Diamond Aircraft said this week that it will re-start production of the DA20i Katana in Europe.
Powered by a Rotax 912 iSc3 Sport engine, the Katana has not been manufactured for over a decade. All new-build DA20s have been the Continental-engined DA20-C1 from Diamond Canada.
According to Diamond, the Katana is being re-introduced to the range because of high customer demand.
"We’re thrilled to bring the DA20i Katana back to Europe,” Jane Wang, Director Sales, Marketing, and Flight Ops at Diamond Aircraft Austria.
“This aircraft has always held a special place in the hearts of pilots and instructors, and with its new upgrades, it’s ready to inspire the next generation of aviators.”
The latest version of the DA20i will feature Garmin G500TXi avionics, which Diamond says will deliver faster processing, intuitive navigation and enhanced situational awareness to reduce pilot workload, provide a cleaner panel layout, and produce a more immersive flying experience.
G500TXi features include synthetic vision, terrain awareness, and real-time traffic.
The 100-hp Rotax provides the DA20i with a maximum speed of 122 KTAS, a maximum range of 703 nm and a fuel consumption of 11 lph at max range power setting. The standard propeller is a two-bladed constant-speed MT.
With an MTOW of 800 kg, the Katana has a useful load of 275 kg and carries 84 litres of avgas or mogas.
More information on the new-build DA20i is on the Diamond website.