News is out on ANN about the upcoming Diamond.
Looks like a 2+3 with a wide cockpit. Engine is 350 HP twin Turbo. Likely a TDI will follow soon for Europe.
I am guessing it will climb over 1500 ft. per minute and be the new speed champ.
No news on BRS that I have heard.
So, what do you all think?
Ouch, Mea Culpa.
Forgot my own thread.
Maybe an admin will move it for me.
kind of little…i imagine it will be fast with a 350 hp engine??..200 knots??
kind of looks like a cross between a cirrus and their da40???
I am guessing in the mid 240’s at 25,000 ft.
Sounds like a Diamond version of a Mooney.
Now when will we see the DA52 (or 62, or 82)? 
Since they dominate the Euro market, the would want to keep the gross weight down below the user fee limit.
Until there is a good diesel in the 200 to 250 hp range, I suspect they won’t do a bigger twin.
I would love to see Diamond’s answer to the Cessna 400 series, but I won’t hold my breath. The market for those would be in emerging markets where the complexity of the engines may be a problem with available mechanics and fuel quality. Better to go ahead with a turbo prop in those markets and eat the extra fuel costs as insurance.
Sat, 21 Apr '07
If Successful, Would Be Option On Super Star
It’s becoming clearer every day that Diamond Aircraft intends its upcoming, five-place DA50 Super Star single piston aircraft to go wingtip-to-wingtip against the offerings of a certain company in Duluth, MN… and to that end, it’s likely the plane will also become the first Diamond piston offering to sport a ballistic recovery parachute, as well.
Larry Williams, CEO of Ballistic Recovery Systems, told attendees at Lakeland 2007 Friday his company is working with Diamond to develop a BRS parachute option for the largest DA model. If successful, the implementation would represent the largest piston single-engine certified aircraft to offer a parachute.
“This arrangement, upon completion, will represent another step that will make our vision of parachutes on more airplanes a reality,” Williams said.
BRS also manufactures the ballistic recovery parachute system installed as standard equipment in the Cirrus SR20 and SR22. Diamond says its game plan will differ slightly from its competitor.
“The DA50 Super Star will be certified to fly without the parachute,” Diamond CEO Christian Dries said earlier in the day, from the AERO 2007 show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. “A successful program will result in a parachute that will be offered as an option and we are pleased to select BRS as our development partner in the DA50 program.”
This isn’t the first time Diamond and BRS have worked together. BRS is also working to develop the so-called “5500”-series ballistic 'chute for Diamond’s upcoming single engine D-Jet. Williams told ANN tests of the system intended for the D-Jet are progressing nicely.
One thing I think is unlikely is Diamond trying to go head to head against Cirrus. I really don’t think Dries cares that much about the competition. In the past, all his decisions have been primarily about making planes that can sell well enough to build at a profit, and that make happy customers.
I think you will see that the Diamond outperforms the Cirrus, but is also much more expensive.
I don’t doubt that it will be safer.
ya but it sure is UGLY… and it’s a stick and rudder jobby…
The Columbia and Cirrus planes look better and don’t have that goofy stick thing between your legs… The Columbia will outperform it and the Cirrus Turbo G3, will be only a knot or two behind it. I think Diamond missed the window by about 3 years here…
Where did you see performance figures for the Diamond?
PS The Cirrus isn’t ugly, but it’s certainly no looker.
The Cirrus isn’t ugly, but I’m not a fan of that new gold paint job.
so does the da50 have the stick in the seat??