My flying club just took a big step into the future by putting a brand-new glass cockpit Diamond DA40 XLS online. This is a welcome addition to our fleet which up to now was composed of 152s and the many variants of the PA-28 type.
I first heard about the DA40 XLS a few years back on this very blog, so it is only fitting that I present my first impressions here. Ironically, this happens as Vincent takes a step back in time as well as a giant stride across the Atlantic on the very exciting Flying Across America mission in Jason Schappert‘s C150.
The DA40 XLS is a four-seat single-engine aircraft of composite construction with an integrated Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. My impressions so far are drawn from a tour of the aircraft in the hangar. No flying yet, although this will happen as soon as weather and schedule align.
The composite construction of the DA40 allows for gentle and curved shapes. Diamond’s heritage in designing motor gliders is clearly visible in the long wingspan. I heard from one instructor that with a glide ratio of 11:1, practising simulated engine failures in realistic conditions in the training area became a lot harder since there’s now almost always an airport within gliding range!
I was surprised by how sturdy the aircraft feels compared to all-metal Pipers and Cessnas. I somehow expected a composite airplane to be flimsier, the DA40 feels rock solid. The doors open and close with absolute precision, just like in a luxury car, and this airplane even featured that typical new car smell. The seats are comfortable and very nicely designed, with the control stick built into the front part of the seat.
Obviously, such luxury comes at a price, and the hourly wet hire rate for the DA40 XLS is only 10% lower than the twin-engine Piper Seminole. If I fly on my own or with fellow pilots, I would go for a cheaper PA-28 or take the opportunity to log twin time. But if I want to impress or provide the most comfortable experience to family and friends, I would go for the DA40 XLS in a heartbeat.
Vincent Lambercy is a Swiss private pilot now living in Germany. He holds a private pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine and instrument ratings and has logged more than 430 hours of flight.
