Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Diamond DA50

boscomantico wrote:

Will be interesting to see how they fare with the tiny standard tanks. They will surely need aux tanks during the pacific phase of the trip.

I’m not sure whether standard tanks are sufficient for the Atlantic phase of the trip. I flew this aircraft (too nose heavy) and it definitely has nice interior and it’s very well finished (practically as same as DA62) but that’s the aircraft that for me would have zero utility value.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Apart from the basics already discussed (the high empty weight, the low power/weight ratio, the small fuel tanks), there are some design things which I just can‘t understand….

I know pilots will disagree forever, but sticks just don‘t have any place (literally) in an aircraft like this.

Also, in addition to the awkward slanted seats which you find in all Diamonds (which make you knees stick into the air unnaturally), why did they make the sticks much too long? You can‘t rest your forearms on your legs and grab the stick properly (where all the switches are). This shows also in the latest FlightChops video, where he partially grabs the stick below the grip, on the bare metal…

Also, the small frontal area of the front window, in combination with the long nose. Visibility will be poor.


This shows it as well:

And why make the structure between front window and side windows so wide, obstructing the view?

And why the „hump“ in the middle of the glareshield, if visibility is a bit poor to start with?

I know why I like the cabins/visibility of the Cirrus and Bonanzas so much…

Anyway, I will sit down in it latest at Aero and have a closer look at these things.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Would you be thinking of buying one, if you like it?

France

Well, it‘s the first real touring SEP using a modern diesel engine, which most of us having been longing for so long! So that makes it generally attractive and worth looking at. But as it is, I won‘t be buying one.

The American manufacturers (Cirrus, Piper, Cessna) will likely not come up with a Diesel-engine aircraft in the next years, because their main market is the US, where it really seems that most potenatial buyers have definitely given up on the idea of buying diesel.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 09 Jan 11:36
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Meanwhile work is underway on a hybrid Mousquetaire D140. I think they are hoping to get it certified when finished. Not sure how that will work. But if it is anywhere near as good as the original it will bring many benefits. The only things it probably wont have, compared to the DA50 is speed and comfort, but who knows
😁😁😁

France

Those are some good observations @boscomantico. Thinking about them, you’re absolutely right. Thanks for pointing them out.

always learning
LO__, Austria

Diesel engine development in the US is currently chasing military UAV applications, where there may be a suitably highly funded market, and where a US supply chain has value.

Nobody in their right mind would buy a Diesel for individual use in the US – it’s asking to be manipulated by the OEM, and by comparison outrageously costly per year unless you’re flying the thing every day.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 09 Jan 18:06

I can confirm that visibility while taxiing is poor while in horizontal flight isn’t so bad because the aircraft is a bit nose pitched.

And why make the structure between front window and side windows so wide, obstructing the view?

Because fuselage itself is not strong enough without it to carry heavy engine. Same applies to side structures.

Stick is definitely oversized but that was the easiest way to share as much as possible with DA62. And I agree – center stick doesn’t belong to any of these two aircrafts.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

One speed data point here, at 3:07. It‘s blurred, but looks like 12.9 GPH and 163 KTAS at FL110.

An NA SR22 will do about 172 KTAS in these conditions, but I will give credit to the three external cameras mounted there, so let‘s call it the same TAS for the same fuel flow.



Looks like the slightly more fuel efficient engine and the bigger airframe being dragged through the air cancel each other out.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 24 Jan 20:01
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

One speed data point here, at 3:07. It‘s blurred, but looks like 12.9 GPH and 163 KTAS at FL110.

It is blurred but it looks more like 13.9 GPH to me.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia
Sign in to add your message

Threads possibly related to this one

Back to Top