Time for Diamond USA?

[Boatguy]

Diamond repeatedly tells us that Transport Canada is the cause of most of their problems. The answer to every question is certification and the answer to every certification delay is Transport Canada. Diamond's second biggest problem (at least before the virus) seems to be the lack of available workforce in Ontario. Here's my solution: Create Diamond USA.

Establish a final assembly factory in Kansas. Engine and Avionics ready fuselages and wings continue to be manufactured in Canada, then they are shipped to KS. This is similar to what Boeing and Airbus do, building components (e.g., 787 wings) globally and shipping to a final assembly plant.

Engines are shipped to KS from Austria (Austro), Pennsylvania (Lycoming) and Alabama (Continental for DA-50). Avionics come from Garmin's nearby factory in KS.

Certification is by the FAA in KS. The FAA in KS is thoroughly familiar with GA aircraft and Garmin avionics from their certification work with nearby Textron. They don't have much of a learning curve to certify Diamond aircraft and avionics.

Additional benefits:
1) Customer deliveries are made at the KS factory which has much better weather than London, ON. KS is centrally located and is one day flight, two days worst case, to all North American customers. Customs and import paper work are eliminated for most North American customers.

2) The new final assembly plant also houses the US parts depot similar to the support parts depot maintained at the factory in Austria.

3) Shipping costs for all parts not manufactured in Canada are reduced.

Certification, delivery and parts problems solved while reducing costs. Marginal loss of jobs in Canada.

[Steve]

4) Russ appointed VP for Diamond US operations...

[TimS]

You are making the assumption that FAA is better than Transport CA.
That is a rather large leap

Tim

[Boatguy]

You are making the assumption that FAA is better than Transport CA.
That is a rather large leap

It's based on the US mfgs (Cirrus, Textron, etc.) all being able to bring avionics features into their products much faster than Diamond. The features which Diamond hopes to bring to their G1000NXi systems next year have been available on US manufactured GA airplanes for 2-3yrs, which will be 3-4yrs by the time Diamond makes them available.

So either the FAA is indeed "better" or "faster" than Transport CA, or Diamond is using Transport CA as an excuse. I'm choosing to believe Diamond.

[ememic99]

Alabama (Continental for DA-50)

I think CD-300 is built in Germany.

So either the FAA is indeed "better" or "faster" than Transport CA, or Diamond is using Transport CA as an excuse. I'm choosing to believe Diamond.

I believe FAA has much more expertise and people in certifying the aircrafts and avionics than Transport Canada. Usually in the past all these national agencies simply accepted what FAA (or EASA) already certified.

[TimS]

You are making the assumption that FAA is better than Transport CA.
That is a rather large leap

It's based on the US mfgs (Cirrus, Textron, etc.) all being able to bring avionics features into their products much faster than Diamond. The features which Diamond hopes to bring to their G1000NXi systems next year have been available on US manufactured GA airplanes for 2-3yrs, which will be 3-4yrs by the time Diamond makes them available.

So either the FAA is indeed "better" or "faster" than Transport CA, or Diamond is using Transport CA as an excuse. I'm choosing to believe Diamond.

Well if looking at the common factors....
Tecnam (Europe), Embreaher (Brazil), Dassalt (Europe)...

If all these others do well in Europe, and South America.
How has Diamond Australia done?

Tim

[Boatguy]

How has Diamond Australia done?

Did you mean to write Diamond Austria?

[TimS]

How has Diamond Australia done?

Did you mean to write Diamond Austria?

lol, yes. That is what I get for posting quickly while waiting for a conference call to start!

[Boatguy]

Diamond Austria seems to do fine with EASA, and that certification is then accepted by the FAA. The DA42 type certificate is still held by Diamond Austria and that plane has had the most current avionics and fastest approvals for the last few years.