Updates from the Factory in Austria

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HPNAviator
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Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by HPNAviator »

Things appear to have been very quite lately in the world of Diamond Aircraft. Have any of our European friends been on a visit to the factory recently and if so do you have anything to report? I assume that the DA62 is still in development and that the factory is still building DA40's with Austro Engines. Thank you in advance for any information that can be shared.
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by Kai »

Stephen,

your assumptions are all correct: they still produce DA40s with Austro Engines. No news from the DA50, the DA62 or the D-Jet. On their websites they seem to promote those models, not sure what the intentions really are.

There was testing with bio-fuels, electric propulsion, drones, new partnerships, new co-operations, name changes of models, I-dunno-what-all but: no news for the GA customer except for the possibility to install the Centurion 2.0s in the DA42.

All of the models currently available had their maiden flights more than 12 years ago. (DA42 being the youngest of the fleet has been flown the first time in 2002, the DA40 in 1997) Quite frankly, I don't expect any news for the GA fleet in the next few years. It is just more profitable to screw a set of fat tires under an old plane and sell it to some dictators and corrupt military than developing a new plane. In the end we are just a few picky customers who will sue the shit out of the company just because we don't know how to fly a Thielert 1.7-powered plane and crash it in all occasions. Innovation in GA is very costly and doesn't always pay neither for the pilot nor for the manufacturer.

So: no news but a lot of hot air.
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by GLDAS »

We have a customer's -VI departing tomorrow, WX permitting.
Other interesting (at least to me) note: When paul Bertorelli did his tour of the Technify/Continental factory in late June, engine s/n 03627 was rolling down the line. We took delivery of 03694 & 5 some time in November, so they really are cranking out the 2.0's: almost 70 engines in four of five months.
-dan
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by Kai »

GLDAS wrote:We have a customer's -VI departing tomorrow, WX permitting.
That is an update from the factory in Austria?
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by GLDAS »

Kai wrote:
GLDAS wrote:We have a customer's -VI departing tomorrow, WX permitting.
That is an update from the factory in Austria?
Yes, it is. They are completing a number of aircraft, including our customer's DA42, before they go on Christmas holiday. How is that not responsive to the original poster's question, Kai?

Here's a picture of the delivery hangar. There appear to be at least two -VI aircraft ready to go.
Image

As for DA62, I would not anticipate anything before Aero Friedrichshafen.
-dan
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by CFIDave »

Dan, in the previous picture, do you know what that big rectangular access panel on the ventral fin tail of the DA42-VI is for? Our DA42-VI doesn't have that, nor have I seen it on any other DA42s.

I assume your customer's aircraft will be the 3rd "dash six" ferried to North America. Has your customer joined DAN yet? :)
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by GLDAS »

Dave,
It could be:
The tail weight is now variable, and there is an OSB detailing the various configuration. It could very well be how one accesses the weights themselves.
http://support.diamond-air.at/fileadmin ... weight.pdf



I'm guessing it's for the weights, but I'll know for sure once the plane is here.
-dan
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by Kai »

Come on.... that DAI is producing and delivering aircraft is not what the OP has asked for, or did I get it wrong?
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by GLDAS »

CFIDave wrote:Dan, in the previous picture, do you know what that big rectangular access panel on the ventral fin tail of the DA42-VI is for? Our DA42-VI doesn't have that, nor have I seen it on any other DA42s.

I assume your customer's aircraft will be the 3rd "dash six" ferried to North America. Has your customer joined DAN yet? :)
Fourth. Another one flew over today bound for the west coast, I believe.
-Dan
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Re: Updates from the Factory in Austria

Post by Colin »

Oh man, that fourth one might be mine. I mean, I didn't order one, but Santa might have just hopped in one to bring it here in time... (I should let him know I'm headed to NYC on Monday. Shoot.)
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