Diamond Aircraft Sold!

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pietromarx
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by pietromarx »

Funny how my comments on innovation were taken as being "technical innovation" (which is what we're used to). I actually mean innovation in a larger sense: customer support, business models, workforce development, social networks, etc. The Chinese are much more innovative in these areas than we may realize with many emergent businesses being run in very interesting ways. Hopefully, Diamond will now become more innovative in ways that actually mean things to its customers -- like, for example, participating in these online forums, building 1:1 relationships with its customers, and using different business models to bring more people into aviation.

I don't care much about the technical innovation side, even though that's where my career is, inasmuch as seeing the company adopt new ways of doing business and becoming a better partner to ... us.


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thefoxx
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by thefoxx »

We need Diamond to maintain both (and even INCREASE) the technical innovation side, and especially the customer, marketing and sales side! Seeing Cirrus leapfrog us was disappointing - we need to take the industry leader title back again like we once had!

All that being said, we really have to appreciate Mr. Dries for what he has done - he has had a lot of tough decisions to make (maybe not always the right ones) but the company survived some challenging periods when folding was a serious option. We will never know all his rationale for what he did, but let's be appreciative of him, what he accomplished - and also look to the future!

I'm a proud Diamond owner and hope to upgrade into the bigger Diamond birds - but I will probably be a customer for life and even more so if they get their SH*& together and grow this company into what it can be with the strong foundation it has!

*steps off rally cry stage!*
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Tommy »

I thought I was going to be a Diamond owner forever also. However, things change when you see over years that customer support is not a priority. The most important decision when purchasing an airplane whether new or used is, "what is the support for the airplane like." Without support your airplane is worthless. With a little support, your airplane is worth a little. With not much support your airplane is worth not much. You get the picture, unfortunately Diamond doesn't and I don't expect it to change.
Until Diamond makes a concerted effort to increase support at all levels, nothing will change. There is no evidence nor has there ever been any evidence to support this action. There is ample evidence that the status quo will remain, unfortunately.
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ememic99
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by ememic99 »

Keith M wrote:Diamond could have taken that forward when Thielert went bankrupt, but chose instead to go down a blind alley with that lump of iron, the Austro engine.
Although I agree that Austro engine is bad choice due to weight, at current prices it seems that engine with TBO rather than TBR is better choice for FTO.
Christian Dries never tried to develop a relationship with his customers, abandoning them as soon as the cash was handed over.
So true.

The DA42 engines replacement is classical example - upgrade to NG in early days was quoted around €120k, then jumped to €250k, today is between €350k and €420k (depending if you want NG or -VI). If you want just CD-135 replacement then it will cost you €90k while CD-155 upgrade will cost you double - €180k (comparing to Crosby STC which is around €120k for the same job).

The other example is G1000 upgrade - we supposedly have the newest "state of the art" avionics but in reality we're stuck with 10 years old software/hardware without any ability to upgrade it at reasonable price. We can just look how easily older aircraft with non-integrated avionics can be upgraded to latest Garmin products, including new autopilots. We can't even get WAAS if we own 2007/2008 aircraft.
CFIDave wrote:Diamond's corporate "culture" not surprisingly has been driven by Christian Dries
Which was at pretty low level if customer relationship was in case. There are too many examples confirming this, besides few specified in this thread.
I wish the new owners well, with the hope they are more customer oriented.
Me too, change of corporate culture is what Diamond needs.

And for the end just one remark from personal experience: the focus of new owner, at least at the beginning, is return of investment, so I would expect stronger sales rather than new development.
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Keith M
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Keith M »

ememic99 wrote:Although I agree that Austro engine is bad choice due to weight, at current prices it seems that engine with TBO rather than TBR is better choice for FTO.
The factors affecting the upgrade are different for the DA40. I put my money where my mouth is and just upgraded mine with a CD-155, which has the same weight as a CD-135 and a TBR of 2,100 hours. The SR20 has the same stall speed as an Austro engined DA40, but at least you can choose to pull the chute if its engine stops, rather than hoping to retard the extra kinetic energy from that lump of iron.

Mercedes seem to have reverted to an aluminium crankcase in their 2 litre diesel engines, so I wonder if that will affect Austro's plans? It was the original switch from aluminium to steel which contributed to Thielert going bankrupt, as they had to cast their own to help Diamond avoid recertification issues due to the extra weight.
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by ememic99 »

Keith M wrote:
ememic99 wrote:Although I agree that Austro engine is bad choice due to weight, at current prices it seems that engine with TBO rather than TBR is better choice for FTO.
The factors affecting the upgrade are different for the DA40. I put my money where my mouth is and just upgraded mine with a CD-155, which has the same weight as a CD-135 and a TBR of 2,100 hours.
I'm upgrading my DA42 to CD-155 as well in March this year because I find it ridiculous to pay almost half million $ for two piston diesel engines. BTW that's the price of PT6 engine. I'll post the pics when it's done in DA42 section.
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Antoine »

No matter what we think, Mr Dries did well enough that somebody was willing to put up a nice sum of money to buy his work. This said:
My experience as a customer was not positive. I sincerely hope that the new corporate culture finally becomes customer centric. Very easy to test:
> Will DAI finally give DA40 and DA42 customers who do NOT want the Austro-Engine fair treatment?
> Will DAI stop stopping a successful product right in its tracks (DA40-180) because they want us to buy what THEY decided is the right product ? For whom?
> Will DAI fix quit dumping outrageous costs on customers just because they can't be bothered to fix some paperwork (think rudder cable replacement)?

I have more rants but that should be enough. From a sad ex DAI customer who would have loved to stay on board.
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Tommy »

As you already know Antoine, I'm not hiding my breath for any positive change on the customer service front.
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Antoine »

Well Tommy you never know. Mr Dries is gone and some people who were silently disagreeing may now come to do what they think is right... The funny bit is that they would actually increase revenue and profits while making their customers loyal - this in turn will ensure good acceptance of the DA50...
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Keith M
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Re: Diamond Aircraft Sold!

Post by Keith M »

Antoine wrote:Will DAI stop stopping a successful product right in its tracks (DA40-180) because they want us to buy what THEY decided is the right product? For whom?
Austro's investors?

The same applies to the DA40-TDI. The CD-135/155 is 50kg lighter than the Austro, so would be a great fit in the beefed up airframe of the DA40-NG. It could make it a true 4-seater - for those of us who still haven't succumbed to a junk food diet!
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