Diamond DA42-NG to make Australian debut

Regional Diamond Aircraft representative Hawker Pacific is bringing a Diamond DA42-NG Twin Star, featuring the new Austro diesel engine, to Australia for the first time.

Since being introduced in 2004, Diamond has offered the DA 42 with a number of different power plants – to varying degrees of success. Following issues with the originally chosen diesel engine, the TAE Centurion, Diamond opted for a new diesel powerplant, the Austro AE300, which has been produced through a partnership between Mercedes Benz, Bosch and Diamond. The Austro AE300 is a Jet A1-powered turbo diesel engine produced by Austro Engine GmbH.

“Hawker Pacific is excited to now offer the Austro-engine powered aircraft,” Tony Jones, Hawker Pacific’s Senior Vice President, Aircraft Sales and Flight Services Group, said. “The Austro AE300 engine DA42-NG has had sales success internationally and we believe there is a strong market for this type of next-generation aircraft in Australia and the Pacific.

“The DA42-NG is available with larger fuel tanks that have a range of 2000kms with a 60 per cent power setting at 14,000 feet, with a fuel burn of only 38.9ltrs per hour total (for both engines).” 

The DA42-NG has departed Diamond Aircraft headquarters in Austria and is currently embarking on a lengthy ferry flight through Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, India, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia and finally into Darwin. The flight will cover 7150nm in seven days by the time it reaches Darwin; the aircraft will then continue to Sydney. Interested individuals can follow the flight live via navigation satellite here.

Hawker Pacific says it is planning a country wide demonstration tour for both the soon to be arriving Diamond DA42-NG and the four-place single-engine DA40-XLS for early next year.

The cover story in the current November/December 2011 print issue of Australian Flying is a flight test of a Diamond DA42 L360, which is powered by Lycoming IO-360 engines.