Do we seriously consider DA62?

Any DA62 related topics

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salmcfi
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Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by salmcfi »

Hello everyone, new to the group. This is a little long but hopefully will receive some sage insights from the knowledge here.
Wife and I are airplane shopping again (Me the pilot, her the one who "makes" me fly her around!)
A few pieces of info before I ask for some information.
Owned a Mooney 201J, Cirrus SR20, and just sold our share of an SR22 NA, with TKS (not FIKI)
We live in Florida and love to travel around the country all times of the year. The 22 worked great, though we rarely flew with o2.

We are considering a new SR22T, PA46 and the DA62. The PA46 is a long shot. To many engine issues and flying a piston in the FL's doesn't appeal to me for engine life, etc.

I know the Cirrus, and they haul pretty well, good range and with just us 2, easy to full fuel and do. She likes CAPS and I love the support network and availability of parts, service, and folks working on those common engines.

HOWEVER, I LOVE the look and performance of the DA62. Seems to me we can fly for 3 hours, go further, burn less fuel and have a nice ride. (Based on what I have read).

My concerns are pretty common here. Parts availability, service and support. I hear more bad then good. And just overall performance, and true load carrying capacity.
Thoughts and experience on any of these are appreciated.

Also, does anyone operate theirs at 90% power? Seems like the fuel burn is acceptable and you get nice speed.

Appreciate the insights.
SDM BMM
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Colin
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by Colin »

I have a DA42, which is the same (type) of plane. Obviously, you can go a lot further than three hours, especially with only two of you aboard. (I think the furthest single hop my wife and I did was five hours forty minutes, Albuquerque to St. Louis.)

You don't need to worry about the maintenance network. The engines are outrageously reliable. The few times I have had an issue the local mechanic had no trouble working on it. Sometimes with a phone call to my mechanic. I had a tiny wire break in Cleveland and the local guy was out there on a Saturday morning and fixed it for $55. Do you have any bill on your Cirrus for that low?

Quite a few people keep them at the max rated power because the fuel burn increase is not that much, the same engine hour gets you further, and you are eating up the miles. For me, I fly at 75% because it is quieter and I would prefer to be in the sky than be on the ground.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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farleymike
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by farleymike »

Hi,

I have sent you a private message.

mike
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baldesk
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by baldesk »

If the majority of your flights will be you and the wife, then I suggest you also consider the DA42-VI. It costs hundreds of thousands less, fits in a T-hangar, and has relatively equal performance to the DA-62 other than MTOW. If you want to carry 4 or more adults then the DA62 is a better option. My wife and I went through the same decision process. 90+% of our flights are just the two of us even though we are a family of 4 with two college age children. The plane is simply awesome.
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Colin
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by Colin »

If I had the money I would upgrade to a DA62. Having flown both, the DA62 is more like sitting in a Lexus and flying a miniature jet.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by AndrewM »

I know there are many variables, however what would the typical insurance cost differences be between a 42 and 62?
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VickersPilot
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by VickersPilot »

Having had the same thought process recently, I'll add a few reasons why you should definitely choose the DA62:

(1) Certification Date: Certified in 2015 vs 1982 for the PA46 (and 1999 for SR2X). It is unlikely that the ships certified in the 1980's and 1990's would pass certification today. As you dig deep, everything about the DA62 is safer (fuel design, landing gear, anti-submarine fixed seating etc). The DA62 has been certified with the current generation engine, often limitations will appear if a manufacture takes an existing airframe and modifies the size, HP or weight of the engine (Meridian W&B, 737Max etc).

(2) SR22T and PA46 Landing Accidents: landing accidents are the single largest category of GA accidents. If you aggregate all NTSB accident reports for the SR22 type, there is a very highly repeated pattern of two bounces, followed by the application of full power and a crash on the left side of the runway. It in my opinion that it "originates" at the springiness (is that a word?) of the landing gear. The PA46 in my studies, appears to have statistically high number of landing accidents, but the causes are different (i.e. nosewheel darting, prop strike).

(3) SR22T Fatigue - the SR22T has considerable additional noise and vibration leading to additional fatigue. Routes are more complex for SEP planning to remain over reasonable ground in the event of an engine fault. The chute is something no SEP should be designed without, but it doesn't make it a twin or TP.

(4) Flying for Fun vs Mission: The PA46 with a turbine is a better "A to B" mission aircraft, the Cirrus is definitely very nice to fly. But the sweat spot in the market for someone who likes to fly for $100 hamburgers and A-B missions, is perhaps the DA62. It's as good as it gets before it gets serious (PA46, TBM etc)

Going back to the safety of the DA62 vs the PA46/SR22T, John in Lifestyle has made one of the finest videos articulating the benefits of the type. I'd recommend finding it on YouTube.
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by austropilot »

@VickersPilot
This is one of the posts I’ve read on the comparison subject. Thank you!
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by NDCDA62 »

I would not hesitate in recommending the DA62 for space and safety. As for endurance, I recently flew from Pafos LCPH to Brindisi LIBR with a constant 46-51 kts headwind, taking 6 hours 18 minutes and still had 12 USG on landing. Absolutely amazing capabilities this aircraft!!
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Re: Do we seriously consider DA62?

Post by TimS »

Among the choices listed, if this was my "retirement" plane I would go for the DA-42 (or DA-62 if I had grandkids). The quiet, the comfort... are just very hard to beat. Further, although Diamond currently has a bad reputation on the avionics front, the newer planes come with NXi which likely would last the super majority of the remainder of my flying career. At which point, I likely would not be interested in climbing over the wing.

If not at retirement, I would go with the PA-46. Nothing beats pressurization for comfort and getting over "some" weather. I would be "young" enough to learn the trick for getting in, and maintain the flexibility to perform this um-natural act :)

As much as I like my Cirrus now, the reality is it is a bang for the buck situation. It is easy to fly, it is a commodity so it is easy to get/in out of the partnership. It meets the mission; but it is not a "comfort" plane.

Tim
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