Diamond appears to be making significant progress on their turbo prop single… If only they could toss in a BRS chute for this 465 hp single… I wonder what will be delivered 1st… The Cirrus VF or the Diamond DA… Q2. What will sell more if both of these hit the market Jan 2017? I am assuming the DA will be easier to get Type vs the Jet and insurance will be 50% less… Both are a huge jump from a N/a on capabilities of the aircraft … The DA also has a Tundra model for some soft field adventures… Hmmmmm … The next 2 years will be interesting …
Not sure where you got the slower part. 380 HP in cruise with that airframe has to move it pretty fast. 2500 fpm climb gives you an idea of how much performance the aircraft has. The DA50 with the original continental was supposed to break the 200 Knot mark, I predict this would give you 225 KTAS or better in the teens. Now shorter range and burning more fuel, sure. But Jet A is just over $2 a gallon right now… I know, won’t last long. [:(]
Honestly, we don’t know what it’s going to be and what the specs are going to be. Diamond has made numerous statements in the past about the DA50, yet it hasn’t even hit the market yet. I think Diamond is going to surprise us in the end. They make a great plane and being that the other Diamonds are basically the safest aircraft flying, I’m not worried about not having a chute. I agree it will be exciting to see what comes in the next few years. The Vision looks amazing to me, but well outside my price range. This Diamond MAY be more affordable, but time will tell. It’s great to see more innovation coming to market!
Will it really have 380 hp in the flight levels? The Allison 250 (Rolls Royce) engine when looked at had less power in the flight levels than a TNIO-550 on a higher fuel burn. Even the mighty turbines are normally aspirated. This I think is the reason you don’t see a turbine on an SR22. Now strap a Giant PT-6 to it, and you overcome with brute force and many, many dollars.
I think you are right about the RR engine in the flight levels. Devil will be in the details. I like the turbine reliability and robustness, but a turbo diesel seems like a better fit for that airframe. I know the DA50 superstar was supposed to be pressurized. So maybe there will be a couple of versions down the road. No chance for the Superstar as previously designed. 100LL gas engines have a dim future. Maybe the new generation of Turbo-diesels will resurrect the superstar.
Alex, one thing that I did not fully appreciate before buying a turboprop is how well they work down low. I knew everyone tried to get high as soon as possible. Certainly speed and efficiency is better at altitude, but other than burning a lot of fuel, they are just beautiful engines down low. They always start right away, cold warm or hot, it is automatic. They run incredibly cool down low, you just can’t overheat them down low, and the torque is intoxicating. Single lever management, and you can go from 100% power to flight idle with never a concern of shock cooling. I don’t fly low too often, even for a 200 nm flight, I am usually going into the flight levels, but on this trip from Greenville SC to Atlanta GA, ATC would not let me above 12,000 ft. I remember initially being annoyed that I could not climb, but then thinking it was pretty cool, to be scooting along at 220 KTAS at 12,000 feet watching the cars go by. I burned a little more fuel, but in the grand scheme of things, Jet A is under $3 a gallon in a lot of markets.
I like to fly some VFR around my home, I actually enjoy it a little more than I used to. Take the statistical concern of an engine failure out of the equation, and flying down low takes on a new level of enjoyment. With the DA50, 200+ knots down low, and 2500 fpm climb rates, it will probably draw the attention of some. Still can’t beat the combination of efficiency and power of a Conti 550 lean of peak, but I would not discount a turbine in an unpressurized bird.
