The partnership expansion announced Thursday will add 50 DA40s and six DA42s to the Republic Airways training program. 

• READ MORE: UNSW School of Aviation Expands Diamond Fleet

According to Diamond Aircraft, the trainers are slated to bolster programs at new LIFT Academy campuses in Galveston, Texas; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

“These aircraft are chosen for their advanced technology and fuel efficiency, which not only align with our sustainability efforts but also closely mirror the aircraft our pilots will operate at Republic Airways,” said Ed Bagden, director of flight operations and academic programs at LIFT Academy. “This strategic expansion ensures that LIFT Academy continues to offer industry-leading training, preparing our students with a seamless transition to their careers as airline pilots.”

• READ MORE: Purdue, LIFT Academy Partner to Tackle Commercial Pilot Need

The Diamond DA40 piston single is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine and comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics. The aircraft offers a top cruise speed of 152 knots, 934 nm range, and maximum useful load of 900 pounds. The DA42 advanced piston twin is powered by 168 hp Austro Engine AE300 powerplants. It offers a top cruise speed of nearly 200 knots, 1,225 nm range, and maximum useful load of 1,276 pounds.

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The deal was announced by Diamond Aircraft in partnership with the company’s distributor for Australia and New Zealand, Utility Air. As part of the arrangement, Utility Air has also agreed to sponsor the school’s electric vehicle racing development team.

“To be able to sell a fleet of aircraft to UNSW Aviation is wonderful, and to be able to sponsor the development of electric propulsion at the university further enhances our green credentials, something we take very seriously at Utility Air,” said Utility Air managing director Stephen Pembro.

The new DA40 XLTs will join eight DA40s operated by UNSW Aviation. The aircraft will be based out of Bankstown Airport (YSBK) in Sydney, where UNSW Aviation’s flying operations unit is located. Diamond expects to deliver four of the aircraft in 2024 and the remaining two in 2025.

“UNSW Aviation is delighted to continue our strong relationship with Utility Air and Diamond Aircraft Industries with the purchase of six DA40 XLT [airplanes],” said UNSW director of flying operations Malcolm Good. “[It’s] a fantastic addition to our existing fleet of DA40s to enable UNSW Aviation to deliver safe and effective flying training to the next generation of aviation leaders.”

• READ MORE: Diamond’s DA40 NG Just Might Be What the General Aviation Market Is Clamoring For

Introduced in 2013, the avgas-burning Diamond DA40 XLT piston single is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 M1-A engine. The aircraft offers a top cruise speed of 142 knots, 847 nm range, fuel consumption of 8.2 gallons per hour, and maximum useful load of 900 pounds. It comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics.

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Today’s Top Pick is a 2005 Diamond DA40 F.

The Diamond DA40 has been around for more than 20 years but is still considered a modern design when compared with much of the GA fleet. Functionally this four-seater with a composite structure takes over where older, more conventional models like the Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 leave off. Like those aircraft, the DA40 is well suited for training student pilots while also making a good personal airplane.

The DA40 has gone through several changes and upgrades during its development, and today it is a popular model with flight schools and as an ideal first aircraft for new pilots. The aircraft is available with a familiar Lycoming IO-360 engine or an Austro Engine AE300 diesel that runs on jet-A.

This 2005 DA40 has 2,503 hours on the airframe and 475 hours on its Lycoming engine. The panel includes G1000 avionics and a GTX 33 transponder. Its paint and interior are original.

Pilots looking for a modern four-seat single that is suited for training and travel should take a serious look at this 2005 Diamond DA40 F, which is available for $250,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

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The flight school, which is also a training partner of regional carrier SkyWest Airlines, expects to further boost the size of its DA20 fleet to as many as 40 aircraft during the next three years as it continues to pursue its growth plans.

• READ MORE: LIFT Academy Takes Delivery of a Diamond DA20

FLT Academy plans to integrate the new two-seat, single-engine DA20s into its existing fleet of 50 training aircraft based at Woods Cross and Spanish Fork, Utah. The school’s fleet currently includes DA20s, DA40s, twin-engine DA42s and two-seat Sport Cruisers.

“We are excited to continue our growth by adding these Diamond DA20s to our fleet,” said Jason Clark, founder and CEO of FLT Academy. “As a flight school committed to providing world-class training, we are always looking for ways to improve and provide our students with the best possible learning experience. The DA20 is a perfect fit for our needs, and we are confident that it will help us continue to make flight training more accessible and affordable for our students.”

• READ MORE: Urbe Aero Flight Academy Expands Fleet With Diamond Aircraft

LifeStyle Aviation, headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, has more than 15 years of experience in aircraft sales to flight schools and other clients worldwide.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with FLT Academy to provide them with the most modern flight training aircraft in the industry,” said John Armstrong, LifeStyle’s founder and president. “Overall, the Diamond DA20’s combination of safety, efficiency, performance, and comfort make it an ideal aircraft for the flight training market.”

The post Academy to Buy 10 Diamond DA20s from LifeStyle Aviation appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The companies said Lufthansa plans to purchase an eDA40 to supplement its

current fleet of DA40 NG aircraft, and the partners also plan to look into using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

Diamond said its fleet of efficient piston aircraft that run on lead-free jet fuel have long reflected its environmentally friendly strategy, and that with the eDA40, “the company is taking its sustainable approach one step further.” Lufthansa said its goals, including becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 and cutting its net carbon emissions in half by 2030 compared to 2019, align well with Diamond’s plans.

“We have enjoyed a long and trusting partnership with Diamond Aircraft,” said Matthias Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa Aviation Training. “Diamond Aircraft’s fuel-efficient DA40 and DA42 models are already operating very successfully at our flight schools in Rostock (Germany) and Grenchen (Switzerland). I am very pleased that with the signing of the LOI for the all-electric eDA40, we are now jointly opening a groundbreaking chapter in the topic of sustainability.”

The companies said the eDA40 will be tested at Lufthansa’s base in Grenchen, and results will be used to develop the aircraft further for flight training and possible use in a mixed training fleet with conventional piston-powered DA40 NGs. Lufthansa said that under its plan to be the eDA40 launch customer in the European Union, it expects to buy a number of the aircraft for its flight training program and to comply with Lufthansa Group’s sustainability targets. 

“We are excited and honored to announce renowned Lufthansa Aviation Training as our launch customer for our all-electric eDA40 and as a strong partner for an important and trendsetting collaboration for a better tomorrow,” said Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO of Diamond Aircraft Austria. “With our agreement we expect a huge step towards a greener aviation future and to develop the most advanced electric training aircraft in the world.”

The post Diamond Aircraft, Lufthansa to Develop Electric Training Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Diamond, the aircraft are equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpits and propelled by the efficient 168-hp AUSTRO AE300 jet-A-powered engines, which burn up to 50 percent less lead-free fuel and operate with a lower noise signature than conventional avgas-powered aircraft.

The acquisition will help the academy meet the demand for pilots, said professor Lorenzo Mezzadri, accountable manager of Urbe Aero Flight Academy.

“The growth of our organization in the last 12 years, and the huge number of young pilots we were able to prepare for the major airlines, is clear evidence of a basic solidity for a high-level service,” Mezzadri said. “With this investment, our fleet will reach 19 Diamond aircraft—seven DA20-C1s, nine DA40 NGs, and three DA42-VIs.”

The new aircraft will allow the flight school “to cope with current and future partnerships with European airlines,” he said.

Urbe Aero Flight Academy has been a factor in Europe’s aviation industry for more than 20 years, first as an aircraft dealer, then as a flight academy and aircraft maintenance organization. The company is based at the Rome Urbe Airport (LIRU). The school is an EASA-approved training organization. The academy operates a fleet of 11 modern single-engine and twin-engine Diamond DA20, DA40, and DA42 aircraft, with Garmin glass-cockpit avionics. The academy also has two flight simulators; one configured as a Diamond DA42, and the other as a Boeing 737NG that is used by airlines for pilot selection.

Urbe Aero Group also includes aircraft maintenance affiliates in Austria, Germany, and Croatia.

“Urbe Aero Flight Academy has been tremendously benefiting from operating aircraft by the same manufacturer for both single-engine and multiengine training,” said Jane Wang, sales director, Diamond Aircraft Austria. “Fleet commonality offers them more advantages, such as minimized instructor standardization, rapid student transition, and reduced parts inventories. We are delighted about their successful development and are proud to be part of this exciting journey to move the aviation industry forward.”

Diamond’s complete line of piston aircraft includes a dedicated flight training concept with single-engine piston (DA40 NG) and multiengine piston (DA42-VI) trainers, along with type-specific flight training simulators and proprietary jet-fuel-powered engines, Diamond Aircraft is the only sole-source provider in the flight training market, according to the company.

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The academy, which is a brand of Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT), recently took delivery of two new Austro Engine jet-fuel-powered DA40 NG aircraft at Rostock-Laage Airport (ETNL) in Germany. The delivery increases the training fleet at the company’s flight school to 12 aircraft of both types, DA40 and DA42. 

“With the new deliveries, we expand our fleet of state-of-the-art training aircraft, and improve training quality even more,” said Matthias Lehmann, managing director of LAT Pilot Academy, in a statement. 

The new DA40 NG aircraft are powered by an Austro AE300, a 168 hp, turbocharged four-cylinder, two-liter piston engine that can run on either jet A-1 or diesel fuel. The DA40 comes with a fully integrated Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck that includes the GFC700 Automatic Flight Control System and provides avionics support that includes traffic advisories, Garmin’s Synthetic Vision Technology, and satellite weather.

“We are proud to support the growth of European Flight Academy,” said Jane Wang, sales director, Diamond Aircraft Austria, in a released statement. “The cooperation with the academy has been a great pleasure and we’re looking forward to continuing to support them with the industry’s safest and most efficient training platforms.”

Safety Record, Fuel Efficiency Attractive to Flight Schools

Diamond boasts an “industry-leading safety record,” which makes its aircraft particularly desirable for flight schools.

• READ MORE: Diamond’s DA40 NG Just Might Be What the General Aviation Market is Clamoring For

With headquarters in Austria, Diamond attributes the low accident rate of the DA40 to the airplane’s active and passive safety features, including the superb visibility of its cockpit design. 

The fuel-efficiency of the aircraft is also an attractive feature for flight schools. The DA40 consumes 5.1 gph operating at 60 percent max power. Soon, flight schools may have an even more fuel-efficient option: electric aircraft. 

Seizing on the push across general aviation to increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, Diamond is developing an all-electric aircraft—targeted specifically for flight training purposes. Dubbed the eDA40, Diamond expects the electric trainer to be certified by early 2024.

• READ MORE: Diamond Announces Plans To Create All-Electric Trainer

Other aircraft manufacturers are also developing electric aircraft tailored for flight training. Pipistrel’s Velis Electro S-LSA is already on the market in the U.S. and it was recently certificated to operate in the U.K. 

A Global Training Solution

LAT combines the flight schools of Lufthansa Group—including its ab initio training program for Lufthansa Airlines—under the brand European Flight Academy (EFA). EFA has been the flight school of the Lufthansa Group since 2017 and has training facilities located across Germany and Switzerland. 

EFA students also spend time training in the U.S. The academy partners with United Aviate Academy in Goodyear, Arizona, where its students are trained to fly single-engine aircraft and receive upset prevention and recovery training. Taking advantage of Goodyear’s average 290-plus days of sunshine a year, the students spend approximately five months flying Cirrus SR20 aircraft, according to EFA.

EFA boasts on its website of having the largest simulator fleet in Europe, representing all major aircraft types, and 450 flight instructors.

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The Polaris is a 74-inch diameter, three-blade ASCII carbon fiber prop for the Austro Engine E4-A. It features a lightweight Bantam aluminum hub and 2,400-hour/six-year TBO, with Hartzell’s warranty through first overhaul. 

The STC is limited to DA40 NGs equipped with MÄM 40-434, the cowling redesign, or the OÄM 40-310 with the exhaust system with muffler.

“Hartzell’s Top Prop performance conversion kit includes the propeller, a white or metallic silver composite spinner, and STC documentation,” said Hartzell Propeller president JJ Frigge. “It delivers light, smooth, and state-of-the-art improved climb performance, two to three ktas faster cruise and is more durable with an eco-friendly 74.1 dB(a) noise level.”

“The 3-blade Hartzell carbon fiber composite propeller STC’d onto the Diamond DA40 NG is a custom designed airfoil utilizing our Bantam retention system, which is our lightest weight hub series,” he said.

Finding the best combination of propeller and aircraft engine is a precise art, says Frigge,

“Which is why we went with this extremely lightweight but durable Polaris propeller that enhances performance for the DA40 NG.” 

Hartzell already has an STC for a two-blade carbon fiber composite propeller on the DA40 with the Lycoming engine, which is the preferred option for many Diamond customers. That prop is installed directly on the production line by Diamond via the Hartzell STC. 

Frigge adds that Hartzell has indeed installed propellers on other diesel applications, including the Cessna 172 with the Continental diesel engine, and it has several other propellers in development with diesel engine manufacturers and airframes utilizing diesel technology. 

The STC kit for the advanced blended airfoil design prop sells for $24,613.

The post Hartzell Propeller Gets Prop STC for Diesel-Powered DA-40 Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Premier Aircraft’s territory now stretches across half of the country, with sales and service bases in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (KFXE); Fort Worth, Texas (KFTW); and Norwood, Massachusetts (KOWD). It focuses on Diamond’s line of aircraft, including the DA40 NG, DA42, DA50 RG, and DA62, which can use a wide range of diesel fuels, including jet-A.

“We are extremely proud and grateful that Diamond Aircraft has selected us as their exclusive sales and service representative in these 21 Caribbean Island countries,” said Travis Peffer, CEO for Premier Aircraft Sales. 

“Our successful history as an authorized Diamond dealer began shortly after Premier opened its doors in 2003. Being awarded the Caribbean Island territory is the next great step in our long and successful relationship.” Premier will handle the territory from its location at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida.

Selling Diamonds

Premier has sold more than 730 new and used Diamond aircraft over the course of its more than 20-year run, making it one of Diamond’s top dealers in volume.

“Premier Aircraft Sales has been a long-term successful dealer and service center for Diamond Aircraft,” said Annemarie Mercedes Heikenwälder, head of sales and marketing at Diamond Aircraft. 

“Premier boasts excellent sales in both new and used aircraft, but convenient and reliable service solutions throughout their territory. Headquartered in southern Florida, Premier is the gateway to the Caribbean, and we are confident they will serve this market very well.”

With the availability of jet-A throughout the Caribbean often more consistent than that of 100LL, the Diamond line should see good penetration into the regional sales market.

The post Premier Aircraft Expands into the Caribbean appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Velis Electro fills a niche—for the moment. In my assessment, I noted that, in order for it to secure its place in flight training, the down time between flights required to charge the battery needed to come down. Unless it’s on Pipistrel’s “fast charge” system, the time to recharge moves from one hour to more than two hours in some cases.

An hour felt like a passable delay between flights—not ideal, but workable. Two hours? That’s a long time to wait. Even the slowest fuel truck rarely makes you pace around the airplane that long between flights.

Enter the Diamond

So, you can imagine my curiosity was piqued with the announcement at AERO Friedrichshafen this week that Diamond Aircraft partnered with Safran to develop an “e” version of its popular DA40 single-engine aircraft.

The key piece in this new electric training aircraft lies in Safran’s motor, the ENGINeUS 100, which is expected to deliver 130 kWh maximum at takeoff power, with a fully integrated motor controller. 

According to Safran, the electric motor’s certification is expected to come in mid-2023, with first flights of the eDA40 taking place by the end of the second quarter of 2022. The companies propose that EASA certification will come sometime in late 2023 to early 2024, if all goes according to plan.

So what’s special about this new electric engine? The total flight time of 90 minutes initially projected isn’t much more than that of the Pipistrel motor in the Velis Electro. What’s compelling is the airplane’s “fast charge” claim—a turnaround time of 20 minutes.

Now, that’s a real game changer for the flight training environment. In the time it takes an instructor to debrief one lesson, grab a bio break, and conduct even the shortest preflight discussion with a new student, at least 30 minutes should pass. (Note to instructors who would brag about shorter turn times: you’re shortchanging your students—but that’s a topic for another day.)

Proven Technology?

The Safran line of ENGINeUS fully electric powerplants ranges from 50 to 100 kWh, and they’ve been around long enough for the company to call them “proven technology.” Safran also offers a hybrid electric propulsion system up to 500 kWh—suitable for aircraft weights into the commuter range.

The eDA40 will be the electric motor’s first application into the training environment, however, which is notoriously hard on airplanes. While the DA40 has withstood the test in general use, and the airframe is relatively durable, what’s under the hood also needs to stand up to the wear and tear of student operations. And that’s a question Pipistrel will be answering with the Velis Electro as well. We know how a Continental O-200 wears over time—and we now can predict how well a Rotax 912 series will perform in the field, with heavy instructional use. But it took a while—and flight school owners can be rightfully skeptical.

But if the eDA40 does what Diamond and Safran propose, it will change the game indeed—with a fast charge that others will need to match.

The post The Future Is a Fast Charge appeared first on FLYING Magazine.