Katana

[NigelS]

Does anyone have anything good (or bad) to say about the Diamond Katana. Having moved to a new area I need to complete my PPL at a new school. Sadly I have to leave behind the Warrior I so much enjoy and switch to the Katana.

Any opinions glady received.

Kind regards

Nigel :) ;)

[N380UA]

The Katana is much nicer than the Warrior. At your stage perhaps a bit unconventional, with that I mean a stick rather than a yoke, no nose steering, constant speed prop, etc, etc., but you'll get used to it quickly; and enjoy it.

Have fun!!

[NigelS]

A stick!! Aghhh!! No, no... I can't stand it. Can I? This will certainly take some getting used to. I'm happy enough with a stick on MS flight simulator but in a real plane...

Anyway, thanks very much for your reply. I appreciate it. Cross the fingers it won't take toooo much to convert.

[Dragger of Tail]

I have recently started to instruct using the Katana. I think they are a very clever design. They are quiet, have very good vis, and are responsive to the controls.
Above all I think they are fun to fly, I am sure you will love them. The control column will take you about 15 minutes to get used to.

[Tigereye]

...how do you make a small fortune out of aviation?...
Start with a huge fortune ofcourse! http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/roll.gif

[NigelS]

Thanks for your valuable input TigerEye. This helps me immensely.... Not!!

[Viggen]

Nigel, there was a recent flight test on the Katana in Pilot or Flyer or one of those mags - if I've still got it, I'll pop it on our digital sender here at work and you'll get it in your email inbox.

[in a spin]

I done my ppl in a Katana, a superb little Aircraft. Steering took a bit of getting used to!! :D

[312928]

I've done quite a few hours in the Katana and I like it.
The stick takes about 5 mins to get used to, and is very crisp and responsive.
Very docile in the stall, doesn't really tend to viloently drop a wing, even with power on.
Bubble canopy gives great vis but is a bit like a greenhouse on hot days.
Steering with the toe brakes does require a thin-soled pair of shoes as mentioned above.
Intsruments aren't anything to write home about; all electric so no IMC at all.
Good 100kt cruise, low on fuel useage, but do watch out on a hot day with full fuel and two-up.
Anything I've missed?

[Luke SkyToddler]

On the whole I agree with Speedbird (funny that, since I taught him to fly the things - how are you old bean??!!)

The view is fantastic, they're dead easy to take off and land, and they're much better to impress the girlie with because they are all nice and new with lots of flash kit inside, and don't look like a manky 30-year-old poor flying relative of a Morris Minor.

Non aerobatic of course: the roll rate is about as exciting as a wet weekend in Cleethorpes, and they do take a bit of getting used to on the taxi if you haven't used castoring nose wheels before. As previously mentioned the stick is no big deal, you'll be loving it within minutes and wonder why you put up with those clunky control yokes for so long. The wings are big for the aircraft size, with a low wing loading, which means they tend to get knocked about in turbulent air noticeably more than most other lighties.

One thing I'm surprised nobody has mentioned: the Rotax engines are utter garbage, and need to be handled with kid gloves if they're not going to go silent at inopportune moments. They do not take the same sort of punishment that you can dish out to a Continental or Lycoming, I have seen the unfortunate consequences of taking off on a not-properly-warmed-up Rotax and it ain't pretty. Aluminium engine blocks with steel innards you see, they heat up and cool at different rates, and the constant up-and-down of the training environment is very hard on them.

Hence the reason why my employer is sending all our ones back to Diamond Aircraft after having had them for only 3 or 4 years, we simply can't make money on them compared to the C152s, we've had an average engine life expectancy of only 6 or 700 hours (at a bit over £5,000 a throw), compared to the over 2,000 hours TBO we can get out of a Lycoming. Fortunately nothing catastrophic has happened yet while they're airborne, but. I know of at least one other flying club in the UK that's recently come to the same conclusion. There is another version of the Katana 'stateside that's powered by a Continental which is apparently a whole different ball game, I'd like to see one but I don't think there's any here in the UK as yet.

If anyone wants to buy 4 slightly used Katanas then you know who to call :D

[E. MORSE]

Agree ,

Don't like the engine's either.

Idle check sounds horrible (and then : imagine the student saying "one time in summer it did shut down".
And my best reply was "well it is winter now")

The intended shut down , the one after a flight and after having parked , is an immediate one : prop stands still like a column after turning the key.

No cozy little prop spins after a shutdown that is.

it is more a mature motorglider in my opinion.

Best days of my life were in a glider and with that in mind , on a scale of 1 to 10 :

7


cheers
;)

[Trislander]

Come on!!!

Real flying involves using sticks instead of yokes!!! Yokes suck unless they are attached to a jet airliner!

You have far much more personal control over the aircraft with a stick, and actions appear to be more immediate (especially in a Bulldog!)

Get Real!!!
Trislander.

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"Ayline 221 airbourne"