Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

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diamondexplore

Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by diamondexplore »

Very curious what your impressions were for anyone who has flown a DA62 and also a Cessna TTx. I'm currently considering either a DA50 RG or a TTx for my next airplane and since the DA50 is almost identical to the DA62 minus one engine, I'd love to know if anyone has flown both and have comparison thoughts on them. What are the pros and cons of each? Thank you in advance for the help!
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Chris
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by Chris »

I've flown the TTx (one demo flight) and the DA42 (30-ish hours), so not quite what you're asking for but close. The TTx is beautiful both on paper and in person. Even though it's supposed to be a little roomer than the DA42, it felt more cramped to me for some reason. Getting in/out of the seat is more difficult in the TTx. The TTx climbs like a champ and can go higher and faster than the DA42/50/62 by a fair margin. The side stick took a little getting used to but seemed OK after a few minutes. I found the electric trim to be a little annoying since I'm used to the tactile feel of the trim wheel in the Diamonds.

There were two main reasons I took it off of my list and ended up buying the DA42. First, with Cessna killing off the product line, support and parts is already getting more difficult for some items (based on reading the C400/TTx forums). Second, the back seat is suitable only for small children IMO. I tried squeezing in back there and there's no way I would want to sit back there for any length of time. I'm not sure how I'd be able to get my dogs in/out of the back seat, and there is less flexibility for switching cabin configuration for luggage vs. passengers in the TTx.

IMO, the DA42 beats the TTx for comfort, and I'm reasonably confident the DA62 would blow it away on that front, especially if you want to carry passengers. If you just need to get one or two people from point A to point B quickly, then the TTx would fit the mission very well, but the support/parts issue would still make think twice.
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by diamondexplore »

Chris wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 12:54 am I've flown the TTx (one demo flight) and the DA42 (30-ish hours), so not quite what you're asking for but close. The TTx is beautiful both on paper and in person. Even though it's supposed to be a little roomer than the DA42, it felt more cramped to me for some reason. Getting in/out of the seat is more difficult in the TTx. The TTx climbs like a champ and can go higher and faster than the DA42/50/62 by a fair margin. The side stick took a little getting used to but seemed OK after a few minutes. I found the electric trim to be a little annoying since I'm used to the tactile feel of the trim wheel in the Diamonds.

There were two main reasons I took it off of my list and ended up buying the DA42. First, with Cessna killing off the product line, support and parts is already getting more difficult for some items (based on reading the C400/TTx forums). Second, the back seat is suitable only for small children IMO. I tried squeezing in back there and there's no way I would want to sit back there for any length of time. I'm not sure how I'd be able to get my dogs in/out of the back seat, and there is less flexibility for switching cabin configuration for luggage vs. passengers in the TTx.

IMO, the DA42 beats the TTx for comfort, and I'm reasonably confident the DA62 would blow it away on that front, especially if you want to carry passengers. If you just need to get one or two people from point A to point B quickly, then the TTx would fit the mission very well, but the support/parts issue would still make think twice.
Appreciate the insight, Chris!

Would love to hear more about how the handling feels? As far as side sticks, I hear the TTx feels much more enjoyable to fly than the SR22, but what about in comparison to the Diamond with its center stick? I want a pilot's airplane that I really enjoy flying. I hope that I'll get to fly both the DA50 and TTx later this year and then will have my first hand answer to this question, but in the meantime I'm curious if you can speak to the handling differences?

Also, any comparative thoughts on the avionics? I love that the TTx has a touchscreen panel in the center and has the bigger G2000 screens. But Diamond seems to do a great job on the G1000 integration.

I also noticed the TTx has over wing lights. Pretty cool as I haven't seen that on any other GA aircraft -- only jets. Any idea why Cessna added those and no one else does?
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by Chris »

diamondexplore wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:05 am Would love to hear more about how the handling feels? As far as side sticks, I hear the TTx feels much more enjoyable to fly than the SR22, but what about in comparison to the Diamond with its center stick? I want a pilot's airplane that I really enjoy flying. I hope that I'll get to fly both the DA50 and TTx later this year and then will have my first hand answer to this question, but in the meantime I'm curious if you can speak to the handling differences?
The TTx flies like it is on rails. I was coming from a DA40 with its light wing loading, so the Cessna was significantly more stable. Control forces on the side stick felt about right. As a DA40 pilot for 12+ years, I of course feel that the Diamond's center stick feels more comfortable and natural. You probably will too. The only downside I see to the center stick is that it is in the way for passengers in the right seat, but you can get the removable stick option to solve that if it's a big deal. I haven't flown the SR22 so I can't compare to that.

Also, any comparative thoughts on the avionics? I love that the TTx has a touchscreen panel in the center and has the bigger G2000 screens. But Diamond seems to do a great job on the G1000 integration.
Other than selecting frequencies, I don't remember doing much with the avionics during my demo flight. Is the G2000 installed on any aircraft other than the TTx? If not, it's again something to consider w.r.t. parts and support.

I also noticed the TTx has over wing lights. Pretty cool as I haven't seen that on any other GA aircraft -- only jets. Any idea why Cessna added those and no one else does?
Not sure I follow. I thought the TTx has LED lights integrated into the wing.

It's really too bad that Cessna handled the acquisition of Columbia so poorly. With the quality problems induced by moving the manufacturing from Oregon to Mexico and confusing the heck out of the market by rebranding the airframe every two years, they let Cirrus run away with the high performance single engine fixed gear market. Then they killed the product just as the market started to heat back up again.
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by TimS »

I have over 400 hours in Cirrus, probably about three hours in a DA-42 (two demos and a pre-purchase), and a couple demo flights in a TTx and maybe six in a TTx as a passenger. What follows is completely subjective. I suggest you go fly them, and see which appeals to you.

Cirrus is designed as a travel plane, almost every aspect of the design speaks to that, from the side yoke to spring loaded controls and electronic trim system. Among the three, it is the least oriented toward the pilot. It is designed around the mission to go places.

I recall the TTx wanting to be hand flown (at least that is how I felt), it can go places, but travel is more of an after thought. Everything was much more focused on the pilot, passengers, getting in/out, everything else is secondary to how it flies and feels in the pilots hands.

I found the DA-42 overall the best compromise. It did not feel as crisp to fly as the TTx but was close, and almost as good as Cirrus for travel.

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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by da50speed »

Thanks, Chris and Tim! Really appreciate the insight! (I signed up for an account so I'm no longer anonymous.)

Chris, with respect to the over wing lights, the TTx has lights in the fuselage under the doors that fire light over the tops of the wings. First I've seen those in a GA aircraft. I know all the jetliners have them. Are you aware of any other GA aircraft with them? I just thought it was cool. Not only does it I'm sure look great at night, but it would make getting in or out at night a lot nicer (and safer).
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by Soareyes »

TTx.JPG
Diamond.JPG
I believe you are referring to "Ice Lights." They are used in flight at night to see if you have wing icing.
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by CFIDave »

I have flown both the TTx and DA62 (which I now own).

Years ago I considered purchasing a TTx as an upgrade from my Lycoming DA40, so I was able to fly Cessna's sales demo plane when the TTx first came out. (I ended up ordering a new DA42-VI instead.)

The TTx is definitely much more of a "pilot's plane" compared to a Cirrus SR22, with nice sporty handling with a real (side) stick. Like Diamonds, the TTx has positive control feel due to the use of rods instead of cables.

What I *didn't* like about the TTx was the Garmin G2000 placement of the touch-screen controller down low on the center console. To do virtually anything with the G2000, you have to look down at the touch-screen controller since there is no tactile feedback via real buttons -- forcing you to stop looking outside the aircraft. I'd probably be happier with a Columbia/Cessna 400, the older version of the same plane with a G1000.

In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't get a TTx since Cessna stopped producing the aircraft, and the G2000 seems to be a "dead-end" with no software updates available from Cessna or Garmin, and no other aircraft besides the TTx adopting the G2000.

As far as handling is concerned, a DA62 isn't as sporty as a TTx, because it weighs more. The DA62 is also less responsive in roll because of the much longer wingspan and mass of 2 engines out on the wings. (But IMHO the DA62 is still the most fun to fly twin because of the center stick.)

The TTx needs speed brakes to slow down while the DA62 can use its retractable landing gear as speed brakes (the gear can be deployed all the way up to redline airspeed to slow down in a hurry).

The TTx cabin is tiny and cramped compared to a DA62 -- a huge difference there.
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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by jb642DA »

Hi Logan (da50speed) -

I replied to your PM. Check your inbox.

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Re: Anyone flown a DA62 and a TTx?

Post by da50speed »

Soareyes wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:07 pm TTx.JPGDiamond.JPGI believe you are referring to "Ice Lights." They are used in flight at night to see if you have wing icing.
Ah! That makes sense, thank you!
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