This is interesting, a Mooney competitor maybe?

[bcg]

https://www.diamondaircraft.com/en/private-owners/aircraft/da50/overview/

The Diamond DA50 looks really interesting, a retract with similar specs and performance as a Mooney and bonus, it burns Jet A which opens up some remote fields abroad.  I'm sure it'll end up Certified eventually but, right now it's still Experimental.  If once could be snagged under an Experimental AW Certificate, it could be a pretty sweet plane.

What do you guys think?

[GeeBee]

I looked closely at it. With the exception of the child seat, my Ovation goes just as fast, actually can fly higher, hauls just as much, actually has better range/payload when TKS equipped and is just as capable for 1/4 the price of the Diamond. I guess if I wanted new maybe but if I could drop that kind of money I would buy a used PA-46T or TBM and have pressurization to go with that 20K service ceiling. It and the Panthera are kind of non-starters against a used Ovation or even more so,  Acclaim.

Then of course the issue that you cannot overhaul the engine. It is disposable, and not cheap.

 

[EricJ]

It doesn't fit in most GA hangars.    Not sure what they were thinking there unless they're going straight for the turbine/managed maintenance crowd.   Plus they're very expensive.

The engine seems to still be a bit of a question given that there's not a lot of field experience with them yet.

[bcg]

13 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

I looked closely at it. With the exception of the child seat, my Ovation goes just as fast, actually can fly higher, hauls just as much, actually has better range/payload when TKS equipped and is just as capable for 1/4 the price of the Diamond. I guess if I wanted new maybe but if I could drop that kind of money I would buy a used PA-46T or TBM and have pressurization to go with that 20K service ceiling. It and the Panthera are kind of non-starters against a used Ovation or even more so,  Acclaim.

Then of course the issue that you cannot overhaul the engine. It is disposable, and not cheap.

 

Fair points, I still think that when I replace my C it'll probably be with a 252 but, it would be nice to have AC and FIKI and still have a 1200 pound useful load. 

A turbine would be awesome but, the TBM is crazy expensive to maintain, or so my A&P tells me, so as much as I'd like to have one, I don't think the TBM will ever be an option for me.  The Epic looks really nice though, or even the PA-46.  My wife and I are pretty small and we don't have any friends (or at least not any we'd want to take anywhere in small plane) so we don't really need more space than the C provides, the Epic or a PA-46 would be more than enough room for us and our daughter.

[N201MKTurbo]

I wonder how fast it really goes? It says 181 KTS, but that's like saying a 201 goes 175 KTS, we all know they go 155-160 KTS. It also says it uses 9 GPH. I don't think the 181 KTS and the 9 GPH go together.

 

[McMooney]

it's REALLY nice, diamonds are amazing.  once you can land a diamond mooney's are beyond trivial.

most annoying thing about this plane is the fuel capacity,  it and the da62 need way more fuel.

[KSMooniac]

I sat in the 100LL demo at OSH in 2021 and was impressed with the size, room, apparent build/finish quality, etc.  I did not like the visibility in the pilot seat but would likely adapt.  The fuel tanks were stupid-small IMO, at least for a gas engine.  Like 50 or 52 gallons for a big engine... maybe enough to fly intra-country in Europe, but lousy for a US customer that wants to travel, especially if it is fast and comfortable enough for multi-hour flights.  

I do hope it succeeds, but I would not be interested until the B or C model, and after LOTS of depreciation. 

[Andy95W]

5 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Performance and cost notwithstanding, it’s too ugly for me to be interested in one.  Yes, looks matter that much to me.  

I guess looks really are in the eye of the beholder- I like it!  Not as good looking as any Mooney, but I’d love to have one, even for the looks.

[GeeBee]

1 hour ago, bcg said:

Fair points, I still think that when I replace my C it'll probably be with a 252 but, it would be nice to have AC and FIKI and still have a 1200 pound useful load. 

A turbine would be awesome but, the TBM is crazy expensive to maintain, or so my A&P tells me, so as much as I'd like to have one, I don't think the TBM will ever be an option for me.  The Epic looks really nice though, or even the PA-46.  My wife and I are pretty small and we don't have any friends (or at least not any we'd want to take anywhere in small plane) so we don't really need more space than the C provides, the Epic or a PA-46 would be more than enough room for us and our daughter.

Check the payload full fuel when you equip it with FIKI. You'll find the range less than a FIKI equipped Ovation and the payload about the same.

The big thing is the engine. When it runs out at TBO you have to buy a new one. Even Continental does not overhaul them. They don't quote TBO rather TBR,

[McMooney]

1 hour ago, Andy95W said:

I guess looks really are in the eye of the beholder- I like it!  Not as good looking as any Mooney, but I’d love to have one, even for the looks.

same i think it looks sharp

[McMooney]

43 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

Check the payload full fuel when you equip it with FIKI. You'll find the range less than a FIKI equipped Ovation and the payload about the same.

The big thing is the engine. When it runs out at TBO you have to buy a new one. Even Continental does not overhaul them. They don't quote TBO rather TBR,

just read that they upped TBR to 2000 hours and on condition for the gear box.   

[FlyingDude]

I love the way it looks and honestly it seems like a Cirrus knock-off.  (I know I know...  Retract gear, etc.) 

I like the useful weight a lot... 

C172 and C182 "feel" a lot like C152.  Just bigger and heavier..  So, I wonder if it feels like a DA20...  I've given lessons in a DA20 and honestly it is not my favorite plane.  But my student used to love it and he'd pay $15/hr extra over the C152...  I asked him if he'd choose me if I charged $15/hr more than the other CFI guy and he said no.  That student really liked the DA20.

 

[hais]

28 minutes ago, FlyingDude said:

I love the way it looks and honestly it seems like a Cirrus knock-off.  (I know I know...  Retract gear, etc.) 

I like the useful weight a lot... 

C172 and C182 "feel" a lot like C152.  Just bigger and heavier..  So, I wonder if it feels like a DA20...  I've given lessons in a DA20 and honestly it is not my favorite plane.  But my student used to love it and he'd pay $15/hr extra over the C152...  I asked him if he'd choose me if I charged $15/hr more than the other CFI guy and he said no.  That student really liked the DA20.

 

The way I'd describe a DA20 is: you move the stick with your index finger, and you get immediate response.

I trained in DA20s and then I did C172 transition. On take off turning crosswind, I told the instructor something was broken. I said, the airplane is not turning...he showed me how to be patient with the controls

When flying DA40s, I never wanted to engage the A/P. 

if you think a Mooney handles great, wait until you try the diamonds...

[Hank]

I'll bet that plane was designed by committee. The wing looks stretched, the T-tail looks oversized for the fuselage, and the boxy cowling doesn't match the rest of the curvy plane. 

[1980Mooney]

The upcoming Textron/Pipistrel Panthera (2024) is more of a Mooney competitor and makes a lot more sense than the Diamond.  

[hubcap]

I would not refer to the DA50 as a thing of beauty.

[Pinecone]

6 hours ago, Hank said:

I'll bet that plane was designed by committee. The wing looks stretched, the T-tail looks oversized for the fuselage, and the boxy cowling doesn't match the rest of the curvy plane. 

Wing and T-tail are from the company's experience designing and building high performance sailplanes.

Boxy cowl comes from the shape of the diesel engine.

I think a different paint scheme will make it look better.  It isn't that bad looking.

One huge problem is the low fuel capacity.  Discussed over on BT, only 49 gallons.  Which even with the diesel is only 3 hours with IFR reserves.

[EricJ]

12 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

The upcoming Textron/Pipistrel Panthera (2024) is more of a Mooney competitor and makes a lot more sense than the Diamond.  

You can spin it with four people on board!    At least they did in the video, which was pretty cool. 

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

I would like to see more emphasis on pressurization, but...  What does that add to the price?

Does anyone have an approximate idea of the original price difference between Piper's Malibu/Matrix, or the Cessna T-210 vs. P-210, etc.?

[rickseeman]

20 hours ago, McMooney said:

it's REALLY nice, diamonds are amazing.  once you can land a diamond mooney's are beyond trivial.

most annoying thing about this plane is the fuel capacity,  it and the da62 need way more fuel.

I've never seen a piston European airplane that had any range. Over there the countries are small and they don't understand living in a country as wide as ours. 

[A64Pilot]

1 hour ago, AH-1 Cobra Pilot said:

I would like to see more emphasis on pressurization, but...  What does that add to the price?

Does anyone have an approximate idea of the original price difference between Piper's Malibu/Matrix, or the Cessna T-210 vs. P-210, etc.?

That’s one of those if you have to ask questions

What I’m familiar with is the C-210 / P-210 the P-210 was real heavy, and until the R model came along with longer wings and bigger tail, more fuel and a more powerful engine it’s just wasn’t worth the squeeze, but it’s a big squeeze, they weren’t and I believe still aren’t cheap. The R is easily argued to be an almost completely new airplane, but the things were fast, well over 200 kts from memory, well over.

Then add in maintenance isn’t trivial, want to add a radio or GPS etc in a non pressurized airplane it’s no big deal, with a pressurized one as your penetrating the pressure vessel to add an antenna I’ve been told that involves a Structural DER.

I think maybe when your talking that kind of money but can’t swing a turbine, maybe a nice pressurized twin may be better, but I never really looked at that myself.

Edited June 21, 2023 by A64Pilot

[glbtrottr]

Friends don’t let friends buy Diamond…just saying

[CMMPilot]

On 6/20/2023 at 5:16 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

I wonder how fast it really goes? It says 181 KTS, but that's like saying a 201 goes 175 KTS, we all know they go 155-160 KTS. It also says it uses 9 GPH. I don't think the 181 KTS and the 9 GPH go together.

 

Agreed!