DA40-180 Question

I realize this is a forum for the SR20…BUT…I enjoy reading the posts on this site so I have a question. I’m probably going to be ordering the new Diamond Star DA40-180 in the next couple of weeks. I’m a low time pilot (about 130 hours) but I do have my instrument rating. I can’t decide if I should spend $24,900 for the autopilot KAP-140/King HSI. As far as money, I can come up with it but I am by no means loaded. I will be flying about 250 hours/year, short and long trips. When I resell the plane someday, how much of this cost should I expect to recoup? I’ve never actually used an autopilot or an HSI in practise before. Thanks for any info!!

I almost purchased the DA40, but finally ruled it out last May when they told me they weren’t delivering any planes this year with the autopilot. It is a great plane to fly (feels like the Katana), the factory people are very nice, and is very efficient.

But, to have that fantastic IFR-capable plane without an Autopilot was a non-starter for me. I’d think it’d have a big impact on resale.

So, today I picked up my SR-22. Yee Ha!!!

-Curt Sanford in Duluth

Get the autopilot if you are planning on flying any significant IFR. Better yet, if you are truly concerned about resell value, you might consider a Cirrus…

Mark

I realize this is a forum for the SR20…BUT…I enjoy reading the posts on this site so I have a question. I’m probably going to be ordering the new Diamond Star DA40-180 in the next couple of weeks. I’m a low time pilot (about 130 hours) but I do have my instrument rating. I can’t decide if I should spend $24,900 for the autopilot KAP-140/King HSI. As far as money, I can come up with it but I am by no means loaded. I will be flying about 250 hours/year, short and long trips. When I resell the plane someday, how much of this cost should I expect to recoup? I’ve never actually used an autopilot or an HSI in practise before. Thanks for any info!!

If you plan to use the airplane on trips and IFR you absolutely should get the autopilot and HSI. Both reduce IFR workload significantly. Regardless of what it does for resale value (and I’m sure it will help it) get both. You won’t regret it.

Jerry Seckler

I realize this is a forum for the SR20…BUT…I enjoy reading the posts on this site so I have a question. I’m probably going to be ordering the new Diamond Star DA40-180 in the next couple of weeks. I’m a low time pilot (about 130 hours) but I do have my instrument rating. I can’t decide if I should spend $24,900 for the autopilot KAP-140/King HSI. As far as money, I can come up with it but I am by no means loaded. I will be flying about 250 hours/year, short and long trips. When I resell the plane someday, how much of this cost should I expect to recoup? I’ve never actually used an autopilot or an HSI in practise before. Thanks for any info!!

I echo the comments of others who recommend the autopilot for IFR; you’ll find it very helpful for VFR, too, because it lets you spend more time with your head outside looking for traffic, and can give you precious seconds to write things down or look things up. I doubt you’d regret spending the extra bucks, hard as they are to come by.

  • Mike.

I test flew the DA40-180 in May. It was joy to fly and one of the best handling planes I’ve ever been in. I decided, however, not to buy the Diamond for one simple reason: It has no baggage capacity. I need a plane for business trips with my associates, and we need room for luggage.

If it wasn’t for that one limitation, I’d be waiting for delivery of a Diamond.

I still haven’t placed an order for a Cirrus, because I’m waiting to see if they resolve some of the QC problems that keep popping up on this forum. I’m also waiting to see if they actually start up production on the SR20 in August, and how much they devote to producing the SR20 verses the SR22. Finally, I want to hear what Cirrus is going to do with the ARNAV problem. Frankly, it seems to me that Cirrus is locking buyers into the current state of the technology because there is no real estate on the front panel for any upgrades, and the ARNAV is a nonstandard size for placing anything else in that space. This issue concerns me.

I suspect I will buy a Cirrus, but Cirrus needs to understand that there are real concerns that need to be addressed. The biggest is the quality control issue. As I’ve talked to others at the FBO I fly out of, I hear the same comments. Whether fair or not, the perception sometimes is more important than reality.

Shields Up! (I’ll problably get flamed for this post.)

– Jim

An auto pilot is an amazing helper, even on VFR. It allows you to look at the chart, check your information, or have a snack. But if you plan to fly 100 or more hours per year, then get the Instrument rating; this will add safety and value to your right to fly and to the utility of your aircraft.

In my opinion, either the DA40 or the SR20 is as good a buy as a new aircraft could be; to get more utility for your money, you need to look at used aircraft.

After considering both the Cirrus and Diamond offerings, I bought a 1977 Bellanca, and added a Garmin 530 and Stec Altitude (and VS & GS) autopilot to complement the old Century IIB.

Cost: Less than 1/2 the price of the Diamond. Used aircraft are not always appropriate for novices who can afford new, and I have enough retract time and hours IFR to get insurence, which is also about half what you will spend to insure your new plastic aircraft. Good luck.

I test flew the DA40-180 in May. It was joy to fly and one of the best handling planes I’ve ever been in. I decided, however, not to buy the Diamond for one simple reason: It has no baggage capacity. I need a plane for business trips with my associates, and we need room for luggage.

If it wasn’t for that one limitation, I’d be waiting for delivery of a Diamond.

I still haven’t placed an order for a Cirrus, because I’m waiting to see if they resolve some of the QC problems that keep popping up on this forum. I’m also waiting to see if they actually start up production on the SR20 in August, and how much they devote to producing the SR20 verses the SR22. Finally, I want to hear what Cirrus is going to do with the ARNAV problem. Frankly, it seems to me that Cirrus is locking buyers into the current state of the technology because there is no real estate on the front panel for any upgrades, and the ARNAV is a nonstandard size for placing anything else in that space. This issue concerns me.

I suspect I will buy a Cirrus, but Cirrus needs to understand that there are real concerns that need to be addressed. The biggest is the quality control issue. As I’ve talked to others at the FBO I fly out of, I hear the same comments. Whether fair or not, the perception sometimes is more important than reality.

Shields Up! (I’ll problably get flamed for this post.)

– Jim

No flames, I just picked up SR22 one month ago and am concered with the effort to put quantity vs the quality. BUT, would you want an older plane without an ARNAV? I almost bought a Debonair but got overbid! Lucky for me! I like the ARNAV even with it’s current limitations. I would assume that by the time you received your plane many “squaks” QC issues will be improved. I may just put down another 15K and get back in line then sell my current plane to someone satisfied with even the ARNAV than without. This forum gets a little outa control and sometimes things need some perspective, of course I’m reading it everyday and I’ve had lots of help from many. Rick Kummerow 122KM

While I also think the baggage space is quite limited in the DA-40, I think it’s worth to note that you may have more luggage room in the SR2x but in the SR20 you will most certainly not be able to load any more that what you’d get into the DA-40 as well, given it’s useful load. The SR22 is a different pair of shoes, but also a different category of plane in terms of price and operating cost.

Chris

I test flew the DA40-180 in May. It was joy to fly and one of the best handling planes I’ve ever been in. I decided, however, not to buy the Diamond for one simple reason: It has no baggage capacity. I need a plane for business trips with my associates, and we need room for luggage.

If it wasn’t for that one limitation, I’d be waiting for delivery of a Diamond.

I still haven’t placed an order for a Cirrus, because I’m waiting to see if they resolve some of the QC problems that keep popping up on this forum. I’m also waiting to see if they actually start up production on the SR20 in August, and how much they devote to producing the SR20 verses the SR22. Finally, I want to hear what Cirrus is going to do with the ARNAV problem. Frankly, it seems to me that Cirrus is locking buyers into the current state of the technology because there is no real estate on the front panel for any upgrades, and the ARNAV is a nonstandard size for placing anything else in that space. This issue concerns me.

I suspect I will buy a Cirrus, but Cirrus needs to understand that there are real concerns that need to be addressed. The biggest is the quality control issue. As I’ve talked to others at the FBO I fly out of, I hear the same comments. Whether fair or not, the perception sometimes is more important than reality.

Shields Up! (I’ll problably get flamed for this post.)

– Jim

I test flew the DA40-180 in May. It was joy to fly and one of the best handling planes I’ve ever been in. I decided, however, not to buy the Diamond for one simple reason: It has no baggage capacity. I need a plane for business trips with my associates, and we need room for luggage.

If it wasn’t for that one limitation, I’d be waiting for delivery of a Diamond.

I still haven’t placed an order for a Cirrus, because I’m waiting to see if they resolve some of the QC problems that keep popping up on this forum. I’m also waiting to see if they actually start up production on the SR20 in August, and how much they devote to producing the SR20 verses the SR22. Finally, I want to hear what Cirrus is going to do with the ARNAV problem. Frankly, it seems to me that Cirrus is locking buyers into the current state of the technology because there is no real estate on the front panel for any upgrades, and the ARNAV is a nonstandard size for placing anything else in that space. This issue concerns me.

I suspect I will buy a Cirrus, but Cirrus needs to understand that there are real concerns that need to be addressed. The biggest is the quality control issue. As I’ve talked to others at the FBO I fly out of, I hear the same comments. Whether fair or not, the perception sometimes is more important than reality.

Shields Up! (I’ll problably get flamed for this post.)

– Jim

I still haven’t placed an order for a Cirrus, because I’m waiting to see if they resolve some of the QC problems that keep popping up on this forum. I’m also waiting to see if they actually start up production on the SR20 in August, and how much they devote to producing the SR20 verses the SR22. Finally, I want to hear what Cirrus is going to do with the ARNAV problem. Frankly, it seems to me that Cirrus is locking buyers into the current state of the technology because there is no real estate on the front panel for any upgrades, and the ARNAV is a nonstandard size for placing anything else in that space. This issue concerns me.

I suspect I will buy a Cirrus, but Cirrus needs to understand that there are real concerns that need to be addressed. The biggest is the quality control issue. As I’ve talked to others at the FBO I fly out of, I hear the same comments. Whether fair or not, the perception sometimes is more important than reality.

Shields Up! (I’ll problably get flamed for this post.)

– Jim

Jim, nothing to be flamed for. You are perfectly right.

But Rick’s idea below to get in line again is good, for CD, too ;-))

Wilfried

P.S.: sorry for the double post, I hit the Enter key too fast