Attractive package.. wish it were pressurized, didn’t have that stick between your legs and had g500txi/gtn750... go away g1000...

https://www.diamondaircraft.com/en/abou ... 4_7-gosD90

For the price of a new airplane, I'd want pressurization too. Unfortunately that might cost 60% more according to Piper.
Unit cost Matrix: US$917,000 (2018), M350: US$1.478M, M500: US$2.209M, M600: US$3.189M (2019) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-46
Of course Piper might have different margins for marketing purposes, but my conclusion is: if I buy another airplane, it won't be new.

This is a very exciting new plane. Speed, range, payload, and packaging appear to be right on target. Plus the Diamond products seem to have very good quality control and finishing.

A small pressurization system would be great.. about 3psi is all they would need to make it very useable in their performance envelope....

Diamonds are nice.. but their resale seems to drops off a cliff at some point

Pretty neat.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/OZ_h5gNHAW0[/youtube]

I thought this keypad implementation/config was interesting...

Looks like that is optional, Jim, and maybe folds back into that armrest? Hmm, text didn't save with the photo.....but, they say it's an optional GCU.

Looks awesome. I love the DA40 except you really feel the bumps.

Diamond is picking a good niche. 5-seat, larger fuselage than Cirrus but similar performance due to the retractable gear aerodynamics. Diesel engine for better efficiency and cheaper fuel (especially outside the US).

For 20 years or so the certified diesels available have been lower horsepower - 115hp, 230hp, etc. Maybe workable for a training airplane. Now with a 300hp aircraft diesel there's a chance for a successful cross-country airplane.

I still think there's a great market out there for a 6-seat, 400hp diesel single. With the light twin market dying off, it just makes sense to expand what a single can do.

Love it but having to replace the engine at 1,200 hrs is not going to fly! Continental thinks they can increase TBR to 2,000 hrs but that's a guesstimate. What would it cost to replace the engine?

44' wingspan is going to be a nonstarter for many people; hangars that wide are hard to come by in a lot of places. Also, why only 50 gallons? The plane is gorgeous, I hope it sells!

It weighs a lot empty and even more full. Runway performance was not inspiring. Also only 50 gallons?

at 1232 useful load means 3 full size people, and bags. 50 gallons at 9 GPH (marketing number) is 5.5 hours in the air to dry tanks, that is 2+ hours longer than I can go without stopping. They claim 750 NM with VFR reserve, at 9 gph that pencils out to approximately 150 KTAS. I can only assume Diamond is looking at the useful load being more desirable than time in the air. Does anyone know if most of the diamonds are sold outside the US? Maybe it has something to do with certification in Europe? I noticed the max takeoff weight was 1999 KG, is there some cost differential with charges for services with 2000 kg and over in Europe?

They probably saw how many posts there are from people in their target demo who say "I've only got a 3 hour bladder."

In Europe there are Eurocontrol IFR nav charges for anything over 2000 kilos, 2 tonnes.


at 1232 useful load means 3 full size people, and bags. 50 gallons at 9 GPH (marketing number) is 5.5 hours in the air to dry tanks, that is 2+ hours longer than I can go without stopping. They claim 750 NM with VFR reserve, at 9 gph that pencils out to approximately 150 KTAS. I can only assume Diamond is looking at the useful load being more desirable than time in the air. Does anyone know if most of the diamonds are sold outside the US? Maybe it has something to do with certification in Europe? I noticed the max takeoff weight was 1999 KG, is there some cost differential with charges for services with 2000 kg and over in Europe?