AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 53

The real story of the DA42-VI, however, is the engines. Diamond bet its future
on diesel engine technology, and it seems to
be paying off. Once you get past the decidedly American idea that only trucks use
diesel engines—and forget the unremarkable history of car engines in airplanes—the
Mercedes-Benz-derived AE300 (officially
the E4-C on the DA42-VI), with its full
authority digital engine control (FADEC), is
a highly promising technology that meshes
beautifully with this airframe. Without
question, Diamond will need to educate
potential consumers on the engine as traditionally minded pilots strain to break free
from their much-beloved Lycomings and
Continentals. Make a pro/con list, and the
benefits of the AE300 come in to focus. On
the pro side, the engines sip fuel. Highspeed cruise at 92 percent power burns
about 16.5 gallons per hour total. Throttle
back for more economy and the burn drops
to about 10.5 gallons total. Oil changes are
recommended every 100 hours as opposed
to the usual 25 or 50 hours. And the FADEC

translates to electronic engine diagnostics. According
to John Armstrong, a Diamond sales representative,
there have been no in-flight engine failures with more
than 200,000 hours in service. The overhaul currently is
priced at about $22,000. Jet fuel is cheaper than avgas.
And that whole 100LL replacement concern? AE300
owners are tone-deaf to the entire thing.
The con list is shorter. The 168-horsepower engines
utilize a cast-iron block, so they’re heavy. They’re produced in Austria, so while the service and support
network is coming together in the United States, it will
be harder to find someone to work on the Austro than
it would be for a “traditional” engine. Another potential
negative is the overhaul time, which now stands at 1,500
hours. That has increased 500 hours in the past year, and
Diamond plans to get it to 2,000 hours soon. The highpressure fuel pump is also life limited to 600 hours.
Unquestionably, the biggest advantage of the engine
is the electronic control. It’s impossible to grasp the
scope of how much this changes the way you fly until
you try it. From start-up to shutdown, everything about
operating these engines is different. That’s not a euphemism for clumsy and awkward—they are different in the
sense that the learning transfer is more appropriate from
your Chrysler than your Cessna.

A COMPLETELY NEW rudder and

cabin step aid in performance
gains (left, top and bottom).
Optional upgraded seats are
worth the cost (above right).
The panel is a standard Garmin
G1000 with a GFC 700 autopilot (top right). The engine
management pages are new,
reflecting the unique engines.
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 53


http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013
Contents
President'€™s Position
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Foundation Focus
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
One Fast Cat
AOPA Sweepstakes
Test Pilot
Pilot Products
Fly-Outs
LSA News
News
Not Your Father's Airplane
Diesel Dawn
Will We All Be Flying Diesels?
Top Diesel Models
Truth in Animation
Safety Pilot Landmark Accident: Set-Up Stall
Ownership
Technique
Efficiency
Never Again
Events
Partnerships
State & Local Action
Member Products
AOPA Foundation
Member Services
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - President'€™s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Foundation Focus
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - One Fast Cat
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - AOPA Sweepstakes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - LSA News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - D1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - D2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Not Your Father's Airplane
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Diesel Dawn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Will We All Be Flying Diesels?
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Top Diesel Models
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Truth in Animation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Safety Pilot Landmark Accident: Set-Up Stall
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Ownership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Technique
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Efficiency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Partnerships
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - State & Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Member Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Member Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2013 - Cover4
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