The prototype, designated as the DA52, first flew on 3 April 2012 after six months of development.[3][5] In June 2014 it was announced the production aircraft would be designated the DA62.[6][7]
Design and development
The DA62 development team is headed by Diamond managing director Manfred Zipper. It is based upon the fuselage of the single-engine Diamond DA50, but with two Austro AE330 Diesel engines burning Jet A fuel. Company CEO Christian Dries indicated that the engines may be replaced with turboprops.[2][5]
In flying the prototype from Diamond's Wiener Neustadt plant to the 2012 AERO Friedrichshafen aviation trade show, the aircraft achieved 16.6 mpg (14.2 litres/100 km) fuel efficiency, the result of improvements in cooling drag and aerodynamic drag made during its development.[8]
The company originally intended to have the aircraft available for sale in July 2013 and expected to offer fly-by-wire controls as an option by 2014, but development was delayed and those dates were not met.[3][4] The DA62 was European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-certified on 16 April 2015.[9][10] By September 2015, the company was preparing to deliver the first production DA62s to customers the following month and was manufacturing the first aircraft destined for the United States market — the tenth DA52/DA62 to be built and the third production aircraft — for an appearance at that year's National Business Aviation Association Convention in November.[11] American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification was received on 23 February 2016[12][13] The FAA certification came ten months after EASA certification.[12] At the 2016 AERO Friedrichshafen show, Diamond's CEO Christian Dries reported that production would be increased to 60–62 aircraft per year to meet strong demand.[14]
The aircraft is available in two weight versions. The "European" version has five seats and a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 1,999 kilograms (4,407 lb), the "US" version has seven seats and a MTOW of 2,300 kilograms (5,071 lb).[15][16] The lower MTOW of the "European" version is to allow operators to avoid higher weight-based air traffic control user charges.[11] The third row of seating and increased MTOW of the "US" version are available as factory options at extra cost.[15] At the 2016 AERO Friedrichshafen, Christian Dries said a special version with an additional baggage belly pod was under consideration for the air charter market.[14]
By April 2019 more than 120 DA62s had been delivered.[17] Aircraft are built in both Austria and Canada.
In January 2023, it was announced that Aeromot will assemble DA62s in Brazil from kits supplied by Diamond Aircraft Canada, starting in 2025. The intention is to ramp-up production to 50 aircraft per year. The completed aircraft will be sold primarily in the south American market.[18]
Operational history
Notable owners include German Leader of the OppositionFriedrich Merz, who, controversially flew to the wedding of Minister of FinanceChristian Lindner in July 2022, claiming that the DA62 consumed less fuel than official limousines. Media fact checking disputed that claim however, conceding that the total consumption will probably be lower, if the travelling speed and detours - almost unavoidable for cars bound to roads - are factored into the comparison.[19][20]
On October 6, 2023, the Nigerian Air Force acquired four DA 62 MPPs, registered in Nigeria as NAF260/261/262/263.[21]
^Papageorgiou, Giorgos (2024-04-04). "Πολιτική Προστασία: Έπεσαν υπογραφές για 3 αεροσκάφη εναέριας επιτήρησης" [Civil Protection: signatures for 3 aerial surveillance aircraft]. Flight (Πτήση) (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-09-19. Ο υπουργός Κλιματικής Κρίσης και Πολιτικής Προστασίας, Βασίλης Κικίλιας, υπέγραψε σήμερα σύμβαση για την προμήθεια 3 δικινητήριων αεροσκαφών εναέριας επιτήρησης Diamond DA62 MPP, μέσω διαγωνισμού που εξέλιξε το ΤΑΙΠΕΔ. [...] Τα αεροσκάφη θα αξιοποιούνται ως εναέρια κέντρα επιχειρήσεων, παρακολούθησης και καταγραφής δεδομένων (air-surveillance) με χρήση ηλεκτροπτικών συστημάτων τελευταίας τεχνολογίας. Ο προϋπολογισμός ήταν 23.336.000 ευρώ. [The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, today signed a contract for the supply of 3 Diamond DA62 MPP twin-engine aerial surveillance aircraft, through a tender developed by the Hellenic State Property Fund. [...] The aircraft will be used as airborne operations, monitoring and data recording centres (air-surveillance) using state-of-the-art electro-electrical systems. The budget was 23'336'000 euros.]
^"Έκλεισε η συμφωνία για την αγορά 3 αεροσκαφών DA62 MPP από την Ελλάδα" [Agreement for the purchase of 3 DA62 MPP aircraft from Greece]. Pronews.gr (in Greek). 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-09-19. Σήμερα υπογράφηκε η σύμβαση για την αγορά τριών δικινητήριων αεροσκαφών DA62 MPP, τα οποία θα λειτουργήσουν ως Εναέρια Κέντρα Επιχειρήσεων για παρακολούθηση και καταγραφή δεδομένων με τη χρήση ηλεκτροπτικών συστημάτων τελευταίας γενιάς. Το ΓΕΑ θα αναλάβει την λειτουργία και συντήρηση των τριών αεροσκαφών για λογαριασμό του Υπουργείου Πολιτικής Προστασίας. [Today the contract was signed for the purchase of three DA62 MPP twin-engine aircraft, which will operate as Airborne Operations Centres for monitoring and data recording using the latest generation of electrostatic systems. HAFGS will undertake the operation and maintenance of the three aircraft on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Protection.]
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