Diamond Maintenance Near Virginia?

[CKC]

I'm the new owner of an old DA40 based in Blacksburg VA. I got my first annual in Roanoke and assumed that I would always be able to use the same facility for Diamond specific work. Wrong... they are now only servicing the local flying school and I'm having trouble even identifying my options... There's no doubt that I will have to travel quite a bit to get knowledgeable service. Existing pilots would be my best information source, so anybody out there have a good recommendation?

Thanks
Keith

[Rick]

Hi Keith,

I am based in Roanoke, so I feel your pain! I had a couple of annuals done here before they became so busy that they couldn't fit me in last December, so I ended up (back) at Classic Aviation at KSHD. Before the shop opened up here in Roanoke, I was going there for maintenance and they are very knowledgeable. They were the nearest Diamond service center when I bought my first DA40, so that's how I found them. They would just be a (relatively) short hop up I-81 for you, and I can highly recommend them.

I can't really complain about the local shop - the flight school here has taken off like a rocket. They now own maybe 7 or 8 Diamonds - a mix of DA20's, DA40's and a DA42, and they seem to keep all of them flying much of the time, which is good for GA and our local airport. But yes, it does make things like annuals a bit problematic to schedule.

[CKC]

Thanks Rick, that is incredibly helpful! That will probably be my best bet.

I took the ground school at Star Flight Training at ROA and probably used their CFI's for 50 hours or so and yes, they are very good.

Thanks again
Keith

[CFIDave]

I'm the new owner of an old DA40 based in Blacksburg VA. I got my first annual in Roanoke and assumed that I would always be able to use the same facility for Diamond specific work. Wrong... they are now only servicing the local flying school and I'm having trouble even identifying my options... There's no doubt that I will have to travel quite a bit to get knowledgeable service. Existing pilots would be my best information source, so anybody out there have a good recommendation?

Unless it's simple Lycoming engine-related maintenance that's not Diamond-specific, some of us in Northern VA (DC area) fly all the way down to SouthTec Aviation (Glenn Lawler's shop) in Salisbury, NC (KRUQ) -- which specializes in Diamond maintenance and repairs. From our perspective, if you're located in Roanoke, you're half-way there.

[Rick]

Yes, +1 on SouthTec Aviation! I took my DA40 down there for its 2000-hr annual and Glenn is the leading expert on all things Diamond! I would take my DA40 there for anything super-Diamond-specific, especially any composite work - Glenn is a composite guru and has all the right equipment for any structural repairs. I believe he used to be the regional factory rep for Diamond Canada, so he definitely knows his stuff!

[blsewardjr]

I'm based in Charlottesville (KCHO) and also use Classic Aviation at KSHD. They don't have Glenn Lawler's level of expertise, but they do maintain several DA40's and are know Diamonds well. Dean Showalter there went through the Diamond maintainers course and is very open to input from owners and from this Board. He also has an interesting podcast -- Airplane Owner Maintenance.

[Rick]

Dean is a heck of a nice guy. He worked with me on my last owner-assisted annual, and is quite knowledgeable on Diamonds. Dean did the first annual on my DA40 after I bought it back in 2008 - with me tagging along behind him - and patiently answered all my questions and taught me all about my new toy. I kept going back there year after year for maintenance and annuals, gradually doing more and more of the grunt work myself each year, under his supervision. Can't say enough nice things about Dean.

[CKC]

Thanks everyone, this has been great help!

[cptndavid]

I am in N.J. and go to Glenn's shop I went elsewhere once NEVER AGAIN.