Diamond Aircraft is flight-testing its Katana two-seater with a Teledyne Continental engine. The fuel-injected 95kW (125hp) Continental IO-240 has transformed the Katana DA20-C1 into an aggressive performer, with climb rates of up to 1,050 ft/min (5.3m/s) at maximum gross weight - more than 50% better than the performance achieved with the 60kW Rotax 912 powerplant which is now fitted on the aircraft. The Continental also runs more smoothly and quietly than the Rotax. Diamond, which is based London, Ontario, in Canada, expects to receive final certification of the new version of the aircraft by the end of July. The company says that the price will increase by less than 10% from the $107,000 tag placed on the Rotax-powered Katana.
Source: Flight International
