Diamond DA40 TDi TAS@70%
Join Date: Oct 2004
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As I said, the aerodynamics are beyond me, but I don't think this is the explanation. The DA-40, just like all aircraft, needs to be stable in speed vs. pitch and therefore, I think, has to have an aerodynamic downforce generated by the tail. A lifting tail needs some very fancy fly by wire or something else to make it dynamically stable. A380 territory.
If at all possible, this would be the case. A tail pushing down creates extra drag, increasing fuel burn. If you can make the tail generate a little lift, total drag is reduced. It's usually done by managing the CofG by sticking fuel in the tail.
Pumping fuel around to manage CofG was very importanat to Concorde - drag management was an important aspect of that aeroplane's operation.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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Ours is down for maintenance (and perhaps a new engine, I don't know) anyway and I'll be at the club this afternoon so I'll give it a look.
(I did have a tremendous time on my first solo aerobatics sortie though!)
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: UK
Age: 54
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Hey Wombat, if you looked in the right place you might find the info you need. The OSB for the Engine retrofit was re - released yesterday.
As Deice says the Centurion 2.0 has been on the TCDS since June this year
As Deice says the Centurion 2.0 has been on the TCDS since June this year
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
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And the right place is where? Even Diamond at Retford couldn't tell me when it was likely to happen and that was about a month ago. I am relying on the FTO whose aircraft it is to let me know when I will be able to fly it again and I know I can rely on them to do so. As I understand it, Diamond didn't have the required procedure in place for retro-fitting and the 2.0 were only being fitted from new. Moggiee knows much more than I do as he is at the FTO concerned; all I can tell you is I last flew it at the beginning of August and it was grounded a few days later as the engine was out of hours. A new one had been ordered in plenty of time but the wrong one was sent. They sent a 24V one - the one for the Twinstar. 
Needless to say they couldn't fit it and by then the 1.7 was no longer available. 
Three months is a long time to have an aircraft sitting around waiting for the manufacturers involved to get their act together. Why were they so poorly prepared? They must have known that engines were going to be out of hours and they had neither a 1.7 to replace it nor a procedure in place for retro-fitting the 2.0 - very poor management if you ask me. If, as you say, they are now being retro-fitted then maybe I stand a chance of being able to fly it before Christmas this year. I am NOT holding my breath.
Needless to say they couldn't fit it and by then the 1.7 was no longer available. Three months is a long time to have an aircraft sitting around waiting for the manufacturers involved to get their act together. Why were they so poorly prepared? They must have known that engines were going to be out of hours and they had neither a 1.7 to replace it nor a procedure in place for retro-fitting the 2.0 - very poor management if you ask me. If, as you say, they are now being retro-fitted then maybe I stand a chance of being able to fly it before Christmas this year. I am NOT holding my breath.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
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I've just had a chat with a VERY helpful person at Diamond and it now looks as if I shall be able to give myself a Christmas treat of a flight in the DA40TDi which I usually fly - this Christmas! 
Thank you Diamond. 
Thank you Diamond.
