New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Any DA62 related topics

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CFIDave
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by CFIDave »

For those complaining about the purchase and delivery process, because Diamond does not sell factory direct like Cirrus or Cessna/Beechcraft (Textron), the customer experience is mostly determined by the Diamond distributor that has exclusive rights to sell new planes in the state or country in which the customer resides: In the US it's either Premier, Steel, or LifeStyle.

For LifeStyle, the aircraft is typically ferried to the customer's home airport, where an instructor (e.g., someone like me) typically provides 1/2 day of "ground school," followed by up to 5 hours of dual instruction transition training (often needed for insurance) -- to make sure the customer is both comfortable and safe to fly the plane. For new pilots, the buyer's CFI may also be included in the training.

Recognize that Diamond distributors are often surprised by changes to Diamond's delivery dates, especially during the past 2 years with COVID-related factory shut-downs, supply chain issues, production squawks ("snags" in Canadian :) ) or bad weather that delays flight testing and/or ferry flights (especially in December when many customers insist their planes be delivered before January 1st to obtain year-end tax benefits.) Remember that these are all hand-built aircraft with parts that are sourced from all over the world. And distributors are also usually working to obtain financing and insurance to be ready when the plane is delivered.
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Boatguy
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by Boatguy »

Do the benefits you describe as typically provided by Lifestyle need to be negotiated in advance, or are they extended to all Lifestyle customers?
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by CFIDave »

Boatguy wrote: Sat Jan 01, 2022 6:37 am Do the benefits you describe as typically provided by Lifestyle need to be negotiated in advance, or are they extended to all Lifestyle customers?
May apply to new aircraft. Read your DA62 new aircraft purchase agreement -- it's in there. :)
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MackAttack
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by MackAttack »

In my Premier agreement, I get a $5k credit towards either flight instruction or maintenance instruction (or both), if memory serves. I will undoubtedly use the flight instruction benefit and may have my aircraft management guys go in for the MX training. They have another customer taking delivery of a 62 in the first quarter, so will have two under management and they have expressed interest in the training.
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by UTMark »

The problem is: regardless of whether Diamond sells direct (which they don’t) or through dealers (which they do)… the experience of the customer that results from this process, and especially these manufacturers delays, is a problem that primarily sullies the reputation of Diamond Aircraft worldwide (less the dealers).

Someone at Diamond Aircraft should take an earnest concern for the entire customer experience and customer journey, and work to solve the problems within their control and perhaps enforce higher standards on their dealers if they are responsible for part of that customer journey as well. (An example would be to have an employee of Diamond Aircraft actively participating in these forums to collect customer feedback/experience data and have the power to bring that feedback into their management meetings to make meaningful changes).

The constant compare/contrast between the poor customer experience of Diamond Aircraft owners as oppose to the “Cirrus Life” should be viewed as a major competitive threat to Diamond’s business and hopefully acknowledged by Executive Management.


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ZAV
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by ZAV »

I’m not in the market for a DA62 but seems like Diamond Aircraft has enough business for their production capabilities and understands the finances around that.

Seems like they have enough people willing to pay 1.5 million for their product to keep them busy for a couple of years.
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by Boatguy »

UTMark wrote: Sat Jan 01, 2022 11:29 pm Someone at Diamond Aircraft should take an earnest concern for the entire customer experience and customer journey, and work to solve the problems within their control and perhaps enforce higher standards on their dealers if they are responsible for part of that customer journey as well.
After three years of looking, I'm pretty certain that person does not exist at Diamond. Moreover, there is also nobody in management who believes that person should exist or is willing to commit resources to the customer experience. The people with whom we have contact are all sincere, but they are not supported by a corporate commitment or resources.

Diamond is owned by Wanfeng, a Chinese industrial firm. Read their aviation site and I don't think you'll find much mention of customers or the customer experience. This is not a consumer oriented company. That said, AVIC, the Chinese company which owns Cirrus and Continental, is also not at first glance a consumer oriented company.

I believe it is up to the Diamond owners to bring the highest priority issues to Diamond and more or less demand they pay attention to those issues. This is worthy of a separate thread as it affects all owners.
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by Boatguy »

If you are waiting for delivery of your DA62, you may be amused in the interim by reading the AFM, AMM and/or G1000NXi manuals.

Those four manuals can be found here.
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by photoSteveZ »

Boatguy wrote: Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:49 am
photoSteveZ wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:50 pm Congratulations! I've had mine on order since mid-January 2021 and my delivery date has slipped several times, from what was supposed to be August/September of this year to, as of last week's phone call slipping it yet again, now February/March 2022. What's your serial number? Canadian build?
Is yours a Canadian build? S/N?
Sorry this is so delayed: I've been away from DAN for awhile. My original contract was for C039; during one of the schedule slippages, we negotiated a swap to C041 so that someone who 'needed' the tax break more than I did (I'm fully retired and don't have a business use) could get a DA62 in 2021. I don't know whether or not C039 actually was delivered by December 31.

The photos of C041 Trevor sent me the week before Christmas showed an aircraft in pieces, without an interior, avionics or engines. The big parts are painted, at least. :)
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Re: New DA62 x words of wisdom from seasoned owners

Post by Boatguy »

photoSteveZ wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:16 am
Boatguy wrote: Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:49 am
photoSteveZ wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:50 pm Congratulations! I've had mine on order since mid-January 2021 and my delivery date has slipped several times, from what was supposed to be August/September of this year to, as of last week's phone call slipping it yet again, now February/March 2022. What's your serial number? Canadian build?
Is yours a Canadian build? S/N?
Sorry this is so delayed: I've been away from DAN for awhile. My original contract was for C039; during one of the schedule slippages, we negotiated a swap to C041 so that someone who 'needed' the tax break more than I did (I'm fully retired and don't have a business use) could get a DA62 in 2021. I don't know whether or not C039 actually was delivered by December 31.

The photos of C041 Trevor sent me the week before Christmas showed an aircraft in pieces, without an interior, avionics or engines. The big parts are painted, at least. :)
I'm C055 which is supposed to be October 31...

Is this a second DA62 for you?

Good luck!
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