INTRODUCTION This is the Diamond DA42,
the most refined twin engine plane four seat plane in the market today, highly versatile and popular,
the world's best-selling twin-engine piston aircraft. Most people who buy twin-engine
planes do so for one of three reasons. They either want to regularly fly over rough terrain,
over large bodies of water, or at night; or they fly with their families and want the
ultimate in redundant reliability; or they plan to use the aeroplane for multi-engine training.
Not every twin can fulfil all three missions, but the Austrian Diamond
DA42-VI is one aeroplane that just might. These days, twins mostly come from: Piper,
Beechcraft, Tecnam, Vulcanair, and, of course, Diamond. These range from
$450,000 for the entry-level Tecnam to $1.367 million for the top-of-the-line Baron. Over
the years, Beechcraft and Piper have all played a significant role in this niche;
Tecnam barely scratched the surface, but the DA-42 has quickly become very popular among pilots.
What makes this aircraft so unique? Well, first of all, the airframe is made up largely of carbon
composite material and is equipped with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit right out of the factory. In
addition to the new material and upgraded cockpit avionics, the DA42 is one of the few aircraft that
uses diesel fuel instead of AVGAS, and it sees a remarkable improvement in fuel consumption.
If you are ready to be introduced to one of the best birds ever created,
then I recommend that you prepare yourself and free your mind from any preconceptions you may
have, because what you are about to learn will make you run to get a brand new DA42!
DESIGN/EXTERIOR The Diamond DA42 is a small aircraft,
but with a striking design and an elegant and aerodynamic finish that make it a jewel on the
ground, but especially in the air, and with carbon fibre reinforced polymers throughout
its structure, providing the aircraft that extra bit of safety. Its sleek carbon composite fuselage
incorporates a state-of-the-art aerodynamic design with the latest passive safety technology to offer
high efficiency, high performance, and top-notch protection for all passengers. Another plus is
that the fuselage is very durable, not easy to maintain, but it will look like new for
many years, and the company offers a wide range of colours and combinations for each
owner to make their DA42 a unique aircraft, ensuring customization to the client's taste.
And in case you were wondering what the size of this model is, the DA42 stands 8 ft 2 high,
is 28 ft long, and has a wingspan of 44 ft 6 in. INTERIOR
The interior is quite interesting, despite its size, the cabin is very comfortable
and has top quality finishes. It can easily accommodate up to 4 people in 2 rows of seats.
These have been built to have a greater resistance to crashes and are equipped
with automotive style three-point seat belts. In addition, the seats are in a fixed position.
The interior of the aircraft was designed with the comfort of pilots and passengers in mind,
its ergonomic seats are air-conditioned and feature variable lordosis support and
an adjustable backrest. Cabin dimensions are 4 ft 2 in height, 4 ft 1 in wide, and 8 ft 5 in long.
For interior customization, users have several choices of luxury upholstery,
completely handcrafted, as well as several additional features that will make their flight
a much more pleasurable experience. The DA42 is a generous aircraft,
even when it comes to providing access to its occupants. To enter the front seats,
it has a huge forward swinging canopy, while to access the rear seats, it has a large upper hinged
door located on the left side of the aircraft. But without a doubt, the thing that steals the
show with the DA42 is its Plexiglas front canopy, which offers an almost total view
of the surroundings. Can you imagine entering the aircraft and closing the
canopy just like Tom Cruise does in the movie Top Gun? It would certainly be mind-blowing.
ENGINE Now it's time
to talk about what gives this bird its power. The Diamond DA42 is powered by two FADEC controlled
168-hp Austro Engine AE300 turbocharged diesel engines with a single lever control system,
complimented by three-bladed constant speed hydraulic propellers that feature advanced
blade geometry for efficient performance, smooth motion, and low noise and vibration.
Everything is automatically controlled by the digital motor control,
which is as simple as flipping a switch. The DA42 is capable of using various types
of fuel for its operation, thanks to its widespread use in various regions of the
world. It generally uses Jet A-1 fuel, but is also capable of running on Jet A,
JP-8, TS-1, and RT fuel in Russia and Ukraine, and No. 3 jet fuel in China.
In case you were curious, the DA42 is fully capable of flying with only one engine running
while the other is shut down as a backup in case of any eventuality. It might not sound impressive
at first, especially because almost everyone believes that every twin is capable of doing so.
In reality, the game is entirely different; some planes continue to fly with a gradual descent,
which is usually sufficient to get to the next airport to land; some planes can maintain altitude
but cannot climb; but not the DA-42. PERFORMANCE
Its two Austro AE300 turbocharged diesel engines give the DA42 an outstanding performance,
thanks to them, it achieves a climb rate of 1,114 feet per minute and is capable of reaching
a maximum service ceiling of 18,000 feet, but who maintains that altitude in a nonpressurized
plane? It has an empty weight without options of 3,131 lbs and a maximum useful load of 1,276 lbs,
resulting in a maximum takeoff mass of 4,407 lbs. It has a total fuel capacity of 76.4 gallons,
distributed between 50 gallons in the main tank and the remaining 26.4 gallons in the auxiliary
tank. For takeoff, it requires a distance of 1,230 feet, while for landing, it needs a minimum runway
distance of 1,115 feet. Its cruising speed at 75% power is 175 knots, but it is capable of
reaching a maximum speed of 197 knots. Its fuel consumption at 60% power is 10.4 gallons per hour,
and it is capable of reaching a maximum range of 1,225 nautical miles under optimum conditions.
AVIONICS
The aircraft features advanced avionics, incorporating the Garmin G1000 NXi in the cockpit,
which is integrated with the GFC700 three-axis automated flight control system. Pilots are
provided with a pair of screens displaying basic flight information as well as aircraft status. It
has an integrated GWX 70 weather radar, an option usually only available on more expensive aircraft,
together with synthetic vision and traffic alerts. There is no doubt that the DA42 is
well covered in this area. The DA42 is operated through the use of a joystick,
something that provides a differentiated feel, but requires a higher level of calm and
concentration when performing flight movements, as it makes the aircraft much more responsive.
SYSTEMS The
DA42 has a FIKI-certified TKS icing protection system, which provides the aircraft with
additional protection for trouble-free flight in icing conditions. The wings, tail, propellers,
and windscreen are all protected with TKS fluid. VARIANTS
Since the introduction of the Diamond DA42 in 2004, eight more variants of
this model have been developed, keeping its utilitarian and versatile spirit,
but incorporating slight improvements in order to guarantee better adaptability and performance.
The DA42 has been characterized in large part by its reliability and comfort when flying,
which is why it has been mainly used by flight schools, charter flight companies,
for aerial mapping, search and rescue services, as well as other military purposes.
The first variant was the DA42M, a special mission platform for China.
The DA42 L360 followedd suitThe variant, as the name suggests,
was outfitted with two 180-hp Lycoming IO-360 engines, designed specifically for
training in the North American market. t. The DA42 NG variant came along with Austro
Engine AE 300 engines, capable of generating 170 HP per side,
and its special mission variant was the DA42 M-NG. The DA42 MPP is a variant designed strictly
for the UK Ministry of Defense, equipped with surveillance systems.
The DA42 MPP Centaur OPA is an optionally piloted aircraft developed by Aurora Flight Sciences
to provide an intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, capable of being operated
by pilots or remotely. The unit in service belongs to the Swiss military procurement agency.
The Dominator II is a version of the DA42 modified by Aeronautics Defense Systems LTD that functions
as an unmanned aerial plane, has an endurance of 28 hours, a payload capacity of 899 pounds,
and can operate at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet, reaching a speed of 191 knots.
Finally, we have the DA42-VI, an improved version introduced in 2012, which incorporates aerodynamic
improvements in the empennage and engine cowling, as well as new propellers, all of which translate
into an increase in the cruising speed of the aircraft. Now, it's your turn to tell me which
one is your favourite? MARKET
Due to the global recession that began in 2008, the company's sales projections for
this aircraft slowed sharply, but time would bring some pleasant surprises.
By 2012, the DA42 had become a key aircraft for the company's revenue
generation. it became hugely popular with operators in the civil market,
as well as operators in the government and military sectors.
Being the first twin-engine aircraft design from Diamond, it also became
the first new European twin-engine aircraft in its category to be developed in over 25 years,
as well as the first diesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to make a non-stop
crossing of the North Atlantic, milestones that further elevated the DA42's popularity.
The Diamond DA42 has managed to position itself between 2005 and 2021 with a total of 1,095 units
spread around the world, with Europe being its main market with more than 460 units,
followed by Asia with more than 250 aircraft, and North America with 150 units.
This undoubtedly demonstrates the high commercial utilisation of the DA42 fleet,
proving not only the durability and popularity of the aircraft but also its reliability and safety.
The base price of the Diamond DA42 was around 750 thousand dollars; however, models of the
first versions can be found on the second-hand market for an approximate price of 360 thousand
dollars. However, depending on the configuration, the value of the aircraft can exceed 1 million
dollars. The annual maintenance cost of an aircraft with these characteristics based
on 450 flight hours per year and an average fuel cost of 7.25 dollars per gallon gives us an annual
budget of 145 thousand dollars, which translates into approximately 322 dollars per flight hour.
Now, no analysis would be complete without a good comparison, which is why it is time to introduce
you to two aircraft that compete in the same category as the DA42 and are very interesting;
we are talking about the Tecnam P2006T and the Piper PA-44 Seminole. To be fair,
the DA42 has no direct competitors; it’s the best of its kind. The P2006T is seriously underpowered,
and while the Seminole is not exactly underpowered, it can’t rub shoulders with
the DA42. But one thing they all share in common is that they are excellent training platforms.
The Tecnam P2006T is all-metal; it has been praised by the public due to its reliability,
but it has a serious share of problems, hasn’t proven itself yet,
and is efficient and gentle. The P2006T offers an excellent quality-price ratio
in terms of cost and durability compared to the competition, due to the fact that
it does not incorporate any special high-cost material, thus facilitating its maintenance.
In terms of avionics, it mounts in its instrument panel the Garmin G1000 NXi IFR
dual display with an integrated STEC-55 autopilot. Its performance is notably inferior to the DA42,
and both its design and the quality of its materials show that we are dealing
with a much less well-cared-for product, but not for that reason, a particularly bad one.
The Tecnam P2006T is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 145 knots, which can be increased with
modifications to the engine, In this section, the DA42 takes an important advantage of more than 50
knots. With 52 gallons of fuel, it is capable of flying 650 nautical miles and has a climb
rate of 1,036 feet per minute. In addition, its high wing design allows it to take off and land
on short runways, showing its efficient design but not being very flashy. Another aspect in
which it is handicapped is its maximum operating altitude, since it only reaches 14,000 feet. The
aspect in which it is quite attractive is its price, which is close to 625 thousand dollars.
The other competitor is the Piper PA-44 Seminole, which has a long history of
flight behind it as it has been in production since 1979. To this day,
the Seminole remains one of the friendliest and most docile light twin-engine aircraft ever built,
designed with simplicity in mind and with ideal characteristics for pilot training.
In its powertrain, it has two 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A-E1AD engines with two bladed Hartzell
propellers. Of the three aircraft, it has the highest fuel consumption, at 20.6 gallons per
hour, with a total capacity of 108 gallons. With a climb rate of 1,340 feet per minute,
its maximum cruise speed is 168 knots, achieving a range of 915 nautical miles and a ceiling of
17,100 feet. The price of the Piper PA-44 Seminole is around 660 thousand dollars,
slightly higher than the Tecnam P2006T but still far from the cost of a Diamond DA42.
Although the Diamond DA42 is the most expensive of the three options,
it is also the one that offers users a greater range, higher speed, and more comfort and luxury,
and has proven in practise that it is an aircraft worth every penny. In 2004,
it became the first diesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to cross the North Atlantic non-stop.
The flight followed Diamond's unveiling of the aircraft at the Oskhosh Festival. It departed
from London, Ontario, for Newfoundland, for a 7.5 hour flight, then ventured on to Porto,
Portugal for a 12.5 hour crossing. As always, everything will depend on
your budget and what you need. PROS
The DA42 has several features that make it a strong contender among the aircraft in
its category; one of these is its retractable landing gear. Although it may seem normal, not
all small aircraft have landing gear capable of retracting and extending at the pilot's request.
One aspect to note is that, while the DA42 is a twin-engine aircraft,
its second engine is mainly an extra safety measure, as it is perfectly
capable of sustained single-engine flights, reaching climb rates of 700 feet per minute,
something that few contemporary aircraft are capable of achieving.
Its engines are highly efficient when it comes to fuel consumption, so the aircraft
can perform flights of up to 13 hours in duration without the need for an additional fuel tank,
showing enviable endurance. CONS
The reason for the DA42's enormous popularity over the years is more than obvious;
an aircraft that is difficult to criticise because it is a practically rounded product.
Perhaps, depending on the pilot's experience and skill, the fact of not having the traditional
flight controls and displays may make it difficult to handle the aircraft at first,
but it would be enough just to get used to it. As for the interior and luggage space, it is
undoubtedly somewhat limited, but it is difficult to ask for more for all that Diamond has been able
to offer us in this aircraft. CONCLUSION
Despite the fact that today the Diamond DA42 is no longer the main product in Diamond's
lineup for the market, it has undoubtedly become an aircraft that has aged well and
that we will continue to hear about in the aviation world for many years to come.
The DA42 is a great aeroplane, you'd be lucky to have one. Great for short and long distances,
exceptional performance, well, an absolute classic in my opinion that
everyone should have. It has it all. There is no doubt that the DA42 has
already earned an important place in the history of twin-engine aircraft. But,
tell us, would you like to have the opportunity to experience flying on this incredible aircraft?