The Diamond DA42 Twin Star is a four seat, twin engine, propeller-driven airplane manufactured by Diamond Aircraft Industries. Its airframe is molded largely of composite materials.
Developing nation: Germany.
Manufacturer/designer: Diamond Aircraft Industries.
Production Lines: Wiener Neustadt, Austria and a large manufacturing facility in London, Ontario, Canada.
Type aircraft: Light twin-engined utility and trainer aircraft.
First flight: 9 December 2002.
The Diamond DA-42 Twin Star is an all new four place carbon fibre construction light twin powered by jet fuel burning turbo diesel engines.
Austria’s Diamond Aircraft unveiled the DA-42 at the May 2002 Berlin Airshow. The new aircraft flew on December 9 2002, leading to European JAA certification in late 2003 and US FAA certification and first deliveries in mid 2004.
The Twin Star’s design objectives include high speed cruise at very low throttle settings and good low speed handling. It is loosely modelled on Diamond’s DA-40 Diamond Star single engine four place (see separate entry), and features an all composite airframe with a high aspect ratio wing with winglets.
Variants
- DA42 – Production aircraft built in Austria and Canada
- DA42 M – Special Mission variant built in Austria, modification from standard DA42 and new production.
- DA42 L360 – Lycoming IO-360 180 hp (134 kW) equipped version using 100LL fuel instead of Jet-A1. This model is intended for the North American flight training market.
- DA42 NG – Austro Engine AE 300 170 hp (127 kW) equipped version. EASA certified March 2009; FAA certified April 2010; Transport Canada certified 16 April 2012.
- DA42 MPP – UK Ministry of Defence specified DA42 MPP variant for surveillance systems project, converted by DO Systems. Two ordered in June 2008 Dominator II Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd developed UAV version of the DA42, designated as the Aeronautics Defense Dominator and first flown in July 2009. Has an endurance of 28 hours with a 900 lb (408 kg) payload and speed of 75-190 knots (140-354 km/h) to a maximum altitude of 30,000 ft (9,144 m).
- DA42-VI – Improved DA42 introduced in March 2012 with new propeller and aerodynamic clean-ups to the rudder and engine cowling, resulting in greatly increased cruise speed performance
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Capacity: 3 passengers
- Length: 8.56 m (28 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 13.42 m (44 ft 0 in)
- Height: 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 16.29 m2 (175.3 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,251 kg (2,758 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 356 km/h (221 mph; 192 kn)
- Range: 1,693 km (1,052 mi; 914 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 5,486 m (17,999 ft)
- Rate of climb: 6.5 m/s (1,280 ft/min)
All pictures courtesy of Zijde Aviation Photo and Publishing
