How is it the Mercedes version of this engine didn't have all these problems? Mercedes built hundreds of these engines per DAY in automated factories, whereas Austro hand-builds only a couple hundred engines per YEAR. I'm by no means a manufacturing expert, but it's obvious to me that Mercedes was ...

Amazingly, insurance is only requiring 70 hours (!) with the mentor aboard, though they are charging $70k for the insurance (also exclamation point!). IIRC legal requirement for TBM is 24 flight hours with mentor on board. In the US, the FAA doesn't require a Type Rating for a TBM (or Epic) single-...

I'm guessing there have been more than a dozen DA40 doors opening and departing the aircraft in flight, including during takeoff when detached doors have been recovered on the runway. Years ago, I had an occasion when the rear door of my 2008 DA40 XLS unexpectedly came open in cruise flight, and was...

Yesterday when flying home in the Epic after dropping off the DA40NG at SouthTec at KRUQ for the MSB/AD, we were limited to only FL270 by ATC, burning 63 gph doing 320 KTAS. The Epic burns as "little" as 49 gph in typical cruise when up at FL340, doing about 315 KTAS (it requires less than...

The one year-old DA40NG from which my pilot wife and I have been leasing hours is unfortunately included in Group 1, so we're also "screwed" by this MSB/AD. No more "hundred dollar hamburger" flights or fun flying around on nice days (an Epic turboprop burns nearly 10X the fuel p...

The DA42-VI has a higher critical altitude. The DA62 and DA42-VI Austro engines use the same capacity turbocharger, so the DA62 with its slightly higher boost pressure (controlled by software) runs out of turbo capacity sooner (i.e., at a lower altitude).

WAAS (i.e., GIA63W) was introduced starting with the first 2008 DA40 XLS models built in late 2007, so any 2008+ DA40 will include WAAS as a standard feature. But many 2007 DA40 XL owners have installed GIA63Ws to make them similar to XLS models. And there are a few 2004-2006 DA40s that have also be...

I'm wondering why you need a ferry pilot or ferry insurance. If you're a US buyer taking delivery of a new DA62 made in Austria, Diamond is responsible for ferrying the new plane to Diamond's Canadian factory in London, Ontario, flying it under Austrian registry (with "OE" tail number) and...

Buy a DA40 (Lycoming 2007-2008 or newer with WAAS and GFC700 autopilot): - will let you avoid the maintenance issues associated with Austro engines of DA40NG - you can fly it to get your CFI and CFI-I ratings, since you'd like to instruct - is an ideal plane to offer flight instruction, since you ca...

Outstanding video.

Not sure if it remains the case, but I heard that even AOPA seemed to be unsure about 2024 procedure changes instituted by the Mexican federal government. Maybe some Mexican POE airports need time to understand and incorporate these changes.