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Single-engine pistonDiamond Aircraft Industries

Diamond DA40 Diamond Star

The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing composite airplane with a long, glider-like wing and a bubble canopy. Built around modern glass avionics and a strong safety record, it is a popular contemporary trainer.

Overview & history

The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane built largely from composite materials, introduced around 2000 by the Austrian/Canadian manufacturer Diamond Aircraft. It descended from Diamond's two-seat DA20 and shares that family's distinctive look: a slender, high-aspect-ratio wing, a sleek fuselage, and a one-piece bubble canopy with a separate rear passenger door.

The DA40 was one of the airplanes that helped move flight training toward glass cockpits, and most examples are equipped with Garmin integrated avionics rather than traditional round gauges. Its composite structure, efficient wing, and benign handling give it good cruise efficiency and a notably strong safety record, which has made it a favorite at university and professional flight-training programs.

Unlike the legacy Cessna and Piper trainers, the DA40 is a clean-sheet modern design, so its systems, ergonomics, and avionics more closely resemble what a student will encounter when moving on to advanced and airline-style cockpits.

Variants

The DA40 has been built in both gasoline (avgas) and Jet-A (diesel) forms:

  • DA40-180 / DA40 XL / DA40 XLS: avgas models powered by the Lycoming IO-360 (180 hp) with a constant-speed propeller — the configuration described in the table below.
  • DA40 TDI / DA40 CD: earlier diesel models using a Thielert/Centurion engine burning Jet-A.
  • DA40 NG ("Next Generation"): the current diesel model, powered by an Austro Engine AE300 turbo-diesel burning Jet-A, with FADEC single-lever power control.

All variants share the same composite airframe and long-span wing. Figures below describe the Lycoming-powered DA40; the diesel NG differs in powerplant detail and fuel type.

Specifications & performance

Dimensions

Length26 ft 5 in (8.06 m)
Wingspan39 ft 2 in (11.94 m)
Height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Wing area145 sq ft (13.5 m²)
Seats4

Weights

Max gross (takeoff) weight2,646 lb (1,200 kg)
Typical empty weight≈ 1,755 lb (796 kg)
Usable fuel (standard)≈ 40 gal (151 L)

Powerplant

Engine (avgas)Lycoming IO-360-M1A
Configuration4-cyl, fuel-injected, air-cooled, horizontally opposed
Rated power180 hp @ 2,700 rpm
PropellerConstant-speed, two- or three-blade

Performance

Cruise speed (typical, TAS)≈ 150 kn (173 mph)
Never-exceed speed (Vne)178 KIAS
Stall speed, flaps down (Vs0)≈ 49 KIAS
Service ceiling16,400 ft (5,000 m)
Rate of climb (sea level)≈ 1,120 ft/min
Range (typical, no reserve)≈ 720 nm

Figures are manufacturer/typical published values for the Lycoming-powered Diamond DA40, cross-checked against FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A47CE. Vne, weight, and fuel limits for a specific airplane are defined by that airplane’s POH/AFM and the TCDS — always use the figures for the exact serial number and engine variant you fly.

Images

Image to sourceDiamond DA40 Diamond Star exterior, three-quarter view on the ramp
Exterior — composite low-wing with bubble canopy (placeholder pending licensed image).To source from Wikimedia Commons · Pending verification · sourceSource a CC BY / CC BY-SA or Public-Domain exterior photo of a Diamond DA40 from Wikimedia Commons "Category:Diamond DA40", download it into /public, and fill src + credit + license + sourceUrl. Do NOT hotlink.
Image to sourceDiamond DA40 three-view line drawing (top, side, front)
3-view line drawing (placeholder pending licensed image).To source from Wikimedia Commons · Pending verification · sourceSource a CC/PD 3-view drawing of the DA40 from Wikimedia Commons (verify the license on the file page), self-host it in /public, and fill the fields. Do NOT hotlink.
Image to sourceDiamond DA40 glass-cockpit instrument panel
Glass cockpit / instrument panel (placeholder pending licensed image).To source from Wikimedia Commons · Pending verification · sourceSource a CC/PD cockpit photo of a DA40 from Wikimedia Commons, self-host in /public, and fill the fields. Do NOT hotlink.

FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet

TCDS No. A47CE — Type Certificate Holder: Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH (Austria) — FAA import type certificate.

FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A47CE covers the Diamond DA40 series under a U.S. import type certificate (the European certificate is EASA.IM.A.022). It is a public-domain FAA document; search the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) for "A47CE" to open the current revision and confirm the exact figures for your variant.

Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH/AFM)

The Airplane Flight Manual / Pilot’s Operating Handbook (AFM/POH) is copyrighted by the manufacturer and is NOT reproduced here. Obtain the official handbook for your aircraft from Diamond Aircraft or an authorized dealer, and always fly to the limitations in the AFM for your specific serial number and engine variant.

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