GA Plane of the Year 2012 goes to DA40

Alexb2000 said:
Something that always stuck in my mind as I took a detailed tour of Cessna's Independance plant was, how do you match this in your garage?

Seriously, four levels of QC, jigs, silouetted parts carts, build sheets, every little thing just so, it was impressive. It also wasn't the first time building one for any of the employees.
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Then you find out everything is moving to china or mexico.

I remember going to Kerrville as a kid and drooling over the Mooney factory. I got in trouble for hopping into the simulator not realizing the radios were live ATC ;)
 
An 'excellent' airplane I can't afford is like the runway behind me...
GA plane of the year...pff. How the heck can we be ambassadors to GA if can't live in the neighborhood we patrol? If that is the definition of GA plane of the year then it becomes apparent I don't belong to GA in the proper sense, even as an aircraft owner myself....and that is why GA is effed.
 
Muttley said:
Front seats don't move, lack of space in rear seat with foot space like tissue boxes, awkward rear seat entry. Not a fan of control sticks in front of pax, overall feels smaller than it is. Ramp prescience of an emaciated mosquito.

The plane overall seems to be trying to do too much with too little for too much money.

But, please remember my opinions are based on my personal mission, preferences and usage. I'm just not a fan and wouldn't consider owning one. But as an airplane it works and flies and offers lots of bells and whistles.
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Okay I won't comment on most of this because your mission seems to be very different from mine. Just one question though, what other GA plane of the same class do you know that has more room in the back than the 40?
 
Sac Arrow said:
I love DA40's, but slightly bigger tanks, twenty more horsies, and the ability to pull up their feet would sell me.
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But you already have an Arrow... And the DA40 is slightly faster with 20 less ponies and fixed gear. :dunno:
 
Muttley said:
Front seats don't move,
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Pedals move instead. What's the difference, really? :dunno:

lack of space in rear seat with foot space like tissue boxes,
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Foot space, maybe. Overall, it's by far the largest GA back seat I've ever sat in. I'm 6'4" 300# and *I fit!*

awkward rear seat entry.
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How? It has a back door! I can't think of any other 4-seater with a back door. Going in through the door is way better than the ol' fold-the-seat-forward-and-slither-in method required of other 4-seaters. :dunno:

Not a fan of control sticks in front of pax,
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That I could agree with, but OTOH if there's no stick in front of the pax, there's no stick in front of me either. I kinda like it.

Ramp prescience of an emaciated mosquito.
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What's your def of "ramp presence?" Size? The tail looks skinny, but it's got sexy curves. Helluva lot more ramp presence than your average Cessna or Piper...

The plane overall seems to be trying to do too much with too little for too much money.
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But it does amazingly well, for less money than the competition.

But, please remember my opinions are based on my personal mission,
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So it doesn't fit your mission - Doesn't make it a bad airplane. For the missions it does fulfill, it's the best plane out there right now.
 
supernovae said:
I for one love the DA40 series, just wish their new pricepoint wasn't half a million out the door, I don't think they demand that much value.. but used ones seem fairly reasonable.
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Where do you get that number from? I just went and looked, and the base price is about $377K, and after checking off every single option (most of which are really unnecessary) I got it up to only $453K. That is still significantly shy of "half a million."

Not that I can afford one or anything... :(
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Where do you get that number from? I just went and looked, and the base price is about $377K, and after checking off every single option (most of which are really unnecessary) I got it up to only $453K. That is still significantly shy of "half a million."

Not that I can afford one or anything... :(
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Add MI 6% usage tax, and it's only 19K shy of half a million. 3.8% is not significantly shy. Tax ignored 9.4% is not "significant" in my book either.
 
EdFred said:
Add MI 6% usage tax, and it's only 19K shy of half a million. 3.8% is not significantly shy. Tax ignored 9.4% is not "significant" in my book either.
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Here is a list of optional extras for the 40: http://www.diamondaero.com/products/DA40XLS/docs/DA40CS_Pricelist.pdf

You really don't need all of them, especially for the price. Would you really pay 11K for an ADF? It becomes a half mission dollar plane if you include all the optional extras that you don't really need and that are overpriced. The plane itself is prices very fairly in my opinion.
 
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flyingcheesehead said:
What's your def of "ramp presence?" Size? The tail looks skinny, but it's got sexy curves. Helluva lot more ramp presence than your average Cessna or Piper...
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Cirrus does have a better ramp appeal...

(not that there is anything wrong with the 40)
 
According to wikipedea, a new 2012 Skylane starts at $398,000, and I'm certain there's a long line of stuff you'd want to add to it. The Diamond doesn't seem to be priced that high for the market it's in.
 
Also keep in mind, 40 has been around for a while now, you don't have to buy a new one, there are plenty of older once on the market that are much cheaper and just as good.
 
MachFly said:
Also keep in mind, 40 has been around for a while now, you don't have to buy a new one, there are plenty of older once on the market that are much cheaper and just as good.
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This. You can get a 2004-2006 G1000-equipped DA40 for the mid 100K range, or an 07 or newer one with most all of the latest bells and whistles for 200K pretty easily.
 
I can't believe they are that expensive. My partners and I grossly over paid for my '08 XLS with SVT, TAS and every option except DME. I think it was around $330k. As far as I know, there is really no difference between a brand new one and mine. In any case, I doubt I could get $230k for it today.
 
We determined that the sweet spot on value was the 2006 and 2007 model years. The 2006 have the fewest tach hours in the KAP140 equipped models and the 2007 has the lowest price point for the GFC700 equipped models. The market value curves have their lowest marginal declines at those model year points. The 182s in those model years still have a significantly higher marginal decline than the DA40s.
 
Muttley said:
I never said it was a bad airplane, I just listed the reasons I don't like it, which are perfectly valid because they're based on my personal experience and overall opinion.
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I'm just looking for some frame of reference for your criticisms - It's the easiest 4-seater to get into the back seat, yet you ding it for being "awkward". We're not comparing it to a Gulfstream here. :dunno:

I compliment you on your fervor and devotion to the brand. Folks who feel as strongly and defensive as you undoubtedly support the existence of this aircraft in the marketplace. However, as a professional pilot used to flying professional grade equipment, all your points are not persuasive enough to convince me that it'd be the airplane I would choose to climb into on my days off.
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Probably wouldn't be for me in your shoes, either. I'd imagine you'd rather either hop in a Husky or Cub and do some low-and-slow fun flying, a Citabria/Super D/Pitts/Extra and throw yourself around the sky, or something very fast and capable for travel. The Diamond is none of the above, though it comes closest on the "travel" mission and actually would make a great low-and-slow-ish flyer as well, with the great view out the canopy.

It'll be tough going back to the DA40 after the Mooney sells, but it's a very enjoyable plane to fly, even if it is 30 knots slower and has a lower climb rate.
 
Sorry, but there's no way I will give credence to this "award" when the recipient is one of ANN's largest advertisers. Of course, as far as I know, they haven't given Campbell one to fly around in while he hides the Cirrus that he's afraid to fly, so maybe it really was a selection made with journalistic integrity.

That's not to say anything about the quality of the DA-40, though, just the award itself.
 
gprellwitz said:
Sorry, but there's no way I will give credence to this "award" when the recipient is one of ANN's largest advertisers. Of course, as far as I know, they haven't given Campbell one to fly around in while he hides the Cirrus that he's afraid to fly, so maybe it really was a selection made with journalistic integrity.

That's not to say anything about the quality of the DA-40, though, just the award itself.
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Amen to that! Really, there's probably no way it would have gone to anything other than the DA40 or the Columbiessna 350/400.
 
gprellwitz said:
Sorry, but there's no way I will give credence to this "award" when the recipient is one of ANN's largest advertisers. Of course, as far as I know, they haven't given Campbell one to fly around in while he hides the Cirrus that he's afraid to fly, so maybe it really was a selection made with journalistic integrity.

That's not to say anything about the quality of the DA-40, though, just the award itself.
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He certainly wouldn't give it to Cirrus considering the legal battle they are in.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
This. You can get a 2004-2006 G1000-equipped DA40 for the mid 100K range, or an 07 or newer one with most all of the latest bells and whistles for 200K pretty easily.
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Still a lot cheaper than a new one.
 
Muttley said:
I never said it was a bad airplane, I just listed the reasons I don't like it, which are perfectly valid because they're based on my personal experience and overall opinion.

I compliment you on your fervor and devotion to the brand. Folks who feel as strongly and defensive as you undoubtedly support the existence of this aircraft in the marketplace. However, as a professional pilot used to flying professional grade equipment, all your points are not persuasive enough to convince me that it'd be the airplane I would choose to climb into on my days off.
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If you don't mind me asking, what kind of flying do you do?
 
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