1999 model DA20-C1 Eclipse

DA20-A1 Katana

The Diamond DA20 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane designed for flight training. In addition to its role as a civil and military training aircraft, it is also used for personal flying by pilot-owners. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 521 pixelsFull resolution (1051 × 684 pixel, file size: 284 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Diamond DA40-TDI Diamond Star Diamond Aircraft Industries is an Austrian-based manufacturer of general aviation aircraft and motor gliders. ... A Mooney M20J with a tricycle landing gear Polish 3Xtrim 3X55 Trener with a tricycle landing gear taxiing. ... General aviation (abbr. ... Airplane and Aeroplane redirect here. ... Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. ...

Models

There are two basic models of the DA20. The A1 Katana, based on the DV20 Katana, is powered by a Rotax 912 engine rated for 80 or 100 hp (60 or 75 kW) and has a constant-speed propeller. The C1 Eclipse/Evolution is powered by a Continental IO-240 engine rated for 125 hp (93 kW) and has a fixed-pitch propeller. Rotax is an Austrian engine manufacturer, founded in 1920 in Dresden, Germany. ... -1...

Both models have composite airframes constructed of glass- and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineering materials made from two or more components. ... This article or section should be merged with Fiberglass Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is a composite material made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. ... Carbon fiber reinforced plastic or (CFRP or CRP), is a strong, light and very expensive composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. ...

History

The first DA20 was the Rotax 912 powered A1 Katana produced in Canada in 1994. It was the first Diamond aircraft available for sale in North America.-1... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1994: Events April April 14 - USAF F-15 Eagles shoot down two US Army Iraq, mis-identifying them as Iraqi Mil Mi-25s April 16 - a Royal Navy Sea Harrier is shot down over Serbia by a SA-7 Grail. ...

Production of the Continental IO-240-B3B powered C1 Evolution and Eclipse models began in 1998, also in Canada. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1998: Events Cirrus Aircraft successfully flight-tests the CAPS ballistic emergency aircraft parachute. ...

Production of the A1 Katana is complete but the DA20-C1 is still being constructed in 2007^[1].

Features

The DA20 is intended for a similar role as the Cessna 150, but there are many differences between the two airplanes. The DA20 has a higher cruise speed and rate of climb, control sticks (as opposed to yokes), composite construction, a canopy, low wings, a single fuel tank, a T-tail, and a castering nosewheel. Performance is significantly increased by the liberal use of composites and tapered wingtips which reduces the effects of induced drag. Cessna 150s produced before 1964, such as this 1962 Cessna 150B, had square fins and no rear window A 1965 Cessna 150E. The 1964 model 150D and the 150E had an Omni-Vision rear window, but retained the square fin of the earlier 150 1965 Cessna 150E 1967 Cessna F150G...

Certification

The DA20-A1 and C1 are both certificated under CAR 523^[2] in Canada and under FAR 23 in the USA. The Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) are the rules that govern civil aviation in Canada. ... The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. ...

In 2004, Diamond received Chinese certification for the DA20. Both models also hold JAA certification, too. This is a list of aviation-related events from 2004: Events January 2 - Several British Airways flights from London Heathrow Airport to Washington D.C. and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are cancelled due to security fears. ... The Joint Aviation Authorities, or JAA, is the predominant regulatory body for aviation in Europe. ...

Although the DA20 is available with instrumentation and avionics suitable for flight under instrument flight rules (IFR), its plastic airframe lacks lightning protection and thus does not qualify for IFR certification. The DA20 is certified in the utility category, and it is permissible to intentionally spin it. Avionics is a portmanteau which literally means aviation electronics. ... It has been suggested that Air traffic control#Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) be merged into this article or section. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Handling

Because the nose wheel of the DA20 is not linked to the rudder pedals, turns while taxiing must be made with differential braking, with rudder steering becoming more effective as airspeed increases.

The DA-20 possesses a higher glide ratio than many of its competitors. The glide ratio of the DA20-C1 is 11:1 and the DA20-A1 is 14:1. For comparison, the Cessna 150, another two-seat trainer, has a glide ratio of 7:1. The DA20's high glide ratio can pose a challenge for students if a no-flap landing is necessary. This can be greatly lessened with a moderate slip. Glide ratio is an aviation term that refers to the distance an aircraft will move forward for any given amount of lost altitude (the cotangent of the downward angle). ... A slip is an aerodynamic state where an aircraft is moving sideways as well as forward relative to the oncoming airflow. ...

The higher glide ratio is a significant advantage in the event of an engine failure as it allows the aircraft to reach a greater number of potential landing areas from the same altitude.

Crew accommodation

The DA20's bubble canopy provides good visibility. Small windows on either side of the canopy can be opened on the ground and in flight to provide cockpit ventilation. This canopy design, however, lets in an above-average amount of sunlight into the cockpit, increasing the cockpit's initial temperature. Closeup of the front view of an F-16 Fighting Falcon showing the bubble canopy A bubble canopy is a canopy made like a soap bubble, which attempts to provide 360° vision to the pilot. ...

The DA20's seats are recumbent and are not adjustable, instead the rudder pedals are adjustable fore and aft to accommodate pilots of different height. The fixed seats provide better occupant crash protection.

The seats in the C1 variant have a less obtuse angle, but, like the A1, are not adjustable. Both models are available with cloth or leather seat coverings.

US military use

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University provides the Academy Flight Screening (AFS) program for the United States Air Force Academy in DA20-C1 "Falcons" which were specially ordered with slightly smaller fuel tanks to save weight and primary flight instruments on the right side of the aircraft. Embry-Riddle currently operates a fleet of 18 DA20s at the Academy. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, coeducational private university with a history dating back to the early days of aviation. ...

Doss Aviation, after being awarded a contract for US Air Force Introductory Flight Screening (IFS) in Pueblo, CO, has ordered 42 DA20s. This program is intended to take over the Academy's AFS program in the next few years so that all Air Force pilots attend the same training.

Type Clubs

The Diamond family of aircraft are supported by two active aircraft type clubs, The Diamond Aviators Association and the Diamond Aircraft Pilots and Owners Organization. Aircraft type clubs exist to provide information and support to a single aircraft type or a group of aircraft types from the same manufacturer or family of aircraft. ...

Specifications (DA20-C1)

Data from DA20 webpage^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 7.16 m (23 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 10.87 m (35 ft 8 in)
• Height: 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 11.61 m² (125 ft²)
• Empty weight: 529 kg (1,166 lb)
• Useful load: 271 kg in the USA and Canada; 221 kg elsewhere (597 lb / 487 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 800 kg in the USA and Canada; 750 kg elsewhere (1,764 lb / 1,653 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Continental IO-240-B , 93 kW (125 hp)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 304 km/h, (164 knots, 189 mph)
• Cruise speed: 256 km/h (138 knots, 159 mph) @ 5.5 gal/hr
• Stall speed: 86 km/h clean, 70 km/h full flaps (47 knots, 54 mph / 38 knots, 44 mph)
• Range: 1003 km (547 nm, 623 mi)
• Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,120 ft)
• Rate of climb: 5.08 m/s (1,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 64.6 kg/m² (13.2 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 124 W/kg (0.0756 hp/lb)

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... An aircrafts Vne is the velocity that should never be exceeded. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ...

External links

• Diamond Aircraft Industries
• Katana Review by Philip Greenspun
• The Diamond Aviators Association, the Owners and Pilots Club
• Diamond Aircraft Pilots and Owners Organization

References

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Related content

See also