Diamond Aircraft Industries has completed the maiden flight of its DA42 Twin Star equipped with two 180hp Lycoming engines, testing some of the aircraft’s major configurations. During the 50-minute flight, a maximum cruise speed of over 180kts at full power, 165kts with a fuel consumption of 14 US gallons and 145kts with a fuel consumption of 10.5 US gallons was achieved. The aircraft also managed a 2,000fpm rate of climb. In single-engine configuration, a rate of 900fpm at 6,000 feet was achieved.

The four-seater DA42 is currently in production with Thielert Centurion 1.7 diesel fuel engines, which completed its maiden flight test with retracted landing gear in February 2003. The range of the aircraft, without reserve fuel, with the standard 52 US gallons fuel tanks at 75 per cent power and 10,000ft is 880nm. With optional long range (74 US gallons) fuel tanks and the same conditions, the range is 1,251nm.

It is too early for the company to say how much demand is anticipated for the Lycoming engine DA42 but it has received very high demand for the Thielert engine model.

Technical director Christian Drieb told EBAN: “Right now the aircraft is in envelope testing so we don’t have very accurate figures yet — the aircraft is so brand new. We have

had 10 flights since the maiden test flight, all of which were successful. We do not have any problems

with the aircraft.

“We haven’t yet decided on the timeframe for the completion of testing with the Lycoming engines,” he added.

The Thielert engine version is close to being certified. “We hope that everything will be ready by the ILA air show,” said Drieb. The ILA air show will take place in Berlin, in May.