Diamond Shines Again

After flying under the industry radar for some time, Diamond Aircraft has once again emerged into the general aviation spotlight with the unveiling of its latest evolutionary design, the seven-seat DA62.  

Inspired by its popular DA42 four-seat piston twin, the DA62 has been described by its manufacturer as a “flying luxury SUV.” With an all-new airframe that is wider, higher and longer than the DA42, Diamond’s newest twin is powered by 180-horsepower Austro AE330 engines and built at the OEM’s factory in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. It was certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in April 2015, with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification considered imminent. 

According to Peter Maurer, president and CEO of London, Ont.-based Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (Canada), there was no better place to introduce the DA62 than NBAA 2015, held Nov. 17 to 19 in Las Vegas, Nev.

“This aircraft moves us up to another category,” Maurer told Skies on the NBAA show floor. “We’ve been evolving our product line from the original motor-glider for the past 25-plus years. Now we’ve evolved our four-seater twin, the DA42, into a more capable platform. One of the reasons we’re here at NBAA is we feel that this aircraft , with the seats and payload it has, is an aircraft that can compete in the entry-level charter world, maybe as a complement to larger corporate aircraft and in the air taxi business.”

Maurer said that like all Diamond aircraft, the DA62 has multiple applications. He believes its low operating costs—just marginally higher than the DA42—would allow an operator to use it as a twin trainer and also for light charter work. He also anticipates that the aircraft will find a following in the owner-flown market, where people are looking to trade up from a high-performance single. 

According to Maurer, the DA62 incorporates the latest innovations in airframe, engine, and avionics development. 

On the airframe side, its monocoque cabin is made of lightweight sculpted carbon fibre, with the NBAA aircraft’s sleek grey and silver exterior representing a marked departure from Diamond’s previously pure white aircraft. Maurer explained that many composite aircraft are traditionally white due to the properties of the epoxy resin used in the structure. However, the development of a new resin system that tolerates higher temperatures has allowed Diamond to paint the aerodynamic DA62 in darker colours. 

“The other key element that makes the aircraft perform very well are the engines,” continued Maurer. “The Austro AE330 engines are proprietary to Diamond and are developed from DA40 and DA42 engines. There are over 1,200 Austro engines out there, having accumulated more than 600,000 hours, with TBOs [time between overhauls] extended progressively from the initial 1,000 hours to the current 1,800 hours, with a further extension to 2,000 hours expected in 2016.”  

What makes the turbo diesel AE330 engine most notable, however, is that it burns jet fuel—not avgas. At 60 per cent power, it burns 18 litres (4.7 U.S. gallons) of fuel per hour; at maximum power, the AE330 consumes 39 litres (10.2 U.S. gallons) per hour. “Even at high performance cruise speeds, our twin burns about the same fuel as a high-performance single,” said Maurer.

Up front, the DA62 boasts a Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck with a three-axis autopilot and yaw damper. Maurer said Diamond’s London factory has always produced the avionics systems, instrument panels and harnesses for the manufacturer’s entire product line, and will be doing so for the DA62. However, that will be the extent of the Canadian division’s involvement in production of the new seven-seat aircraft for the foreseeable future. 

With FAA certification around the corner, first deliveries of the well-optioned US$1.2 million DA62 are expected to start in February 2016. The company is importing 25 aircraft for sale in the U.S. for 2016, and hopes to build an order book well beyond that. “It’s a fairly cautious approach, but we think for this model that number is definitely achievable. We’ll see how the market reacts from there,” concluded Maurer. 

Initial reaction to the DA62 has been positive. In mid-December 2015, Maurer confirmed the company had written “several firm contracts in just the past two weeks” and that the list of prospects was growing. Transport Canada certification of the DA62 is expected later in 2016.

What else is happening at Diamond’s London factory these days? Plenty, according to Diamond sales representative, Brent Eddington. 

“We’re building the DA20 right from scratch in London,” he said. “It’s our basic trainer, spin-certified, and a big draw for schools. We’re seeing a lot of customers coming back to us as they are renewing their fleets, because they’re happy with the DA20’s performance.”

Some of London’s 140 employees will also be producing single-engine DA40 turbo diesel-powered aircraft in the near future, as Austria shifts some production to accommodate its focus on the new DA62. 

“It will be our first time building the diesel-powered single at the London facility,” said Eddington, who noted that the powerplants are actually Mercedes Inline-4 automotive engines, which Diamond tears down and rebuilds into an aircraft engine. “Mercedes has been involved in diesel engine technology for years, so the partnership just made sense.”

Maurer added that Diamond’s Canadian plant is anticipating future growth, especially in light of the DA40 production and third-party contract work. “If you’re comparing it to the D-Jet days, we’re substantially below those staffing levels,” he commented. “But, we never say never—if an investor comes to the table to see the D-Jet through, we’d ramp up again.” 

Maurer estimated that it would take about US$90 million to revive the mothballed D-Jet program, which was Diamond’s attempt to build and certify an all-composite, single-engine personal jet. After years of financial uncertainly, the program was halted in February 2013 when development funds ran out. But today, things are looking up. With new production and contract work added to the mix, Diamond does seem to be taking on a new shine in London.