Diamond DA40NG in the US

[airbrain]

I seemed to have missed any press about this if there has been any. I only just noticed the FAA certified the DA40NG with the Austra 300 Diesel and they are appearing in the US. Looks very intriguing to me. What I learned from the dealer and spec sheet about the differences:

• Shorter wingspan for easier hangering due to addition of winglets
• Turbocharged outperforms XLT above 10,000
• Liquid cooled, quieter
• 7 GPH Jet-A cruise vs 10 GPH Avgas cruise
• FADEC single lever engine control, push button runup engine check
• Heavier and less payload, about 100 ft more runway usage.
• Price is pegged to USD, not Euros. Maybe 10% more expensive, but didn't have apples to apples comparison.

Spec sheet
Wouldn't that make this the first production single with a diesel piston in US?

Anybody getting out their checkbooks?

 

[Maciej]

I'm in love with it, I think I can see one in my future in the next three or so years.

 

[DJTorrente]

I think the DA-40 is a very attractive plane. I've flown its little sibling DA-20; I like the bubble canopy, the stick, all of it. Thinking about living with one for a while, the bloom came off the rose for me when I learned about that their aft CG envelope severely limiting certain loading scenarios. It was a function of the extended range tanks, which became standard equipment early on in the production run. I found I couldn't put my spouse and I in front with both kids in the plane. Bags in aft cargo were almost a non-starter. The loading scenarios in the back seat were very limiting.

On this one -- a 720 lb useful load in a 4 seat aircraft? That gives up 140 lbs. to the 100LL-powered version. I know diesel is more efficient, so you have to carry less of it, but it is heavier (7 lbs./US gal.) than 100LL. Full fuel (28 gal.) is only 4 hours endurance at 7 gph (3 + 1 hr reserve.); full fuel payload is 552 lbs.?!? Again, compare the Lyc. version - 4 hrs fuel at 10 gal/hr. weighs in at 240 lbs. of an 860 lb. useful load, leaving me 70 lb. more in the cabin. Which kid do I leave home? (The heavier one so I can take a bag, too! )

If you live in a part of the world where 100LL is impossible or impossibly expensive, then I guess you'll learn to love it. And I like the idea of going diesel so GenAv gets out from under the 100LL dependence, avoids the lead issue, and does so in an economically viable way since everyone on the airport will be using the same fuel supply. But to me this version pales.

PS - At least 150 lbs. more engine on the nose goes a long way to solve the problem on bumping against the aft CG envelope.

 

[brian]]

I've flown the DA40 - not sure of the model year, but when the G1000 first came online. VERY nice aircraft.

I'm sure someone has the checkbook for these, but not me. Still, if you could it is a very docile aircraft with an amazing "feel" in the controls. I never really liked the C172 (and relation) due to being trained in the DA20/40.

The LL needs to go away someday and Diamond is leading there.

(Also took a ride in a DA42 when they first came out. I really like where they were headed - even if wondering if the "bang" was the there for the "buck".)

 

[Katamarino]

My flying club in Rotterdam had one with the Thielert diesel. We took it touring down around Tunisia. Awesome aircraft, and I really love using Jet-A, especially in Africa!

 

[ethosunum]

It'd be nice if Diamond might do an STC and parts to get the older ones up to the MTOW of 2822 like that one. Its a whole 170 lbs more.

I just started renting DA40s now, transitioned from ppl in a 20. They are nice aircraft.

I'm lucky in that one of the available rentals is a standard tank version with 912 lb useful load.

 

[Kai B]

Nobody mentioned the awesome range of the DA40NG yet: 940 nms. How many other planes of this size can boast of that?

The downside is that the manufacturer is not as customer friendly as the average American consumer would expect. Original spare parts are quite expensive.