ParkZone PKZU2380 User Manual

Ultra Micro

ICON A5

ICON, the ICON logo, ICON A5 and its body design are
trademarks or registered trademarks of ICON Aircraft, Inc.
and are used with permission by Horizon Hobby, Inc.

Instruction Manual / Bedienungsanleitung
Manuel d’utilisation / Manuale di Istruzioni

NOTICE

All instructions, warranties and other collateral documents are subject to change at the sole
discretion of Horizon Hobby, Inc. For up-to-date product literature, visit
www.horizonhobby.com and click on the support tab for this product.

Meaning of Special Language:

The following terms are used throughout the product literature to indicate various levels of
potential harm when operating this product:
NOTICE: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create a possibility of physical
property damage AND little or no possibility of injury.
CAUTION: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of physical
property damage AND a possibility of serious injury.
WARNING: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of property
damage, collateral damage and serious injury OR create a high probability of
superfi cial injury.

WARNING: Read the ENTIRE instruction manual to become familiar with the features of the
product before operating. Failure to operate the product correctly can result in damage to the
product, personal property and cause serious injury.

This is a sophisticated hobby product. It must be operated with caution and common sense and
requires some basic mechanical ability. Failure to operate this Product in a safe and responsible
manner could result in injury or damage to the product or other property. This product is not
intended for use by children without direct adult supervision. Do not use with incompatible
components or alter this product in any way outside of the instructions provided by Horizon Hobby,
Inc. This manual contains instructions for safety, operation and maintenance. It is essential to read
and follow all the instructions and warnings in the manual prior to assembly, setup or use in order to
operate correctly and avoid damage or serious injury.

Age Recommendation: Not for children under 14 years. This is not a toy.

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elcome to the world of amphibious RC fl ight! Equipped with removable landing gear for

W

amphibious operation, you’ll be able to have equal fun fl ying from the water or your favorite
landing strip. Not only is the ParkZone® Ultra Micro ICON A5 aircraft a licensed replica of the most
exciting light sport airplane in general aviation, it boasts a near-perfect scale outline and a special hull
design that makes water takeoff s and landings remarkably easy to master. With its included 2500kv
brushless motor and 2S 180mAh 20C Li-Po battery, the Ultra Micro ICON A5 has ample power for getting
up on plane and off the water.

We encourage you to spend the time to read the contents of this manual. In addition to step-by-step
assembly instructions, it contains important prefl ight and setup tips as well as a handy troubleshooting
guide. It’s all here to make sure your fi rst fl ight, and every one after, is as rewarding as can be.

Box Contents

2S 7.4V 180mAh 25C
Lithium Polymer Battery

Table of Contents

Charging the Battery .................................................... 4

Charging Warnings ........................................................ 5

®

AS3X

System Delivers

Breakthrough Performance ....................................... 6

Transmitter and Receiver Binding .............................6

Installing the Flight Battery ....................................... 7

Connecting the Battery and Arming the ESC ......... 7

Prefl ight Checklist .........................................................8

Control Centering ......................................................... 8

Settings for Control Horns ........................................... 8

Control Direction Test ...................................................9

Control Rates ................................................................10

Adjusting the Center of Gravity (CG) ...................... 10

Motor Service ...............................................................11

Removing and Installing the Landing Gear ..........12

Additional Safety Precautions and Warnings ....... 12

Flying Tips and Repairs ...............................................13

Post Flight Checklist .................................................... 14

Troubleshooting Guide ..............................................14

Limited Warranty ......................................................... 16

Warranty and Service Information ..........................17

Compliance Information for the

European Union ...........................................................18

Replacement Parts ......................................................69

Optional Parts and Accessories ................................70

Specifi cations

24.5 in (623mm)

16.7 in (423mm)

To register your product online, go to www.parkzone.com

3.3 oz (94 g)

Installed

Installed

Installed

Included

Included

Sold

Separately

Motor: BL180 Brushless Outrunner
Motor, 2500Kv (EFLUM180BL2)

Receiver: DSM2®/DSMX®
6-Channel AS3X® Receiver/ESC
(SPMAS6410NBL)

Servos:

(2) 2.3-Gram Performance Linear
Long Throw Servos (SPMSA2030L)

(2) 2.3-Gram Linear Long Throw
Off set Servos (SPMSA2030LO)

Battery: 180mAh 2S 20C Li-Po
(EFLB1802S20)

Charger: 2S 7.4V Li-Po Battery
Charger (EFLUC1007)

Recommended Transmitter:
DSM2/DSMX 4-Channel
Transmitter

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3

Charging the Battery

Your aircraft comes with a 2-Cell 7.4V 180mAh
20C Li-Po battery and a Celectra™ 2S 7.4V DC Li-Po
charger that requires a 12V (11V-14V) DC
power source.

Refer to the charging warnings. It is recommended
to charge the battery pack while you are inspect­ing the aircraft. The fl ight battery will be required
to confi rm proper aircraft operation in
future steps.

Please visit www.horizonhobby.com for optional
battery adapters.

Battery Charging Process

2S 7.4V 200mAh 25C

Lithium Polymer Battery

Purchase the optional AC to 12V DC 1.5 amp
power supply (EFLC4000) to charge your
battery pack without a 12V DC power source.

NOTICE: Charge only batteries that are cool to the
touch and are not damaged. Look at the battery
to make sure it is not damaged e.g., swollen, bent,
broken or punctured.

CAUTION: Only use an E-fl ite® 12V

power supply (EFLC4000) with this charger.
DO NOT use a 6V power supply or property
damage and injury could occur.

The connector of the battery is specifi cally
designed to allow it to fi t into the charge port
one way to prevent reverse polarity connection.
However, check for proper alignment and polarity
before proceeding.

1. Gently press the battery connector into the

charge port located on the front of the charger.

CAUTION: Once charging is complete,

immediately remove the battery. Never leave a
battery connected to the charger.

2. Press the button on the charger. The red LED

will illuminate, indicating charging has begun.

3. Disconnect the battery from the charger when

the green LED turns solid. The battery is fully
charged.

CAUTION: Only use a charger specifi cally

designed to charge a Li-Po battery. Failure to do so
could result in fi re causing injury or property

damage.
Charging a fully discharged (not over-discharged)
180mAh battery takes approximately 50–60
minutes at the charger’s 300mA charge rate. The
included battery can be charged at a rate of up to

CAUTION: Never exceed the recommended

charge rate.
3C (540mA).

LED Functions under normal operation

1. Green LED blinking quickly with power connected but without battery ....................... Standby

2. Green LED blinking slowly .......................................................................................... Battery is connected

3. Blinking red LED at varying speeds ............................................................................Charging

4. Red and green LED blinking simultaneously ............................................................... Balancing

5. Solid green LED ......................................................................................................... Full Charge

6. Red and green LED fl ashing rapidly ............................................................................ Error

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Charging Warnings

The Battery Charger (EFLUC1007) included with
your aircraft has been designed to safely charge
the Li-Po battery.

CAUTION: All instructions and warnings

must be followed exactly. Mishandling of Li-Po
batteries can result in a fi re, personal injury and/or
property damage.

• By handling, charging or using the included

Li-Po battery, you assume all risks associated
with lithium batteries.

• If at any time the battery begins to balloon or

swell, discontinue use immediately. If charging
or discharging, discontinue and disconnect.
Continuing to use, charge or discharge a battery
that is ballooning or swelling can result in fi re.

• Always store the battery at room temperature

in a dry area for best results.

• Always transport or temporarily store the

battery in a temperature range of 40–120º F
(5–49° C). Do not store the battery or model in a
car or direct sunlight. If stored in a hot car, the
battery can be damaged or even catch fi re.

• Always charge batteries away from

fl ammable materials.

• Always inspect the battery before charging.

• Always disconnect the battery after charging,
and let the charger cool between charges.

• Always constantly monitor the temperature
of the battery pack while charging.

• ONLY USE A CHARGER SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED
TO CHARGE LI-PO BATTERIES. Failure to charge
the battery with a compatible charger may
cause a fi re resulting in personal injury and/or
property damage.

• Never discharge Li-Po cells to below 3V
under load.

• Never cover warning labels with hook and
loop strips.

• Never leave charging batteries unattended.

• Never charge batteries outside
recommended levels.

• Never charge damaged batteries.

• Never attempt to dismantle or alter the charger.

• Never allow minors to charge battery packs.

• Never charge batteries in extremely hot or
cold places (recommended between 40–120° F
or (5–49° C) or place in direct sunlight.

Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC)

When a Li-Po battery is discharged below 3V per
cell, it will not hold a charge. The aircraft’s ESC
protects the fl ight battery from over-discharge
using Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC). Before the battery
charge decreases too much, LVC removes power
supplied to the motor. Power to the motor quickly
decreases and increases, showing that some
battery power is reserved for fl ight control and
safe landing.

When the motor power pulses, land the aircraft
immediately and recharge the fl ight battery.

Disconnect and remove the Li-Po battery from the
aircraft after use to prevent trickle discharge. Fully
charge your Li-Po battery before storing it. During
storage, make sure the battery charge does not fall
below 3V per cell.

LVC does not prevent the battery from over­discharge during storage.

For your fi rst fl ights, set your transmitter timer or
a stopwatch to 4 minutes. Adjust your timer for
longer or shorter fl ights once you have fl own the
model. Flights of 6 minutes or more are achievable
if using proper throttle management.

NOTICE: Repeated fl ying to LVC will damage the
battery.

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AS3X® System Delivers
Breakthrough Performance

Horizon Hobby has always made RC sport, scale
and unique aircraft with the kind of performance
experts appreciate. Now the exclusive Artificial
Stability – 3 aXis (AS3X) system helps take
performance expectations in ultra micro aircraft a
quantum leap higher.

Based on the successful use of MEMS sensor
technology within the AS3X Stabilization
System essential to Blade® ultra micro flybarless
helicopters, the specifically tuned

AS3X System for airplanes helps invisibly correct
for turbulence, torque and tip stalls when
encountered. Furthermore, the outstanding
control agility delivers an ultra smooth, locked­in feel that obeys your every command with
performance that’s natural feeling. It’s so
gratifying, in fact, that it’s as though you’re the RC
pilot of an expertly tuned, giant-scale model.

AS3X will change the way you’ll want to fly now
and in the future. To see what we mean, go to
www.E-fliteRC.com/AS3X.

Transmitter and Receiver Binding

Binding is the process of programming the receiver to recognize the GUID (Globally Unique Identifi er)
code of a single specifi c transmitter. You need to ‘bind’ your chosen Spektrum™ DSM2/DSMX technology
equipped aircraft transmitter to the receiver for proper operation.

For a list of compatible DSM2/DSMX transmitters, please visit www.bindnfl y.com.

CAUTION: When using a Futaba® transmitter with a Spektrum DSM module, you must reverse the

throttle channel and rebind. Refer to your Spektrum module manual for binding and failsafe instructions.
Refer to your Futaba transmitter manual for instructions on reversing the throttle channel.

Binding Procedure Reference Table



1. Refer to your transmitter’s unique instructions for binding to a receiver.

2. Make sure the fl ight battery is disconnected from the aircraft.

3. Ensure the transmitter is powered OFF.

4. Connect the fl ight battery to the aircraft. The receiver LED will begin to fl ash (typically after 5
seconds).

5. Make sure the transmitter controls are at neutral and the throttle is in the low position.

6. Put your transmitter into bind mode.

7. After 5 to 10 seconds, the receiver status LED will become solid, indicating that the receiver
is bound to the transmitter. If the LED does not turn solid, refer to the Troubleshooting Guide
at the end of the manual.

For subsequent fl ights, power ON the transmitter for 5 seconds before connecting the fl ight battery.

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Installing the Flight Battery

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1. Remove the magnetic canopy.

2. Install the battery all the way to the front of the
battery compartment.

3. Refer to the “Connecting the Battery and
Arming the ESC” section below.

4. Reinstall the canopy.

CAUTION: Always disconnect the Li-Po

battery from the aircraft receiver when not fl ying
to avoid over-discharging the battery. Batteries
discharged to a voltage lower than the lowest
approved voltage may become damaged, resulting
in loss of performance and potential fi re when
batteries are charged.

Connecting the Battery and
Arming the ESC

Arming the ESC also occurs after binding as
previously described, but subsequent connection
of a fl ight battery requires the steps below.

If you accidentally connect the battery while
the throttle is fully opened, a musical tone will
sound after 5 seconds. Disconnect the battery
immediately.

The AS3X system will not activate until the throttle
stick or trim is increased for the fi rst time. Once
active, the control surfaces may move rapidly and
noisily on the aircraft. This is normal. The AS3X
system will remain active until the battery is
disconnected.

CAUTION: Always keep hands away from

the propeller. When armed, the motor will turn
the propeller in response to any throttle
movement.

Lower throttle
and throttle
trim to lowest
settings.

Power ON the
transmitter,
then wait 5
seconds.

Install fl ight
battery and
connect it to
the ESC.

Keep plane
immobile and
away from
wind for 5
seconds.

• Series of
tones

1

2

3

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