Diamond DA62 vs Cirrus SR22T which one has better Performance?
Alex
Depends. Define performance.
Also, there are some super-informed folks inside COPA (myself excluded). Including folks that have pondered the same query you asked above. You should seriously consider joining COPA. Many owners and pilots of other plane make and models post and discuss them regularly.
The guest forum is a nice place to drop in and say hello. But the real meat and potatoes of the collective knowledge of COPA are found inside the member forum area. So become a member, and post in the member area forums… the water is fine here.
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Alex - Really do join and you will get access to a number of very in depth discussions comparing the two.
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To wit… just a few of many threads discussing the DA62. 249, 130, and 85 posts respectively.
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Not even close. Diamon 62 is far superior. Au†o fuel flow. Liquid cooled. Computer controlled timing. Many other advcantages
Down side. 1.5 mil and insurance is ridiculously expensive.
Their is always something nicer if you can afford it
Would love to a bit out of my budget right now.
In addition to joining COPA, consider joining diamondaviators.net. Its free and a nice, if relatively small, online community. Between COPA and DAN, you’ll get a lot of good info for the small investment in COPA. In short, both great airplanes. Each has pluses and minuses. A lot depends on your mission and your personal preferences. There isn’t a single right answer. Budget could be the biggest point as noted above, as a practical matters. There are almost no used DA62s on the market right now, which is another practical consideration as the wait for a new one is into 2024 right now.
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Thank you I do love the Cirrus
Thank you! 
I used to own a SR22, now I own a DA42. Here’s a summary of the differences from my perspective:
Pros of DA:
- Engines are brain dead simple. One power lever per engine, no hot starts
- Burns JETA, available everywhere in the world, from northern Canada to Asia, and for a much cheaper price than avgas
- 100h oil changes vs 25h for the cirrus
- Can use standard European car oil and filters
- Trailing link gear makes it smooth to land, even with a less than stellar pilot
Cons:
- DA42 cockpit is cramped (though 62 has more room than even the SR22, so not a factor for you)
- Center stick nice for pilot, but passenger has a stick in between legs (passenger one is removable, but I won’t do it)
- Gust lock a pain to deal with, it’s a two part pedal/strap that involves changing the position of rudder pedals
- Wingspan is massive, won’t fit into a normal T hangar
Notice that speed / range aren’t listed. That’s because they’re basically equivalent +/- 10%. You can come up with scenarios either way, but not enough to impact a mission.
I mostly got the DA42 for a trip around the world, where I need JETA, since I can’t get avgas at any price in lots of Africa or Europe. If I was flying in the states, I probably would stick with an SR22, since I’m a tall guy and the 42 is cramped. If I could choose a 62 for the same price, I’d choose that over the SR22 in a heartbeat.
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Useful load on the DA62 is greater than on the SR22T. That was the main selling point for me.
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While we are on the subject, additional pros for Cirrus: factory support both pre- and post-sale are outstanding from Cirrus. Embark training, materials, videos, the COPA organization and its programs (e.g., CPPP) are really first-rate. BRS is a plus also although not such a great solution over terrain/overwater.
Diamond: single-engine operations are really simple and much easier than many other high-performance twins; better solution over terrain and water than BRS in many cases. Factory support post-sale, however, is essentially non-existent. DAN is great but its nowhere near COPA (or ABS for that matter). You can’t beat Cirrus support … but Diamond’s tech is first-rate. Just be prepared with a Diamond to be mostly on your own. There isn’t anything like the CSIP program, for example. If this was my first airplane, and my missions were mostly over land, I’d go with a Cirrus - in fact that’s exactly what I did and loved it! Now waiting for a DA62 delivery later this year. Different aircraft suit different pilots and missions differently, plus I wanted to change things up.
Can’t really go wrong either way assuming money is not a constraint.
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My experience for support on my 2006 DA42 has actually been stellar. Tech support has helped me through diagnosing several issues, even texting me pictures and giving me aircraft spruce links.
One downside to support however, is that Diamond only stocks parts in Canada or Austria. So if your mechanic doesn’t have a part, it’s coming from another country. Canada can be overnight, but Austria could be a week to get parts. And there are some weird parts like metric hex screws that you have to order from specialty fastener stores.
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Thanks, I’m glad to hear that your experience has been positive. That’s not a universal experience but good to know.
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Cirrus does things better than most manufacturers but one thing Diamond did with my new DA42 that Cirrus could adopt; the plane came a package of plane-specific assorted nuts, bolts and washers.
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All nice planes with different strengths and weaknesses. There’s no such thing as “the better”. The DA62 is “more airplane”, but it’s quite a bit more expensive. If that’s beyond budget, the discussion is moot. You can always find something better that’s even more expensive.
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Thank you for the tips!
Cool! 
Awesome
About Africa I don’t know – But in EUROPE Avgas is available in all countries and at most airports, except the small ones in Italy and on many of the Greek islands.
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