One of my aircraft does indeed lack an electrical system (including starter). It's a great, practical aircraft for the job it has to do, and that job includes lasting a very long time with no manufacturer support whatsoever. Sixty-seven years its been doing the job so far, with over sixty of those year having passed since the airframe manufacturer went broke. I suspect it'll still be doing that when every DA42 ever made is no longer flying.
I have another one too, its been doing a different job for 41 years, with the manufacturer being out of production for 40 of them. The electrical stuff makes it harder to maintain, but with the help of a good A&P, simple technology and very little money it's no problem. It's still getting me into and around complex airspace with its updated in 1988 panel. I plan on flying it more or less as-is for the foreseeable future. Nothing like simplicity to make that possible.
One of the great things about aircraft versus cars and consumer products is that the challenge of designing, building and operating them makes the people really think and do the rational thing. Good solutions last a long time, and bad solutions disappear.
I don't care what idiot European regulators, marketing people, and geeky non-engineer technical 'enthusiasts' think about that, either. I'll be flying my aircraft for the next few decades while they are busy talking
