It was odd that, as I taxied out in the number three prototype of the Diamond D-Jet, the last thing on my mind was that there is only one engine. As with any other business jet you can’t see the engines, and the sounds and sensations of one jet engine spinning away are the same as two or three. This thing is a real jet, not half a jet.
The sensations of takeoff were also like those in any of the dozens of other jets I have flown. I wasn’t sure how strong initial acceleration and climb would be, but nobody will be disappointed. It was easy to get close to 3,000 fpm initial climb rates even though the day was hot and muggy and Diamond’s home airport at London, Ontario, is at nearly 1,000 feet elevation. The slight but steady vibration and hum of the engine you expect in a jet were just right.
