Diamond Aircraft has redesigned its DA50 large single to include retractable gear and a Continental CD-300 diesel engine.
Two years ago, the Austrian company announced the five-seat DA50-V would be powered by a 260-hp Safran diesel. Six- and seven-seat version were also announced, with the seven-seater thought to be a turbo-prop.
"After careful consideration, we determined that the CD-300 engine aligns with Diamond’s jet fuel philosophy and that it is a suitable solution for our DA50 platform," said Liqun Zhang, CEO of Diamond Aircraft lndustries GmbH.
Diamond successfully test-flew the first DA50-V with a CD-300 engine on 22 March this year as a fixed-gear version.
Continental designed the CD-300 especially for high-performance luxury aircraft. The engine produces its rated power at 2300 RPM, using 35 litres of Jet-A per hour.
"Matching the CD-300 Jet-A engine with the new DA50 aircraft by Diamond Aircraft Industries is a rekindling of the relationship that created the original successful Jet-A piston powered aircraft," said Rhett Ross, President and CEO, Continental Aerospace Technologies.
"We are pleased that Diamond chose Continental as a partner to bring this product to market."
Diamond believes it will have EASA certification for a retractable DA50-V five-seater in the northern summer of 2020.