Diamond Aircraft has pushed back certification of its DA40 four-seat single by 12 months. The piston-powered aircraft will enter service by the end of this year.
Test flights of three pre-production prototypes of the 135kW (180hp) Lycoming-powered DA40 are continuing from Diamond's base in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. A production-conforming aircraft will be built in the third quarter of this year to complete flight tests and certification to European Joint Aviation Requirement 23 standard. Approval for instrument flight is planned simultaneously.
Diamond launched the DA40 as a follow-on to the successful DA20 two-seat trainer.
Source: Flight International
