Diamond Unveils Turboprop Single At Aero

[Antoine]

Diamond don't even mention this thing on their web site.
I checked the turbine engine manufacturer's web site, this particular engine model is not listed, but comparable (heli) turbines have a SFC of 0.7 lbs/hp/hour
So yes, 150 gallons...

[Lance Murray]

This will be vaporware for sure. The prop looks a little bit large don't you think?

[Moonshine]

well.. I've heard that this might be more of a testbed. After all, not many of us would agree to have a fuselage fuel tank with Jet A in it

Panthera as a clean sheet design - another little bird tells me they managed 185 kts ground at 13000 enroute to Aero.

[Antoine]

Panthera is wonderfully refreshing. But 185 ground speed unfortunately means nothing without an indication of the wind. In Europe FL 130 can be quite windy. I remember my DA40 doing almost 200 ground speed ... with a 50 knot tail wind.

[Erik]

Quite right Antoine. A balloon can do 185kts ground speed with a 185kts wind!

[Antoine]

Hi Erik, )

Still I think I will end up with a Panthera some day!

[Jean]

This will be vaporware for sure. The prop looks a little bit large don't you think?

I back Lance.
Try to imagine a cowling covering that turboprop engine. Would look weird wouldn't it ? Also, quite surprising to have the gas exhaust under the plastic cabin... The air intake is on the right side.
When you see the engine frame, it looks more like modern art than fine engeneering.

Buzz, vaporware for sure.

[Jean]

Hi Erik, )
I saw the Panthera at Frierichshaffe.
Still I think I will end up with a Panthera some day!

Hello Antoine,
I saw the PAnthera yesterday at Friedrichshaffen. It looks good and sturdy.
Some drawbacks: the front visibilty is quite restricted, due to the canopy design and the central beam.
The cockpit is a little bit cramped at the rear. I have some concerns for safety of passenger's heads again because of that beam. I am not tall and my head almost touched the roof and on the central side, my head would bang on the structural beam. A helmet might be mandatory !
But they did a good job, I must say (in so little time).
I messed might camera, some pictures are not sharp, sorry about that.

[Aart]

OK, this thread was about Diamond's Turboprop, but anyway:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusi ... 596-1.html

Available in 2017.. Let's do a reality check and add 2 years. A lot can happen between now and 6 years.
I really hope these guys succeed though. Not easy in today's economic climate and forecast, especially here in Europe. They depend on private buyers, this is not a trainer so the market volume is limited.

[Antoine]

Just viewed an interview of the Panthera test pilot on aerobuzz.
He said fuel burn is 36liters per hour at 160 KTAS and FL 140 (about 9.5 GPH)

It would be truly miraculous if the final Pipistrel achieved 40 extra knots on an additional 0.5 GPH, so I guess we can already forget 200 KTAS on 10 GPH...

Elesewhere on Aerobuzz they reported that top speed tested so far was 180 KTAS, stall was 56 Knots , 3 knots better than calculated.
this stall speed is very good news, as it would have been a big headache if they needed to work on stall speed to stay below the 61 knot limit.

on the topic of top speed: 9.5 GPH is about 60% power on an IO/390. My guess is that this plane will max out around 180 KTAS at around FL 090. still very impressive...