Hmmm...
The Avgas DA42 is a travesty, all that modern technology thrown out of the window with a dodgey throttle quadrant stuck in.....such a shame.
How have you formed this opinion?
I hope the throttle quadrant is not truely "dodgey", as I am the person who made the finding of design compliance for the Canadian STC for the aircraft. I can say that the Diamond crew's design and execution of the DA42 L360 throttle quatrant is the best designed, highest quality, and most artful light aircraft quadrant I have ever flown.
The IO-360 engine installation is masterful. I have never flown better cowled engine installation, in terms of cooling. I was one the pilots who did the testing of it's characteristics, and I made the findings of design compliance for the STC. I have never flown a more shock cooling resistant installation. I was the pilot who slammed the throttles closed, and started down, watching the temps very carefully. Amazingly stable temps. I could not have been more pleased. I found design complance with a wide margin of satisfaction.
I'm not knocking the diesels. I flew the standard DA42, and loved it. I just would not want to pay the maintenance costs, or suffer the down time for the engine maintenance. The fact that I pilot must learn to properly operate the IO360's on a DA42 L360, is not a travesty, it is part of a pilot's responsibility to understand as many different aspects of aircraft operation as possible. I certainly learned a lot about the simplicity of the Thielert diesel in the standard DA42, as I had to check myself out in the aircraft when I flew it. It was even easier that the turbines I have flown. So I suppose that any plane the DA42 pilot will fly next (other than a sailplane) will require more engine managment skills!
The IO 360 STC for the DA42 was a much needed solution to an unfortunate situation, and Diamond is to be wholey commended for stepping up, making a big investment, and providing this solution for their DA42 customers. The result is a great twin, with very well understood engines, that any engine shop in the world can repair or overhaul, and with a huge spare parts base.
If there are DA42 L360 owners out there who are unhappy with that aircraft, as modified by the STC, I would be very interested in hearing the details of their unhappiness, so I can consider these aspects in my future certification work...
Pilot DAR