First Look
With Diamond’s DA50-RG fresh on the scene with EASA certification, Ian Seager takes a look at its nearest competitors
Super Singles
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Diamond DA50-RG
Cirrus SR22T
G36 Bonanza
ew certified piston aircraft are rare beasts, and for good reason. They cost a fortune to develop, more to certify and yet more to put into production. When the manufacturer finally crosses the finishing line – often with performance, weight and price numbers that vary from the early marketing dreams – it still has to climb the mountain that involves getting the aeroplane into the hands of paying owners. It’s no surprise that newcomers struggle when even the old hands have experienced failures, but both Cirrus and Diamond have a track record of new model success. Diamond’s newly certified DA50-RG drops right in at the top of the piston single tree where it is up against the Cirrus SR22 and the Textron, (né Beechcraft) Bonanza. In terms of sales, Cirrus has held the crown for as long as most can remember, selling 331 SR22s last year against Textron’s seven (yes!) Bonanzas. There have been other contenders, Cessna developed something called the NGP (New Generation Piston), but it was only ever seen in a fly-by at AirVenture and as a mock-up on a trade stand. Columbia had the certified 400, a project later bought by Cessna where it was re-named the Corvalis TTx, but in February 2018 that line made its final landing. The TTx sold in better numbers than the Bonanza, but insiders told me that it was just too expensive to build. Slowly making its way through the certification process is the Pipistrel Panthera, a sleek looking, high speed retractable single, but that’s at least a year away from the finishing line. And we all know that aviation project years aren’t the same as normal calendar years… Of course Mooney is looking like it might have a new lease of life, but right now is concentrating on supporting the existing fleet. With travel plans difficult, thanks to you know what, we’ve taken a first look at Diamond’s big newcomer through the eyes of our French friends at Aviation & Pilote, who grabbed a flight at the Austrian manufacturer’s factory. We’ve also taken a look at how it measures up against the competition, and just as soon as we can get some decent stick and seat time in the big retractable diesel we’ll bring you an extended report. November 2020 | FLYER | 39
