Having made the amazingly swift entry into the light single-engine aircraft niche in 1981, the Austrian Diamond Aircraft company in record time became the biggest manufacturer of such airplanes in Europe, and the third biggest in North America.
Young doesn't necessarily mean green
In 25 years of their existence Diamond Aircraft grew into an international company with own production facilities (half a million square feet of floor space, advanced equipment and 5 independent assembly lines). It has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, with the main production base in Neustadt. This Viennese suburb also hosts the company headquarters and R&D labs. By the way, Diamond Aircraft has been officially certified as a "design engineering firm" which enables it to design and manufacture aircraft in line with international standards. Being a recognised authority on composite materials technologies, the company actively participates in research and development of cutting-edge materials. Composite designs by Diamond Aircraft are widely used in manufacturing of civilian and military aircrafts the world over. The company employs over 800 people; more than 3,000 aircraft had been made altogether.
Got it right the first time
It all started with the powered glider H36 Dimona, creating the company's brand-name style so evident in subsequent models. HK36 Super Dimona became the best-selling powered glider in Europe. It's still in production, with over 1,000 gliders already sold.
DV20 Katana released in 1992 from the Neustadt factory was no less successful. The industry experts liked it so much that just a year later the company had to open a new full-cycle production facility in London, Ontario province (Canada) to meet the US market demand for this new-generation training airplane. The subsidiary was named Dimona Aircraft, while the aircraft was designated DA20 Katana. This two-seater training plane inherited from its predecessor the tricycle-equipped fixed landing gear and aerodynamic wingtips, while the wingspan became almost 4 metres shorter, increasing the aircraft's manoeuvrability. The plane quickly became a workhorse in many pilot schools and with many private pilots, who loved it for safety, sensitivity and low maintenance requirements.
Diamonds get heavier
Having conquered the two-seater training planes niche, in 2000 the company presented the 4-seat DA40 model. The new aircraft was another example of the company's philosophy: high quality and good flight characteristics for moderate price. Indeed, the price tag for this aircraft which can be used not just as a training aid but for business purposes and private flights starts at $195,000.
In 2001 Diamond Aircraft presented to the world the turbo-diesel DA40TDI, which became the most efficient four-seater aircraft: at a cruising speed of 200 kmph it uses only 12 litres of kerosene or diesel per flight hour.
The next step was launching production of DA42 Twin Star in 2002. This model has retractable landing gear, a more spacious cabin and two engines, making it even safer and increasing the climbing capacity. In 2003 DA42 Twin Star received the prestigious Aerospace Industries Award. And with good reason: next year the aircraft had crossed the Atlantic without refuelling, flying from Newfoundland to Porto on just 272 litres of fuel!
At jet speed
The company didn't forget about business aviation either. In 2003 they started working on a light 5-seat business jet with the range of up to 7,600 km and the speed of 570 kmph. The design parameters were quite high: a single pilot reading all the necessary data from a "glass" new-generation dashboard, high fuel efficiency (125 kg/h), low noise, runway under 600 m and climbing to cruising altitude in 8 minutes – these were the main requirements the new model (designated D-JET) had to meet. Note also the declared price - under $1 million for a business jet.
The company designers opted for the Garmin G1000 integrated avionics system for the new D-Jet. It'd already been tested at DA40-180 Diamond Star and DA42 Twin Star. Garmin G1000 includes navigation and communication equipment, flight data display, displays information about the terrain, course, air condition, weather, current engine parameters and emergency alert system. All data is displayed on high-resolution monitors.
The success of Diamond Aircraft came as no surprise. It stems from radical differences between the company's aircraft and the similar products by other manufacturers. Composite materials make planes by Diamond Aircraft last practically forever. Throw in perfect aerodynamics of the glider which make beginner pilots feel more confident. But probably the most important factor is the balanced pricing policy which increases the number of private customers.
Dmitry Gnatenko
Photoreport
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