More diamonds for airline pilot training
Hawker Pacific has signed up a sale worth close to US$3 million for seven diamond flight training aircraft, building on its successful 14-aircraft (almost $5m) deal with Massey University last March.
Six new single Lycoming-powered Diamond DA-40 four-seat trainers and a twin-engined DA42L, also Lycoming powered, will join the University of New South Wales’ (UNSW Aviation) fleet during the first quarter of this year.
The six DA-40s will be powered by the 180HP Lycoming IO-360-M1A Avgas engine, and the DA42L360 by two counter-rotating versions, also of 180HP. The University chose both Avgas-powered aircraft versions because of concerns over the future of the Thielert diesel engine since Thielert‘s insolvency in 2008. Diamond has since responded by developing its own “Austro” diesel powerplant, which is expected to be offered as a retrofit to replace the Avgas engine. UNSW says it will be evaluating that option separately but meanwhile is convinced its Diamond selection is optimal.
Tony Jones, Hawker Pacific’s Senior Vice President, Aircraft Sales & Flight Services Group, says: “Selection of the DA40 and DA42L360 by the University of New South Wales for its aviation training fleet was made after an extensive evaluation of the faculty’s future training needs and the aircraft that would best meet those needs. These two aircraft types clearly stood out as offering the best value solution for both the short and long term.
”With a base price of around US$260,000, the Diamond DA40 is an outstanding low entry-level state of the art aircraft for flying school operators. It is extremely well equipped, carries leading edge technology and offers a high level of the economy, safety and performance.”
Mr Brian Horton, Director of Flight Operations at the UNSW Department of Aviation (known as UNSW Aviation), says: “These aeroplanes will provide our students with one of the world’s best training environments, consistent with our objective of being the leading aviation university in the Australasian region.
“Hawker Pacific have not only worked with us in selecting the most appropriate aircraft for our training requirements but have structured a maintenance package tailored specifically to our requirements over the next five years,” Mr Horton said.
The Diamond aircraft range also provides important synergies for operators in terms of cockpit layout, maintenance & parts commonality and handling characteristics between single and twin engined aircraft. These benefits provide a better quality of training and ease of progress for trainees to more advanced aircraft.
Four-seat trainers and modern glass cockpit technologies are now seen as the way of the future in professional pilot training organisations, with the growing trend towards multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) training and emphasis on cockpit resource management in the student’s preparation for airline operations.
Diamond also offers type-specific Diamond simulators, adding to the economies that can be provided in tailored training packages.
Professor Jason Middleton, Head of UNSW Aviation, says the DA-40s will progressively replace UNSW Aviation’s existing Piper Warrior fleet. UNSW has held its own flying school air operator certificate for almost 12 years. It accepts about 24-25 students annually for its Bachelor of Aviation Flying Program, and graduates about 20, as well as accepting international students, and also providing postgraduate courses in numerous areas of aviation management.
Professor Middleton adds that UNSW Aviation has recently signed a contract with Bankstown Airport Limited (BAL) to refurbish its hangar, as well as leasing BAL’s former headquarters building on Airport Avenue: “So we’ll have a fully refurbished hangar, administration and training premises, and a brand-new fleet, so we’ll be looking even better!”
Interested in learning more about the Diamond DA-40? Take a moment to read Aviation Advertiser’s detailed flight review by clicking the image below.
