New to Diamond

Any DA40 related topics

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Thegoz007
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New to Diamond

Post by Thegoz007 »

I recently purchased my 2005 DA40 Star with the G1000. Took my solo in it and am in the process of completing my PPL. Yes I said completing my PPL. Any suggestions as I get ready for my Checkwrite?
I recently took a challenge and landed on a 35ft wide runway here in Texas.
https://www.facebook.com/david.gosnell0 ... 700734255/
Skip to about 3 min. I came in a little fast but hit it... The runway is Spicewood, Tx
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waynemcc999
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by waynemcc999 »

Welcome, David. Nice video, but the fact that the stall horn is starting to buzz on short final would indicate to me that you're either already too slow or pitching up rather too abruptly. But then again, the bounce would indicate a bit too much speed at touchdown. As you'll hear on this and every aviation forum, look to the far end of the runway, be patient, and "keep flying her". Welcome!
Wayne McClelland
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Colin
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by Colin »

The stall horn on the DA40 is so sensitive that I think of it more as a stall *warning.* Twenty knots above a stall and mine would start whining, and (as the video shows) it varies in intensity as you get closer to the stall. In bumpy Texas heat I think hearing it where you did is not surprising.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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danno2000
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by danno2000 »

Congratulations! Only advice I'd give is really get to know your new plane before the checkride if you haven't already. My experience with my 2003 compared to the rental 2003 DA40 is that there are some differences that have taken a bit of getting used to.
On the video, can't be sure because sight picture from a video camera can be tricky, but did you get a bit high in short final and then felt like you had to fight to get down, thus building up more speed than you wanted? I've already found that I have to cut power on approach more than in other aircraft I've flown, and even then there's a risk of going long if I'm not attentive the entire way down.
Best of luck to you!
cheers,
dan
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Pascal
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by Pascal »

Looking calm and organized will make a very good first impression on the examiner. Make sure your radio calls are sharp, and practice diverting to an airport of his choice quickly (or at least head to it) without fumbling with the map, etc. During the checkride, when you look at an instrument or when you perform your instrument scan, say so. The examiner does not necessarily know what you are looking at or verifying, or what your thought process is.

Yes, you have a series of maneuvers that you must execute at an acceptable level, but barring an unsafe maneuver on your part, such as landing on the wrong runway or making a left hand pattern on a right hand pattern runway, the examiner has to answer a single question. Is this pilot safe? Would he trust you to carry one of his children?

Before I took my checkride, I took two mock checkrides with an instructor in the days before the real one. That helped me build my confidence and improve the things that weren't quite perfect.

Another thing to consider should you want to use your own airplane for the checkride. The examiner might refuse to take to the air with an unairworthy airplane. Make sure lights are functioning, tires are inflated at the right pressure and not completely used with no thread left, etc.
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RMarkSampson
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by RMarkSampson »

My F/A-18 buddy always thought Flairing was for Sissies... Sure you don't know each other? :lol:

You will find out as I did that the real learning starts after the checkride. I had several practice checkrides with my CFI so the one with the examiner was really no big deal. However, my examiner did ensure I would not blunder into some airspace and make the FAA wonder if he was a good examiner. He also took the time to make sure I would not kill myself once on my own (we practiced "the Cessna Parachute" a couple of time). His sage words to me - never auger in at 120 knots - squash down at 35 knots, call the insurance company and go buy another plane. Kind of flippant words but when you think about it - it is all about walking away. Diamonds have great G-rated cockpits and many of those pilots that have blundered, have walked away.

Anyway, enough of that. Once you got your PPL - don't let up. Gain solid IFR skills with or without the rating. That is insurance that is priceless especially if you like to cross-country. Good luck and enjoy your Diamond in the Sky!
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Thegoz007
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by Thegoz007 »

I really appreciate all the feedback. I Love the Diamond and going from a cassia 172 to this is awesome... I find that she LOVES to float on landing if I don't control her. In the video I chose to come in high and hot as I only had a short time to put her on the ground. I was lucky as the winds were not even 7 knots that day. I found when I come in high it gives me more time in the event of an emergency to put her down safely without killing someone including myself. Then there is the second part coming in high and too much speed. I found when I flair and allow the plane to bleed the speed she sits down most of the time soft, I realize I have for the most part I do have about 1000 plus feet to play with. Besides that it makes short field landings a breeze on my check write. Would you agree.
My first and foremost is not to kill someone else or perhaps myself. I side on the caution side. Even with all the safety features the G1000 has I find myself insuring that I do not get either off course, too high, too low, or too hot on landing..... I just want to be the safest pilot I can be and fly slow and safe....
Tommy
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by Tommy »

You're going to love the airplane. For me it was the best uneducated purchase I ever made in my entire life.
It cannot be stressed enough, know you're airplane, know your G1000. Read both POH's several times over.
Know the performance charts especially the stall charts, weight and balance.
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BkFlyer
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by BkFlyer »

My advice: when you make a mistake during the check ride (like you drift off course, come in way too high, etc) don't worry about the examiner. Just continue flying the airplane, keep your composure and then remediate the issue. The examiners know that flying at your level includes lots of decision making and small mistakes.. how you address the issues that arise is sometimes more important than the mistake itself.
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Re: New to Diamond

Post by BlueYonder »

Welcome! Sounds like you took the same path I did -- started in a C172, then made the switch to the DA40 before going for your checkride. I put in a fair number of transition hours (about 70) in the DA40 before putting an examiner in the right seat, so I looked pretty confident with the bird when the big day came.

The G1000 can make you look like a genius or an idiot, depending on how much time you spend mastering its functions. I'd strongly recommend you don't shortchange this part. Reading the G1000 manual helps, and there are some good online video courses that really helped me understand the way the system is organized and the way the interface works. (Knowing where to start looking for stuff is the biggest challenge.) It's pretty bad UI design by current standards (or even those of 2004, when it was introduced), but we fly with the avionics we have, and not the ones we wish we had.

I had the same problem getting used to tendency of the long, low wings to float on flare. Still struggling with it a bit, but there's a thread from back in March on this board where I got some advice that seriously helped. Go dig it up.
The highest art form of all is a human being in control of himself and his airplane in flight, urging the spirit of a machine to match his own. -- Richard Bach
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