Diamond Aircraft said it entered a partnership with United Airlines’ flight training operation, United Aviate Academy, located in Goodyear, Arizona.
Under the deal, the academy ordered five new DA42-VI twin-engine aircraft, which run on jet-A. Diamond said it plans to deliver the first aircraft during this week’s Sun ‘n Fun Expo in Lakeland, Florida. The remainder will be delivered by the end of the second quarter of this year, the company said.
“We are excited to incorporate the DA42-VI Diamond Aircraft as our multi-engine trainer to our growing fleet,” said Dana Donati, CEO of United Aviate Academy. “With its advanced aircraft systems and performance, the DA42-VI provides us the unique opportunity to prepare our pilots for the next step in their career while honoring our commitment to using the most sophisticated training aircraft on the market today.”
The four-seat DA42-VI is the latest version of Diamond’s piston twin and is the first certified general aviation aircraft to combine a modern airframe, avionics, and powerplants, the company said. Diamond said it has delivered more than 1,100 DA42s since its introduction. The composite aircraft is equipped with Austro AE300 engines, Garmin G1000 NXi avionics.
Diamond said the DA42-VI is designed to ease the transition from single-engine aircraft to light twins. The company said the aircraft is more fuel-efficient than typical piston twins and cuts fuel use by 50 percent compared with avgas-fueled competitors.
“We are very pleased to have partnered with United Aviate as they continue to grow,” said Trevor Mustard, head of sales and marketing for Diamond Aircraft Canada. “Their mission to provide world-class flight training through equal opportunity initiatives will further incentivize a broader spectrum of student pilots and help meet the demand at the airline level.”
