Urbe Aero Flight Academy in Rome, Italy, will expand its fleet of Diamond Aircraft with an order for seven new Diamond DA40 NG piston single-engine aircraft and one DA42-VI piston twin.
According to Diamond, the aircraft are equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpits and propelled by the efficient 168-hp AUSTRO AE300 jet-A-powered engines, which burn up to 50 percent less lead-free fuel and operate with a lower noise signature than conventional avgas-powered aircraft.
The acquisition will help the academy meet the demand for pilots, said professor Lorenzo Mezzadri, accountable manager of Urbe Aero Flight Academy.
“The growth of our organization in the last 12 years, and the huge number of young pilots we were able to prepare for the major airlines, is clear evidence of a basic solidity for a high-level service,” Mezzadri said. “With this investment, our fleet will reach 19 Diamond aircraft—seven DA20-C1s, nine DA40 NGs, and three DA42-VIs.”
The new aircraft will allow the flight school “to cope with current and future partnerships with European airlines,” he said.
Urbe Aero Flight Academy has been a factor in Europe’s aviation industry for more than 20 years, first as an aircraft dealer, then as a flight academy and aircraft maintenance organization. The company is based at the Rome Urbe Airport (LIRU). The school is an EASA-approved training organization. The academy operates a fleet of 11 modern single-engine and twin-engine Diamond DA20, DA40, and DA42 aircraft, with Garmin glass-cockpit avionics. The academy also has two flight simulators; one configured as a Diamond DA42, and the other as a Boeing 737NG that is used by airlines for pilot selection.
Urbe Aero Group also includes aircraft maintenance affiliates in Austria, Germany, and Croatia.
“Urbe Aero Flight Academy has been tremendously benefiting from operating aircraft by the same manufacturer for both single-engine and multiengine training,” said Jane Wang, sales director, Diamond Aircraft Austria. “Fleet commonality offers them more advantages, such as minimized instructor standardization, rapid student transition, and reduced parts inventories. We are delighted about their successful development and are proud to be part of this exciting journey to move the aviation industry forward.”
Diamond’s complete line of piston aircraft includes a dedicated flight training concept with single-engine piston (DA40 NG) and multiengine piston (DA42-VI) trainers, along with type-specific flight training simulators and proprietary jet-fuel-powered engines, Diamond Aircraft is the only sole-source provider in the flight training market, according to the company.
