Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

The SR22 picks up 9 knots through minor aerodynamic refinements in 2022

You can be disappointed as much as you like, but as said, the main market of Cirrus (as opposed to Diamond) is North America. And the potential buyers there have really given up on the diesel idea after the problems and many failed projects of Cessna, DeltaHawk, SMA, Thielert and others.

So, unless no solution for the Avgas problem appears, American buyers will not switch to Diesel. Particularly not if it is more expensive, heavier and less powerful then the present engines.

That is the difference to the European and RoW market. These buyers will buy a diesel DESPITE other disadvantages, because burning jetfuel has such significant advantages for some (in RoW, there is no alternative to burning jetfuel).

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Yes it’s mostly a problem for Europe & RoW and maybe California recently…

PS: Diamonds sells load of NGs DA40/42/62 in North America market, mostly for JetA buyers, not one a day like Cirrus and they don’t have an “SR22 equivalent”, but if you are looking for a recent few years Diamond today, it will be in the US, maybe it’s two different set of populations? or markets?

Last Edited by Ibra at 12 Jan 13:03
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Sure, Diamond does sell some diesel aircraft in the US, but it is mostly in niches where there is very little competition (DA62, most of all).

With the SR22 such an established model, potential buyers of a DA50 will obviously compare it very closely with the performance data of the SR22.

Add to that that many people can’t get insurance for a retract in the US anymore.

So for the DA50, the North American market will be a very difficult one. And Cirrus will continue offering only the Conti version.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 12 Jan 13:51
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

UdoR wrote:

Aren’t there enough who do this every year with the equally overprized iPhone?

There might be a few more people that can afford 1,2k per year for a new toy than there are for 1,2mio per year ;-)

Germany

In flying and hanging around US airports (since the 1970s) I have seen a grand total of maybe three Diesel powered aircraft in operation, all DA-42s. I’ve never seen a DA-62. Whatever niche they occupy (presumably fleet sales to high utilization flight schools) is limited in scope and scale.

I’d guess I’ve seen hundreds of M14 360 HP radials for every Diesel in US general aviation operation, and the M14s are themselves a niche player.

I think the EPS engine may resurge at some point, not based on sales to Cirrus, although that could conceivably follow someday for overseas sales.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 12 Jan 15:21

Of couse one doesn’t see the DA62 very often yet, as they only ever started selling them a few years ago. But considering how tiny the market is, I think they are selling the DA62 rather well in the US. They obviously do not sell these to flightschools. The DA42 is more of a flightschool plane.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 12 Jan 15:21
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

There was a DA62 at Livermore when I used to fly there. And a couple of DA42s at PAO, but with Lycosaurus engines, not diesel.

One problem with the DA62 is that its wingspan is too big to fit in a normal T-hangar.

At Mandelieu there is a school (Cannes Aviation) with a whole fleet of diesel DA42s, very noticeable by the (lack of) noise.

LFMD, France

Malibuflyer wrote:

There might be a few more people that can afford 1,2k per year for a new toy than there are for 1,2mio per year ;-)

with the latest iPhone looking like a real phone/status symbol and the latest Cirrus still looking like a little toy plane as well… Much more opportunity to impress the ladies with the phone than the toy…

LFHN - Bellegarde - Vouvray France

boscomantico wrote:

Add to that that many people can’t get insurance for a retract in the US anymore.

So for the DA50, the North American market will be a very difficult one. And Cirrus will continue offering only the Conti version.

Correct on both counts, although the insurance is more a money than an availability issue.

I have so far seen one (1!) DA62 here in SoCal. Not a flight school, they buy the DA42s if at all. There are a handful of them at schools around the L.A. basin, but not many. No idea which engines they use, I would assume the Lycos. The price delta between Jet-A and 100LL is practically nonexistent here and any greasy monkey is familiar with Lycos (or Contis).

Ibra wrote:

Yes it’s mostly a problem for Europe & RoW and maybe California recently…

The problem is that lots of people will simply ignore the chance that leaded Avgas may well disappear without too much prior notice if the US decide to do so. If people simply stick their heads in the sand and think, won’t happen, then gnashing of theeth and howling will be great, but given the volatility of politics over there, who knows.

I think the big problem is that there are no really viable alternatives both in terms of fuel (even though I think GAMI might be up to something good on the Avgas side) nor in terms of engines. @boscomantico is unfortunately right, the current bunch of diesels still are no where close to the Avgas guzzlers in terms of availability, weight/power and particularly price /power.

However, if the Avgas supply should run dry, I suppose we will see a rather frantic struggle to finish all those vapourware products and get them online. And we will see a renewed effort to certify whatever can be certified for automotive gasoline.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top