Diamond Aircraft Industries has unveiled at the show a jet-fuel-powered version of its DA40 Tundra piston single.
The London, Ontario-based company hopes this new model will broaden the market for light four-seat type by attracting owners who want to operate in more remote rgions of the world where tradional avgas fuel is not widely avialable.
We are opening up new possibilities with this DA40 Tundra,” says Diamond. “This aircraft blends rugged back-country versatility with excellent cross-country speed, comfort and ultra low fuel consumption”.
This latest version is powered by the Austro AE300 piston engine, which “sips less than four gallons per hour of jet-fuel at loiter speeds, and offers sprightly climbs thanks to turbocharging that maintains full power to 14,000ft”, it adds.
The Tundra features an all-composite airframe – designed to offer excellent resistance to bumps and scrapes; reinforced landing gear attachments; Beringer wheels; a special long stroke hydraulic damper; and an extra heavy duty extended nose gear strut. These features “all combine to soak up rough terrain with ease”, says Diamond.
Diamond also announced at the show that its DA42-V1 piston-twin has been selected by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University for its multi-engine pilot training course.
Ten of the 168hp AE300-powered twins will be delivered to the institution’s Daytona, Florida facility from April next year and all the aircraft are expected to in service by the end of the third quarter.
Source: Flight Daily News
