DA40 NG nominated "Plane of the Year", open for votings

[Kai]

The DA40 NG was nominated to "Plane of the Year" by the "Fliegermagazin", Germany's most read pilot's magazine. Diamond Aircraft Industries would be happy if you can give your vote for the DA40NG.

http://www.fliegermagazin.de/award2014/

Read more here... it's a 5MB file and in German language only, so be patient:

fliegermagazin Award 2014_nominees.pdf

(5.56 MiB) Downloaded 258 times

[Keith M]

For an aircraft company that prides itself on safety, increasing stalling speeds by 11 KIAS, by switching to an engine which is 50kg heavier than its predecessor, was a big mistake. They are now similar to those of an SR20, which has an alternative means of getting back on the ground if the engine fails. That's the reason it will not get my vote.

[Antoine]

Same here. I will also add that my vote goes to the DA40NG for "worst cowling of the decade"

[Tommy]

No need to reiterate what both Keith and Antoine have said. I agree with them whole heartedly on both counts.
The diesel is definitely not the end game yet. Let's see what Shell comes up with.

[Antoine]

There is a rule of thumb in aircraft design that says one hundred pounds you add or save at the design stage ends up costing or saving five hundred pounds through snowball effect.
The DA40-NG (one hundred pounds heavier engine) has pushed the original DA40 airframe to its structural limits and ruined its hallmark safety qualities to boot.
Yet, let's face reality: it IS the best diesel-powered SEP plane around - the second best is... yet to be developed...
So maybe after all we should give it our vote? What else? as we say here in Nespressoland

[Kai]

In order to give this plane my vote or not, I tried to understand what I want this award to be and what I expect from this election, except for a brand new DSLR. IMHO, the award should call attention to a new and innovative plane. If possible, this plane should have some kind of impact to GA. Currently 50% of GA, maybe more, takes place in the US and I see little chance to ever improve GA in the rest of the world if we don't work either on the fuel prices as in the US (yeah, right...) or on different means of propulsion. The Austro engine on the DA40 is an interesting first step and maybe a break through. There are issues as you mentioned above:

- Bad cowling? Hmm.... ok, that's a matter of taste. I don't think it's too bad.
- Higher landing speed? Yeah, that's the price you pay for a range of 1000 nms. Add 40 more gallons to an XLS and see what it does in terms of stall speed, etc...
- Engine 50 kgs heavier? True, but more hp, TBO of 1500, engine is overhaulable other than Centurions, shorter t/o and landing distances and higher crosswind landing capabilities.

I always complain that in 50 years of GA, no real innovations have been made. Everybody who has tried went bankrupt, was thwarted by aviation authorities, went insane or crashed. Now we have a company here, which is not perfect at all, and a modern, innovative plane which can still be improved but it is a real breakthrough.

Do I want to judge on previous entrepreneurial decisions, customer friendliness or on a plane and its positive impact on GA? If the award is for the previous ones, I could come up with doubts but when it is about "plane of the year", then the DA40NG is my choice.

[Keith M]

You've made a lot of good points there Kai, but my sticking point is still the issue of safety. With any single engined plane, you've got to assume that, sooner or later, an engine failure will result in a forced landing. The higher stalling speeds due to the weight of the NG engine means that the energy to be dissipated after touch down is 1.5 times that of the TDI.

If Diamond put the 155 hp Centurion engine in that strengthened airframe, they'd have a much better plane with an extra 50kg load capacity (subject to the same reservations about stalling speeds). If they also used the NG's torsional vibration absorber in place of the Centurion's clutch, they could make that a better engine.

[Kai]

Yes, Keith: and again, we agree! There is less safety with each increase of the stall speed. And yes... I also always dreamt of Diamond buying Thielert, errr... Centurion and fixing the issues instead of making an own engine from scratch. Now, we all know it came differently and I have to forget about all that and a lot more when proposing the DA40NG as the plane of the year.

But I also trust that the Austro engine is sturdier than the Centurion can ever be. It can be overhauled and does not have to be replaced. Personally, I think the new Austro will not have as many forced landings as the Centurions and not even as the Lycomings.

Well, and then I think... this is aviation: each invention comes with a risk and us pilots are the guinea pigs. If Diamond would offer you a free upgrade to an NG, would you take it?

[Keith M]

If Diamond would offer you a free upgrade to an NG, would you take it?

Kai, they won't even offer me a free upgrade to the 7 year old software in my G1000, so I don't think I'll have to face that dilemma!

[Antoine]

Kai you are making a good point about innovation in GA.
And another: moving away from leaded Avgas is inevitable.
But I still would not want an NG instead of my Lyco at this point, even for free - and hopefully this puts my money where my mouth is...
I d love to test fly a DA40 with the 155 hp Centurion.
2 questions:
Why are you saying the NG has shorter landing distances?
And did they already annouce 2000 hours TBO?