Today I got to spend a few hours in a Diamond DA42. It's quite a plane! With it's modern composite construction it is very sleek and screams tech! This one had the obligatory G1000 setup and also a GFC 700 autopilot, full FIKI with TKS and Thielert diesel powered. This is an interesting, forward thinking and very capable airplane.

Now I'm very biased towards Beechcraft because I love the way they look, how they are built, how they stand the test of time and I also love the way they fly... however I really like other planes too, and generally anything with wings and can get into the sky fascinates me. What struck me about the DA42 is that this is the first plane I've ever flown that I really liked and really hated at the same time.

Hate: I'm a tall guy at just shy of 6'4". I can honestly say that even with the pedals all the way forward I barely fit, and by "barely" I mean I basically don't fit. If you are much over 6'2" I'm hard pressed to see how you could be anything less than slightly uncomfortable in this plane, at my height you're basically at the uncomfortable state and anything taller than me and you'd be miserable. My head hits the ceiling and the top of my shins hit the sharp edge of the base of the panel. In heavy turbulence I'd be seriously bumming. Here is a quick video:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/ILDn8a3Ljjg[/youtube]

Dislike: Width feels a little narrower than my Baron, but I don't know the dimensions... it was shoulder to shoulder for sure, and with the center stick there was no convenient place to put anything such as charts or an iPad or BoogeyBoard scratch pad. The front window is ridiculous you feel like you're looking out the slit of tank. How could they design the plane with that huge bubble canopy and then make such terrible forward visibility. The irony here is that if you're short enough to fit well, you probably can see even less over the huge panel. One of the things I love about Beechcraft's are the huge windows give a tremendous view and sense of space. I love my Citabria for the same reason.

Like: The DA42 is very quiet... gone is the deep rumble of a big bore Continental, replaced by a chatter if the little diesels and composite props. I liked the sound though and the engines felt solid. Gone is the mixture lever and the prop lever, this is FADEC, full authority to the computer... forget your APS class and your LOP debates! You set the power levers to a percentage of max power and thats it. We set 90% power at 6500 ft and were doing about 155 kts but now here's the kicker... 6.2 gallons per side! Crikey that's Bonanza efficient or better out of a twin. Okay I do actually like my extra levers though, but you've gotta give huge props to Diamond for progressing with diesel.

Dislike: I took the plane through some maneuvers like steep turns and I was surprised at how heavy it feels. It's 10X heavier in roll than my 55 Baron, really. I really expected light roll forces, but you have to muscle it to turn the sucker. It's got what I would describe as neutral static stability though, ones you put it in the roll it stays there and is rock solid stable. It's just not that fun to maneuver it like I expected when I saw the fighter pilot stick control.

Like: We picked up IFR and flew through some rain and clouds and it's rock solid in IMC. The GFC 700 autopilot is also the best AP ever, but even hand flying the plane is just stable. It also has long wings but really rode the bumps pretty smoothly.

Dislike: The plane has a lot of adverse yaw and requires a lot of rudder pressure. We did a simulated engine out and the rudder pressure to straighten it out was tremendous. It was like being at VMC well over blue line until you put some serious leg strength into that rudder. On one engine at blue line it climbed at maybe 200 fpm, however it will keep that rate up up up since the compression ignition diesel will keep making full power at altitude like a turbo. Also the plane yaws when you put the gear down... I have no idea why, seemed strange to me but with drag comes yaw. The Baron is a cupcake to fly SE by comparison.

Dislike: Limited baggage space for a twin, the nose baggage had the TKS reservoir and not much room for anything else. You could probably fit a small handbag in there but that's it. The back seats are big enough for two adults and behind that not much space at all for bags.

Hate: The seats are misery... after an hour I felt like I was sitting on a cement slab and I was ready to get out. They are rated for crazy G forces but man, they are NOT comfy. I was thinking about the 6 hour flight I did on Sunday in my Baron and how miserable I'd have been in this plane.

Summary... it's a cool plane, FIKI and TKS and stable and miserly on the fuel.. so cool that Diamond is pushing forward with Diesels before anyone else really, and creating sleek and modern designs with the latest avionics and AP that are so efficient... albeit the plane I flew probably cost 800k+... that said, it's no Baron!

I am flying the DA42 for the first time this Saturday, hopefully being an inch or two shorter will make a difference in comfort. I think I will bring my clarity aloft headset to gain some headroom.

I want to see all the tech I am missing flying 'old planes', the DA42 is the tech crazy plane....we will see.

great PIREP Adam.
I'm surprised that it was so uncomfy, but I do like those fuel flows !

Nice to hear the report. I was close to buying a da42 after enjoying my DA40 ownership, but opted for an old b58, instead. I'm happy with my choice but I occasionally ponder what it would be like to burn 13 gallons per hour of jet-a rather than 34 of 100ll.
It is unfortunate that that gap between old school aircraft and the new models is so vast. Putting a G1000 in a Baron or Bonanza doesn't really bring it into the modern era, when you consider the modern systems, materials and design of aircraft like the Diamonds.
A little bit of innovation on something other than avionics would be great on the old piston planes.
It would be great if there were an in between option, between the 1950s designs and the 1990s.
Or maybe I should have just bought a Cirrus or Columbia...
Bang for the buck does seem to favor the legacy aircraft, though, an MU-2 seems to be calling my name. And I could be in a nice one for half of a DA42 vii

Is it a factory demo ?

I have a friend who is very interested in DA42 that would love to see it in flesh despite my best effort to join Beech family :-)

Not a factory demo, my friend rents it. I agree the fuel burn is compelling but the rental rate is $330 an hour! That screams to me that they are no cheaper to operate than a Baron, and 30 kts slower with less comfort and space. I'm amazed the cost to run is so high but then again, they cost a fortune to buy, the engines have a low time before replacement interval with no overhaul option, and they have a 15k per side clutch unit that needs replacement every 600 hrs.

I was at the AOPA convention in Palm Springs a number of years ago when they announced the twin diesel. They were taking $10,000. Deposits at an attractive price for the early models. I had my chequebook in hand until I sat in a DA40 which they said had the same cabin. I just did not fit. Could not get comfortable.

Given the early problems they had, I have been grateful for being too tall to fit.

Adam good write up. I agree with all your points except visibility. I found the DA42 visibility to be excellent.

I found the adverse yaw to be the most notable of the handling of the airplane. You basically have to start your turns with rudder.

I think th visibility is great out the sides, but the front? I'd day there is maybe 10 inches of window!

I think th visibility is great out the sides, but the front? I'd day there is maybe 10 inches of window!

Spencer
Agree on visibility. The da40 has phenomenal visibility, much better than my bonanza. Now in the summer it will cook your @ss.

Kevin

You can't compare it to a Baron it would be apples / oranges.
G1000 and GFC is standard on mostly every brand and not to compare at all.
If I remeber correct, until 2008 they had the combination G1000 and KAP140
Not a desirable combination.

You should look closer at those diesels...

Some facts:

If you don't run the engines within 4 weeks you have to remove them, they have to be inspected, they are no longer airworthy..
They are turbo but their peak is 8000ft then they lose already power
Car engines, not designed for altitude and flying.
Together 270hp. 90% 12,4 gallon, my former V-Tail IO520 285hp makes 170kt out of 12 Gallons
There are tight temperature restrictions to run it with diesel otherwise you need Jet
You are not allowed to fill the aux tanks with diesel
Not only the engine and the gear have TBR, every single part has to be replaced in short order like alternators, hoses, pumps - the maintenance costs are really heavy on this engines.
Our club DA42 has now a 600h inspection. The inspection is 22.000€ - it's not an annual included it's only because you exceed that number.

10 years ago they started with 1.7 a few years later 2.0 (the 1.7 was no longer available from Mercedes) and now 2.0S - same game.
The upgrade from 2.0 to 2.0S is 50.000€ per engine, count with at least 4 weeks AOG and remember it's only an 155hp engine with 1200TBR and lots of replacement during that time.
The prop is TBR too

Ok they consume cheaper fuel, available everywhere, but the maintenance is extremely high on this engine and airframe.

The design looks clean but it isn't. They cleaned the new DA42VI and gained about 20kt at the same power with the same airframe.

And don't forget, metal talks to you..

And once I read a nice joke.. " friends don't let friends fly plastic"

I have to confess, I'm a Beechboy.....

Quick nods:

- the newer engines (Austro 2.0), on 42NG and later are, performance-wise, the minimum acceptable. Is not just the 170HP per side, but the intercooler is significantly better, so the critical altitude bumps up from 8K to 14K, huge difference (and also becomes honest 170kt cruise airplane).
- combined with the cleanups, something like the 42-VI is "almost there". I flew a -VI only once and it's a 190kt airplane with 18K critical altitude = certified ceiling.
- cabin IS small overall, and the glareshield is higher than the DA-40. Combined with the long legs of the -42, Adam's perspective is accurate on the ground. I'm a short guy but never bothered with a cushion, I just land it like the Citabria from the back
- baggage space is laughable, and actually CG/UL issues come knocking very quickly
- Diamond is getting it right by splitting them into a XC version (stretched cabin) and the trainer. FIKI and stuff have no biz being on the trainer
- is all electrical airplane (incl. propulsion!), and this type of emergencies are not properly understood and taught
- sadly I think that at $300+ the plane is still cheaper to rent than own. Only problem is that I understand the -NG or later costs about the same to maintain as the legacy TDIs, but the 20-30kt differences on speeds (+climbs, celings etc.) make a huge difference in trip economics. Of course, there is $100K+ to upgrade the TDI.

Now, how about those Continentals 310 Diesels, though? (http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/July/30/Continental-310-hp-diesel-makes-first-flight

THAT will be an interesting STC for the Baron...

I wonder what that engine weighs. It looks massive but hard to tell. aluminum? Any idea what the auto version it is based on weighs in at?

This is what the view looked like for me, a little 10 inch strip of sky out the front. I found it disappointing. Alex said if they didn't make the top opaque like that we'd bake in the sun!