RAF buys spy planes to monitor enemies from the sky
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
DA42 has alleged engine failure on take-off - all on board walked away.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Europa
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A very capable little beastie the DA42.
Not really designed for Multi- Engine Training environment (hence large proportion of Thielert Engine issues) The schools bought it due low fuel consumption c.f. 25 year old American twins and EFIS. Nice easy single lever operation means type specific IR. For a full multi IR licence CAA demands you fly a machine with mixture and prop controls.
If just used as a cruise machine it's very good.
Perhaps with Grob in trouble the RAF might procure other Diamond products for EFT?
Not really designed for Multi- Engine Training environment (hence large proportion of Thielert Engine issues) The schools bought it due low fuel consumption c.f. 25 year old American twins and EFIS. Nice easy single lever operation means type specific IR. For a full multi IR licence CAA demands you fly a machine with mixture and prop controls.
If just used as a cruise machine it's very good.
Perhaps with Grob in trouble the RAF might procure other Diamond products for EFT?
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: england
Posts: 613
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For a full multi IR licence CAA demands you fly a machine with mixture and prop controls.
Last edited by Lurking123; 20th Jan 2009 at 18:41.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: bored
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perhaps with Grob in trouble the RAF might procure other Diamond products for EFT
Maybe you could make a case for DA42 on MELIN. DA42 would seem a more natural stepping stone between Tutor and King Air than the Slingsby. Students could start asymmetric flying and would get familiar with G1000 on DA42, so maybe a few hours could be saved out of the King Air syllabus.
Last edited by CirrusF; 21st Jan 2009 at 06:50.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hunched over a keyboard
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Who's flying them?
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: bored
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just heard from somebody in regular contact with the factory that there is a delay in certifying the new Austro-Engines and first deliveries will now be delayed until 2010.
The old engine supplier (Thielert) is struggling back into production under administration, so maybe any new deliveries will be equipped with the older engines.
The old engine supplier (Thielert) is struggling back into production under administration, so maybe any new deliveries will be equipped with the older engines.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: GONE BY 2012
Age: 51
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
it's ex-military pilots (mostly ex-RAF) using civilian licences and ratings
Must be a nice earner if they do
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Europa
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes LURKING123 - quite right it does need qualification:
From JAR OPS:
"SPA IR privileges are not type or class specific - the
holder of more than one SPA type or class rating is
required to re-validate the IR on only one SPA type
or class (usually the most complex one)."
Long before JAR and the DA42, under old National rules, a single crew MEP IR was valid for all a/c not requiring a type rating. A seneca driver could jump into a Duchess without a specific CAA test. JAR brought in the differences training requirement (partly due to the likes of DA42) and now you have to do that training whether you go from DA42 to Seneca or visa versa.
Certainly a 6 lever a/c with engine failure before a SE NDB approach a tad different to the Diamond machine and would require practice. Similarly, a steam driven operator would need to be competent with Garmin's gizmos before shooting an ILS in a DA42.
Cirrus F: If the Chinese don't buy out bankrupt Grob then a company like Diamond could step in and add more aerobatic machinery to their model range. Agree their present SEP range is not suitable for EFT.
From JAR OPS:
"SPA IR privileges are not type or class specific - the
holder of more than one SPA type or class rating is
required to re-validate the IR on only one SPA type
or class (usually the most complex one)."
Long before JAR and the DA42, under old National rules, a single crew MEP IR was valid for all a/c not requiring a type rating. A seneca driver could jump into a Duchess without a specific CAA test. JAR brought in the differences training requirement (partly due to the likes of DA42) and now you have to do that training whether you go from DA42 to Seneca or visa versa.
Certainly a 6 lever a/c with engine failure before a SE NDB approach a tad different to the Diamond machine and would require practice. Similarly, a steam driven operator would need to be competent with Garmin's gizmos before shooting an ILS in a DA42.
Cirrus F: If the Chinese don't buy out bankrupt Grob then a company like Diamond could step in and add more aerobatic machinery to their model range. Agree their present SEP range is not suitable for EFT.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: bored
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would really like to volunteer for this, if they are still looking for pilots. I have the quals required. Does anybody know who to write to in the MOD? Please send me a PM if you do.
Thread Starter
Honeywell T-Hawk to enter UK service in September
Well, anyone keen on 'flying' a UAV in hot & sandy places might want to read one of the items in Flight's latest 'Unmanned Newsletter'. No sitting in a nice air-con portacabin with this little beasty, it is up close and personal 
Seriously though, if it is effective in it's intended role, then the sooner they are deployed the better
Seriously though, if it is effective in it's intended role, then the sooner they are deployed the better
Thread Starter
Diamond certifies Austro AE 300 turbo-diesel
On Flight International today:-
Diamond Aircraft has received European type certification for its turbo-diesel Austro AE 300 engine, a development the company says “secures its future.”
Diamond had been scrambling to develop an alternative to the Thielert Centurion 2.0 turbo-diesel engine after Thielert filed for bankruptcy in April last year. The Centurion powers more than 400 DA40 piston singles and more than 500 DA42 twins. Diamond has not ruled out offering a Thielert option on future aircraft assuming the company recovers after a pending sale.
“The complete program developed into one that was significantly more complex than originally anticipated,” says Diamond CEO Christian Dries of the certification effort, which ultimately took 42 months to complete at a cost of €48 million. Dries says there are already 27 DA42 NG aircraft powered by AE 300 engines on the production line and type certificate for the aircraft is expected “imminently”.
Dries says Diamond next will certify the engine as forward-fit for the DA40 and DA50, and will develop an AE 300-powered version of the DA42 multi-purpose platform. The company will also offer a retrofit version for its existing Thielert diesel-powered aircraft.
Diamond had been scrambling to develop an alternative to the Thielert Centurion 2.0 turbo-diesel engine after Thielert filed for bankruptcy in April last year. The Centurion powers more than 400 DA40 piston singles and more than 500 DA42 twins. Diamond has not ruled out offering a Thielert option on future aircraft assuming the company recovers after a pending sale.
“The complete program developed into one that was significantly more complex than originally anticipated,” says Diamond CEO Christian Dries of the certification effort, which ultimately took 42 months to complete at a cost of €48 million. Dries says there are already 27 DA42 NG aircraft powered by AE 300 engines on the production line and type certificate for the aircraft is expected “imminently”.
Dries says Diamond next will certify the engine as forward-fit for the DA40 and DA50, and will develop an AE 300-powered version of the DA42 multi-purpose platform. The company will also offer a retrofit version for its existing Thielert diesel-powered aircraft.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Flight reporting that Boeing are considering putting the OV-10 Bronco into production after a 23-year break...
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: bored
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And why is that better?
or you could try something like this
Beech King Air............
There are any number of aircraft that you could propose - all costing an order of magnitude more than a DA42, with running costs an order of magnitude higher, some requiring large, expensively trained crews, and most not even having the autonomy of the DA42.
Even the Britten Norman Islanders currently in ISTAR role in Iraq are considered "good value" to the Defence budget with an hourly cost of about £1500 (source: Hansard). The direct operating cost of a DA42 (ie maintenance only, excluding capital costs and fuel) is about £235. Given that they burn only 5 USG per hour (both engines) when in maximum autonomy regime, the fuel cost is negligible.
Last edited by CirrusF; 3rd Feb 2009 at 17:20.
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: S. UK - near the sea...
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CirrusF
No you nugget! The king air is a comment in reply to the Bronco part of the thread. However I thought they were talking for ISR, I am also a DA42 fan.
Da42's are a lot more than that an hour to fly now they are not under any warranty; in fact try nearly three times quoted prices according to a flight school near here who have done the calcs based on current thielert situation..... still a good answer to a lot of potentially expensive questions.
You sold any more yachts recently?
cheers
SF
Da42's are a lot more than that an hour to fly now they are not under any warranty; in fact try nearly three times quoted prices according to a flight school near here who have done the calcs based on current thielert situation..... still a good answer to a lot of potentially expensive questions.
You sold any more yachts recently?
cheers
SF
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: River Thames
Age: 69
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
G-DOSC in the wild
For fans of the Old Sarum carefully manicured grass, here's a photo taken recently with DA-42 MPP G-DOSC making dents in it.
Clearly, although the registration has changed from OE-FOG it hasn't yet acquired the Royal Air Force titling that was applied to its sisters.
Clearly, although the registration has changed from OE-FOG it hasn't yet acquired the Royal Air Force titling that was applied to its sisters.