge body generates a lot of lift once you come close to the water due to the ground effect. It has the tendency to raise up and then stall. Another fun thing I did was adding led’s to the front, the lights have pre made holes, looks nice 👍🏻. To sum up, this plane is a 10/10.
I'm sorry for your difficulties. Thanks for sharing. I am an aging flyer that is unfortunately unable to keep my hobby going. And my vision is crappy so I'm limited to the occasion gym visit for some indoor flying with something small and gentle. I too was fascinated by the design of the Icon. In fact, I chased it through several releases. I still have the original park flyer release of it as a BNF still in the box and never assembled. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience.
Without wishing to gloat (but probably failing) I managed to get three of these after they were discontinued. One without gear fitted, one with gear fitted and one new in the box, with a spare wing/tail set and a couple of spare canopies including one set up for FPV. I love it, a really fun and relaxing plane to fly in between the faster stuff. But yes it does sound like you’re about to be attacked by a swarm of bees 🐝
I’ve always been interested/fascinated by this model and would love to fly one. Thanks for sharing! Your video is probably as close as I will ever get and your immersive way of sharing a plane is much appreciated.
I love small planes and to me personally, this is one of my favorite designs ever. Been looking for a used E-flite model for years now and finally found one for a reasonable price and probably in good condition. Gonna pick it up tomorrow.
I have the Parkzone Icon A5 not the Eflite Icon A5. At the time there was no plan for Horizon (that I knew of) to relaunch this plane under Elite. It had already been discontinued. I got the plane for $120, an Art tech Spitfire for $40 and a Durafly P-51 D (Old Crow now on its last 4 blade prop) for $75 all 3 at the same time. The guy was moving away because the real P-51D he tended to was being moved to a new home. I am still flying all 3 planes. I did buy an entire fuselage for the Icon in case I crashed it. I imagined it to be the most difficult part to make from pink foam from scratch. Now Both Parkzone and Eflite have discontinued the plane. I suspect it may have to do with the failure of the full size plane. I also have a much quieter Flyzone Seawind that I am still flying too. (another plane discontinued and relaunched under Tower Hobbies now) I like the Seawind better. It can do a front flip!. Lots of lights and retracts. If the shoreline is smooth enough you can roll straight into the water, raise the gear, and take off. Or do the reverse entirely, and take off from land, then set it down in the water. I have mostly older stuff and it's often times used. I am mostly older myself and almost used up, so it suits me just fine. It is too bad that we are probably the last people that will be able to enjoy things like this. I will be glad to go when the hobby finally goes. I pity the rest of you that will be stuck here after I am gone. We should all be ashamed for allowing this to happen in our country.
Great video! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I have previously owned this model I felt it was too unstable in the water or out. The tailwaggle the you mentioned was very prominent on my model. And I sold it when it was still available for purchase. But I love the looks of the model and the style. Maybe Horizon Hobby will bring it back new and improved as they've done so many other models in the past.
I will never have a airplane shipped to me thru marketplace. with patience I always find cool stuff in my area, picked a UMX gee bee and original UMX Pitts off a guy for $80 total the other day and the gee bee is new in the box!
My Icon crashed twice but is still flying. Got to keep that bird alive as long as possible cause she's so unique and beautiful! Congrats on being a A-5 owner :)
@GermshepelleUno definitely luck. I only heard of this plane about a year ago and it just about fell into my lap! I scour facebook marketplace couple times a month looking for out of production umx planes and just came across this one
Even buying at swap meets, it is easy to overlook various issues. Currently trying to figure out how to replace the motor and ESC on a powered sailplane I picked up. ESC should be easy enough but took some searching to find any data on the motor. Motor is an inrunner, I can probably use an outrunner. But the way he had it mounted to the firewall, I either need to find same bolt pattern or do some significant modification. And have to match shaft size for the folding prop spinner.
And that's one of many reasons why we don't really like buying used - it's also difficult to tell whether something has been abused by smashing it into the ground on landing.
I have 2 of them myself. Seriously Sir, used R/C planes have to be gone through ,nose to stern. One with wheels the other without. out of the 550 R/C's ,it is a true favorite. I Fly a Full Scale 40 Foot wingspan " Flying Boat ". LAKE -4 -200 , Amphibian. N32DQ. Beaufort SC. enjoy the plane. Have fun. Arrgh! Capt. Morgan , Retired.
I was searching for a Rare Bear by Eflite for some time. I made a listing on the forums that I was looking for one. I got a reply finally from a fellow with 2 of them. He says mint condition on both and ready to bind and fly. He sent pictures of both and they looked great. I said I would pay his price of $250 each if he covered shipping. He agreed. I sent the money via PP. He did as he said and shipped the next day and provided tracking. 5 days later they arrived. He swore they where packaged well. Oh boy they where not. Wings where together nothing separating them and fuselages where together flipped end to end. So the props dug into the elevator on one and rudder on the other. Wore spots through paint all over fuses and wings. Terrible packaging. Next we put them together. Clearly his pictures where taken before he had flown these. One had been broken in half about the area of the leading edge of the wing. Repaired not bad but still fuse had been severed clean in 2. Bottoms ground from landing on blacktop on both. Tail on the non broke one was smashed up a good inch like a can. Just pushed in. One wing had heat damage. Like a heat gun was taken to it and Gatored the crap out of a section. Missing one servo arm cover to. So lots of cosmetic issues, shipping damage, flight damage, and I would say fair condition is being nice. Let alone MINT! I was pissed and nothing is going to change what I got. So if I argue with seller what am I going to get? Nothing. Fortunately they both bound fine and everything worked great. So I did a good once over each. I repaired and touched up paint and got them looking ok. But this was the only time I have ever bought a used plane online. I will never do it again unless it's new in sealed box. What I call mint and others call mint are clearly 2 different ideas. I buy lots of used planes now only at swap meets. I can hold it and see what I am getting. And it amazes me how many guys will stand there while you are holding the plane and tell you it's perfect and NEVER been crashed! But you can see the gear been ripped off or the nose is ground or a wing has a crack in it. You name it wrong yet tell you right to your face it's never been crashed. If these guys are willing to say it with it In your hands and you can see the damage how can you expect to get a decent model shipped? Nothing but lies. So I will only buy what I can hold in my hands and decide if it's crashed or mint myself. Glad you got it flying. I still have both the Rare Bears and we fly them still often. So it worked out they are just not perfect.
I'm getting a couple plane's Monday from a Facebook market place ad. But I'm meeting with the guy to see them and pick up. I always keep these kind of deals face to face and local.
I exclusively buy used foamies at 25% retail or less for gently used examples. They pop up quite often! Keep your eyes out and be ready to fix stuff that's broken. With a lot of off-the-shelf foamies you're going to find things that need to be fixed right out of the box, including faulty servos, rushed design pushed to market, weak plastic parts, poorly thought out linkages and hardware, etc. Sometimes I find balsa models built from kit and it's a similar story, depending on the builder.
What a crap show, man Jon glad it worked out in the end and you like it. Interesting story on this one. I was working at a hobby shop when this one released. When HH released it they did so with the permission of the Full scale Icon manufacturer. The thought at the time was that the model would come out, and the full scale would be released later the same year. Well, the full scale hit all kinds of legal type rating, safety rating and licensing roadblocks. It would be many years before the first full scale Icon was sold. Long before that sales of the model fizzed to an unacceptable level, and they discontinued it. They flew great. I had one as did many of my friends. You'll enjoy it.
It's a shame that they discontinued it because it flies so well and fits a niche in float flying that no other model out there currently does. The Widgeon from FliteTest is similar but it's nothing like the Icon. Hopefully we'll see this model return. We're actually legitimately surprised at how many views this vid is getting because we never thought this many people cared about the Icon. Good to see we were wrong!
That's the thing about buying discontinued and sought after items. You generally pay more than original price and get damaged/incomplete items. Look at the discontinued umx market. It's out of controll!. But your basically buying collector items.
Hi I wanted this airplane forever too, I bought the model Of the Russian copy which was a very bad kit did not fly very well I ended up giving it away. Anyway just a few weeks ago a friend of mine told me that he had the icon but he had smashed it up and it wasn't in very good shape and he said he would give it to me. I couldn't believe my luck so he gave it to me and I fixed it up, and got it flying. I'm quite happy with it now it is quite beaten up still, but it came with the motor, speed controlI and it's servos. I got really lucky. Some of the original stickers did get destroyed, I have taken a look on the Internet and I can't find any replacement so no you pretty much gotta work with what you got. You seem to be doing more acrobatics than I thought it was possible to do, I will have to try some of that. Thanks for the video I enjoyed watching it. Bill Cooper
NIce flying. I have two of the bigger PZ Icon A5 and one of the PZ UMX Icon A5 that I bought new. Plus a ton of spare parts. Even a spare wing tube. The Eflite version is a re-release that came later in different livery. I put two packs through the UMX version yesterday. Both models are excellent, but the UMX is much better all around. As I recall, the first Parkzone models were $289 in BNF form. Though the BNF back then came with a battery and a cheap charger. I bought a third one when they were closing them out for $219. Ended up selling it untouched for $219. Now I wish I hadn't. Considering 10-13 years of inflation, you did okay.
About 3 years ago I was the Jehovah’s Witness for the Eflite Twin Otter on floats. So much so, I bought a second just to fly with wheels. I decided a couple years later for a pilot buddy who had never flown or owned a float plane a Twin Otter. I saved $50 buying an “Open Box” Twin Otter on Horizon’s site. I should’ve returned it. It wasn’t just opened, but it had been flown several times. It made my 2 year old Twin Otter look unflown. What I didn’t notice was the warped elevator. Long story short, I bought my friend a brand new Twin Otter and we’ve used the “open box” for spare parts.
Good filming, Jon’s wife! Good advice. Interesting plane, and it seems to fly pretty well. Almost makes me want to get a real one except I think they are soon going to be discontinued and I had to choose a house instead of one of those.
@@TwoBrosRC looks like I was wrong about it being discontinued. They now have an FA certified version of it and seem to be doing pretty well. So now I only have one reason why I won’t get one. Lol.
Cool plane. With my luck if I ever did that Horizon would probably announce a re-release within a week. There is a 3d printed version available, I thought of trying to build it, I currently have another 3d printed model almost done, will see how that goes.
I printed two of the Planeprint 3D models. Threw them both out when I learned they won't fly off water. They sink. It isn't really scale either. Kind of a fanciful reimagining of the Icon.
This is going to be off topic for the video if you don't mind. Recently you've mentioned your now going to SMC Batteries. Are you still using their LiPO batteries or have you gone to the LiHV they're offering? I've heard good things about SMC batteries in the past and wondering why you've chosen them. If you are using the LiHV batteries, doing a difference on the 2 might be interesting. As always, love your videos. Thanks
In my hanger I have 10 planes of various types 8 of them are used. I buy mainly off of ebay. While I admit that's a BIG roll of the dice, I have been lucky but yes be expected to fix something..Good example I bought a used FMS Tigercat. I got it at a really good price and picked it up cause of course shipping on that was going to be HUGE. It had the landing ear and motor and esc upgrades but I knew the gear was going to be needed to be replaced. Fortunately in my case I had those already. So I guess in the end know going in that SOMETHING is going to need to be fixed and replaced do the math and see if it's going to be worth it.
@@TwoBrosRC Oh don't get me wrong my first two used models I got hosed... LOL...Because like you I HAD to have it. Not putting you down or anything. So I've learned what to ask for and look at. I've also recently insisted on some type of video or if possible a live chat with video. If I get a bunch of hemming and hawing then I start to back away from the deal. I don't like paying full price when we both know that there are alot of good used models out there. In the end you have too try and not get too attached to the model and put in you're head that there are other choices out there and at times have to walk away.
“Beware of buying used airplanes” This is the thing I worry about, which is why I only buy new airplanes. The only used one I’ve bought was my EC-1500 which only had 2 flights (off water). It wasn’t perfect, either. It’s elevator servo needed to be re-glued, it was so loose, I’m surprised it held up in the first 5 flights I put on it. Mine hasn’t crashed, so I’m pretty lucky there.
We're not a fan of buying used aircraft for reasons you'll hear about at 11a EDT. But if you can't get a model new, we go over some tips and ideas to avoid getting ripped off like we did.
@@TwoBrosRC Between you and me (since there's no more DM on yt), why do you 'premier' these videos? I don't really understand. Is there somewhere I can see them sooner?
@@TwoBrosRC Oh wow yeah, you did get ripped off! I’m lucky my EC-1500 came with everything. Then again, it was purchased from a hobby store owner who had it on consignment. Yeah, I agree that your icon was spare parts. When I buy a spare parts plane, I always buy the stickers and all mounting hardware (since I absolutely intend to fly it). At least you got it in the air!
If I may, I only buy locally and when I go to meet or pick up I bring my Tx, an rx, batteries and adaptors for batteries. I always question the buyer for flyability of the plain. I always ask them to test for functionality. If they say I dont have a radio or I am selling it for someone else. BRING YOUR OWN GEAR folks. I always do. The reason is you dont know how they have it set up and this will help identify problems that will give you groumd to talk the price down. Never be in a rush to buy, if you're not getting the warm and fuzzy feeling, walk away.
Something we didn't cover is that a lot of people don't treat their models very well, which is one reason why used often sells for half the price of new - because slamming a model into the ground constantly wears it out. Most of our jets could be sold for $100 less than new because they're still basically new with minimal wear. Some models we've seen in person are so beat up that it's surprising that they fetched half price.
@@TwoBrosRC I heard that. Also for dudes like us who do upgrades and ad ons and what not have to almost lose out a lot of the time when we sell our birds with upgrade items. I guess it's always good to hold on to the original factory parts and reinstall them and keep the good stuff for future projects.
@@TwoBrosRC yea I freaking hate that. I do alot.of mods on planes sometimes especially if it's warranted. Have a Leader 480 with bigger motor, bigger esc and took the skinny little gear it comes with and fitted the viper gear to it minus the retracts. I built up the gear area to accept the gear. Tried to sell it at a local swap meet even flew it in the parking lot several times. These mofos would not give me more than 150 for it and it's like NIB looks. Gets me so dam mad.
Do you know if this can take off in grass without the wheels? I just got a used one for a fair price and I’m worried about the wing touching and flipping over.
@@TwoBrosRCI tried it and it worked. It was pretty good. It tracks pretty straight even with the wing touching, but once you get it up it just like it’s on the water.
I didn't find out about this model until it was discontinued. I'm so bummed I never got my hands on one! Still looking for a used model, but no luck so far! If anyone has one they want to part with hit me up!
Yea 200$ is a lot but you could have bought the motor and stuff from china or hobbyking. That would probaply been cheaper and not really worse. But yea cool video :)
Seems like it - or he bought spare parts from Horizon which would explain it. Spares don't come with servos, decals, etc. We got totally ripped off, but at least we have an Icon though.
Horizon hobby always discontinues aircraft at the two year mark. That's I don't buy from them. No spare parts or support from that point on. Horrible Hobby is the correct name for them And I even like their products just not their company.
Discontinuing models that aren't selling doesn't make a company horrible - many people would consider that to be a smart business decision. People actually have to buy what they're selling for them to avoid discontinuing them.
Interesting comment from someone that has asked them to bring back three of their planes in as many months. The Su-30 , the Ec-1500 and this plane. All great planes that many people bought and many more would have bought if they had carried them long enough for those of us that are on limited bugets to save up for.
Asking them to bring something back doesn't mean we think they're a horrible company. We have several friends that work at Horizon and are well aware of how online criticism like "horizon sucks" or "horizon is horrible" have an actual negative impact on the people that work there.
