Diamond Aircraft has secured Chinese certification for the DA62 – and is preparing to deliver the first example to a local owner in September.
Austria-headquartered Diamond says the seven-seat piston-twin has huge potential in China, thanks to its "large cabin space, low operating costs and superb flight characteristics".
Diamond Aircraft
The DA62 will be particularly appealing to China's owner-flyer community, says Diamond, and customers looking for a "chauffeur-flown" option to "purchase the aircraft, but have a professional pilot fly it for them". The type gives an owner "all the benefits of private aviation travel at a fraction of the cost, and without the need to get their pilot's licence,” Diamond adds.
Chinese-owned Diamond describes the all-composite DA62 as "by far the most advanced piston aircraft certified in China to date", with 80hp (60kW) AE300 jet fuel FADEC engines – developed by its sister company Austro; a Garmin G1000NXi avionics suite, flight into known icing capability, and an operating altitude of 20,000ft.
The DA62 entered service in late 2015 as the largest member of Diamond's seven-strong family of propeller-driven aircraft. To date, the company has delivered 120 examples.
Source: Flight International
