to enter the YSBK circuit due
to some heavy helicopter traffic
performing training, we flew a
close right-hand circuit onto
runway 29R. Again the excellent
visibility from the front seats made
it easy to spot the traffic that we
had been instructed to follow.
Holding 85 KIAS down final with
gear and full flap was easily trimmed
out and maintained with small instant
thrust responses. After Tomlin’s
direction to bring the thrust back to
idle just prior to the flare, a smooth
landing eventuated and an exit onto
taxy way A4 was easily achieved.
The upshot
With weight savings of around 40
kg, 3 knots better speed from the
propeller, 8 knots from reduced-drag
engine cowls and drag reductions
from the various other improvements,
Diamond says the DA42-VI is close to
20 knots faster than previous models
claiming a maximum cruise speed of
up to 200 KTAS up to FL160.
Along with the drag
improvements the DA42-VI
boasts a maximum take-off weight
increase of 120 kilograms.
This increase allows the Dash 6 to
carry that extra adult with baggage,
more fuel or enable further options
like air conditioning, which weighs in
at 41 kgs, or a radar at 9 kg.At lighter weights, the Dash 6
will climb at 1800 fpm at sea level
at 120 knots.
Cruising at 60% power at 10,000
feet, the pair of AE300 engines sip
fuel at the rate of just 40 lph, that’s a
total fuel flow of avtur/Jet-A1. With a
total fuel capacity of 289 litres, a range
of 1200 nm with reserves is possible;
that’s Sydney to NZ with a tailwind
or comfortably with a stop at eitherLord Howe or Norfolk Island.
The DA42-VI comes with
an impressive array of standard
features from the Garmin G1000
with GFC700 Auto Flight System
and yaw damper to a transponder
with ADS-B out.
Optional equipment include
items like now the Garmin GWX68 Weather Radar, Garmin satellite
data-link, Garmin ChartView
Approach Plates, Garmin Synthetic
Vision Technology and Avidyne TAS
605 Traffic Advisory System.
The optional weather radar is now
made possible by the nose cone being
a separate airframe component rather
the single molded-nose of previous
models with the exception, of course,
of the military MPP version.Creature comfort optional items
include Bose headsets wired into
the aircraft, electrically adjustable
rudder pedals and even air
conditioning along with an array of
paint and trim options.
The DA42-NG model hasn’t been
dropped, but is still in production
and now targeted towards the
training role, as it is a little cheaper to
acquire. Plus you wouldn’t want your
students getting too comfortable in
that BMW leather!
Personally if I was purchasing
a new Diamond DA42, I would
be opting for the DA42-VI
model because it offers so
many improvements in cruise
performance and operating
fuel efficiencies over the other
models coupled with improved
performance which would be of a
great advantage in hotter climates
like here in Australia.australianflying.com.au 47
January - February 2015 AUSTRALIAN FLYINGThanks to Stephen Pembro and
Richard Tomlin of Hawker Pacific for
their help in preparing this review.“Excellent visibility from the front
seats made it easy to spot the
traffic ...”
02 9709 8488
[email protected]
http://www.sfcaero.com.au
60 Birch St, Bankstown Airport, NSW 2200Enrol now:
Diploma of Aviation (Instrument Flight Operations)
Diploma of Aviation (Flight Instruction)
You may be eligible for VET Fee Help.Four pathways to a
Diploma of Aviation
Commencing February 2015
Pathway 1 – 12 months
From zero flying experiencePathway 2 – 9 months
From PPLPathway 3 – 6 months
From CPLPathway 4 – 6 months
Flight Instruction DiplomaC13421 FLY Sydney Flying Club.indd 1 25/11/14 1:19 PM