What should air traffic control call a DA 40?

[Mjwatlanta]

Today, I was flying into KFTY, Fulton County in Atlanta. The controller was announcing my position to another airplane and was unsure what to call me. He asked, should I call you a diamondstar or a DA 40? I’ve heard the DA42 twin referred to regularly as a diamondstar. So I suggested perhaps it’s just the DA 40. The Controller said that was not a very friendly name and he was curious as to what controllers referred to the DA 40 as, what do y’all hear mostly?

[Rick]

ATC usually calls my DA40 a "DiamondStar", and I usually hear DA42's called "TwinStars", but once I was called a "Katana". YMMV.

[Bryce]

I was always called DiamondStar in my DA40. TwinStar is what I've been hearing for DA42, and TwinDiamond for DA62. I rarely get asked to say type, but that's likely because if I'm not IFR I'm starting off with my "local" NorCal controllers who are used to me (and lack of m/any other 42/62's around here).

[Steve]

I always self-identify as "DiamondStar 432SC". ATC almost always replies initially and on subsequent calls to me as "Diamond 432SC".

[smoss]

The Katana was one of the DA20 evolutions. ATC usually refers to all the 20s around here as Katana, the 40s as Diamondstar, and 42s or 62s as Twinstar.

[blsewardjr]

My experience is the same as Steve's - I call my DA40 "DiamondStar" with ATC. ATC usually responds with "Diamond" and uses "Diamond" when pointing me out to other aircraft.

[Rich]

Generally they just reference me by N-number. Though when giving information to other aircraft as to my position it's normally just "Diamond". Once in a great while it'll be Katana.

Amusingly, it's sort of common when on a filed and active Instrument flight plan, the controller will ask my type. This is, of course, there for all to see in the filed flight plan I'm using. This and other small instances lead me to believe that not all controllers have routine access to all facets of said plan.

[jwx96]

At my airport (KFCM) we have my DA40, a DA20 and 2 flight school DA42’s. The DA42’s identify themselves as “Twin Stars” and are flying all the time. I identify myself as Diamond Star because that’s what it says on the side of my plane and to distinguish myself from the DA 20. The tower often points me out as a “Twin Diamond” or a Cirrus to other traffic, so they don’t really have it figured out (after 6 years).

[HighEagle]

LGB controllers say "Diamond Star" (DA40) and "Twin Star" (DA42). Yesterday there was a "Super Star" (DA50) in the pattern!

[midlifeflyer]

I flew my first DA40 23 years ago. In all that time, I don’t think I’ve ever used or heard (although I can’t say I’ve listened for it) anything other than simply “Diamond.” IFR, the “DA40” is in the flight plan. For VFR flight following, I give them or they ask for the DA40 type. The only reasons they need it at all are to fill in a field in a strip or to have some idea of expected performance. Beyond that they don’t really care any more than they care whether the “Cessna” they are handling is a 152, 172, 182…