The Diamond DA40 series of lightweight aircraft has seen adoption by various military services of the world including Austria, Singapore, and the United States.
The Diamond "DA40" (Diamond Star / Star) is a lightweight, four passenger general aviation aircraft to come from Diamond Aircraft Industries of Austria. The type is a further development of the company's twin-seat "DA20", of which over 2,000 examples were produced from 1994 onwards, and follows much of its form-and-function. A first-flight for the DA40 was recorded on November 5th, 1997 and production has been ongoing since with over 2,200 units to date.
Beyond their commercial sector usage, the DA40 series has been adopted by some world military air powers to be used as a flight trainer for new generations of pilots. This includes Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Singapore, and the United States.
The aircraft utilizes the tried-and-true single-engine configuration with the powerplant embedded in the nose. The engine drives a three-bladed propeller unit. Aft of the engine mounting is the side-by-side cockpit which seats the pilot and up to three passengers in comfort. Large windscreens are provided for excellent vision out-of-the-cockpit. The wings are of monoplane form and fitted low along the sides of the fuselage. A slight upturn of the tips is seen at the end of each mainplane member. The tail unit incorporates a Multhopp-style T-plane arrangement seating the horizontal plane high atop the vertical fin. The undercarriage is of tricycle arrangement and fixed with some versions featuring streamlined fairings over the wheels for inherent aerodynamics. Construction of the aircraft is largely of composites.
The aircraft has a running length of 26.6 feet with a wingspan of 39 feet and a height of 6.5 feet. Empty weight is 1,755lb against a gross of 2,640lb. Power is from a Lycoming IO-360-M1A 4-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed piston engine delivering 180 horsepower. Cruising speeds reach 175 miles-per-hour with ranges out to 835 miles and a service ceiling up to 16,000 feet. Rate-of-climb is listed at 1,120 feet-per-minute.
Initial production models were designated simply as "DA40" fitted with Textron Lycoming IO-360 M1A engine of 180 horsepower. The "DA40 D" then followed and carried the Thielert TAE 125-01 or TAE 125-02-99 engines and has reduced maximum gross weights for European airspace operations. The short-lived "DA40F" / "DA40 FP" was powered by the Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M engine.
The "DA40" NG represents the current offering of the line and carries a local Austro Engine AE 300 powerplant utilizing JET A-1 fuel. European certification was granted in April 2010 and some 500 units have been produced since.
The DA40 XLT appeared in April of 2013 and numerous updates and upgrades internally. The DA40 "Tundra Star" was given a reinforced undercarriage and carries an Austro AE300 diesel engine of 168 horsepower. The eDA40 is an all-electric aircraft reveled in October 2021.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
October 2018 - A modified hybrid-electric DA40 was flown for the first time on October 31st, 2018 out of Wiener Neustadt in Austria.
Australia; Austria; Bangladesh; Bolivia; Ecuador; Indonesia; Jamaica; Singapore; United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.
✓VIP Service
Used in the Very-Important-Person (VIP) passenger transport role, typically with above-average amenities and luxuries as standard.
✓Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).
Length
26.6 ft (8.10 m)
Width/Span
39.0 ft (11.90 m)
Height
6.5 ft (1.98 m)
Empty Wgt
1,764 lb (800 kg)
MTOW
2,646 lb (1,200 kg)
Wgt Diff
+882 lb (+400 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Diamond DA40XL Diamond Star production variant)
monoplane / low-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Low-Mounted
Mainplanes are low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the Diamond DA40XL Diamond Star production variant)
Installed:
1 x Lycoming IO-360-M1A air-cooled, 4-cylinder piston engine developing 180 horsepower driving three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Diamond DA40XL Diamond Star production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
None.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
DA40 - Base Series Designation; initial production model with Textron Lycoming IO-360 M1A engine of 180 horsepower.
DA40 D - Powered by Theilert TAR 125-01 / 125-02-99 engine of 135 horsepower; European market airframe.
DA40 F / DA40 FP - Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M engine.
DA40 NG - Modern offering; powered by Austro Engine AE 300 of 165 horsepower; certified 2010.
T-52A - USAF academy designation for training purposes; since succeeded by T-53A (Cirrus SR20).
DA40 XLT - Model of April 2013; internal upgrades throughout.
DA40 "Tundra Star" - Reinforced undercarriage; powered by Austro AE300 diesel-fueled engine of 168 horsepower.
eDA40 - All-electric model of 2021.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
1 / 1
Image from Diamond Aircraft marketing materials; DA40 XLT pictured.
Similar Aircraft
Aviation developments of similar form and function, or related to, the Diamond DA40 (Diamond Star)...
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing all American military medals and ribbons.
Australia; Austria; Bangladesh; Bolivia; Ecuador; Indonesia; Jamaica; Singapore; United States
