Nothing is better than hearing from a satisfied customer who is loving their airplane!
Paul says, “Sam & I picked up the my DA40 NG at the factory in May 2019. Since that time, I’ve flown to Cincinnati in July, to Oshkosh in July, to Mackinac Island, MI & Des Moines, IA in August, and to Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN in October. Others have flown the plane to Aspen twice, to Austin TX three times, and to Las Vegas & Grand Canyon. I have 153 service hours on the plane so far.
“The winglets on the DA40 NG reduce the wingspan from 39′ for the avgas version to 38′. The MGTOW is 2888 lbs and (on my plane) the useful load is 763 lbs because I have the air-conditioning option With full fuel (39 gallons), the max payload is ~490 lbs (subtracting for typical items I carry in the airplane like spare oil and towbar). It’s perfect for my missions.
“This is the photo I use to show off the interior of the plane. I highlight the control sticks and single-lever control for power, and also that the mixture and prop are computer-controlled by redundant engine control units (ECUs).“Cruise performance at 12,000 MSL is TAS 157 Kts, 7.9 gph. 26 kt tailwind → 183 Kts GS. ADS-B weather & traffic on MFD.
“We flew nonstop from Des Moines, IA to Gainesville, TX. We could have made it all the way back to Dallas, but KGLE has $3.00/gallon Jet-A vs. $5.32/gallon at KADS. I typically fly distances at 11,000-13,000 MSL unless winds or other flight planning considerations suggest otherwise. I use the ForeFlight Performance Plus USA subscription for flight planning, briefing, and filing.
“Here’s a closer view of the specifics. One of the things I like about the NXI is the FOD display option on the MFD. When in cruise, it shows an accurate estimate of the Fuel Onboard at Destination. I like flying with the PFD option to show traffic (vs. a map) and use the two optional bearing markerts to point to reference VORs (just in case there is a GPS failure or jamming event). The blue MUS1 on the GMA1360 how I play music from my iPad mini into the intercom.
“A side benefit of this is that the ForeFlight alerts also come in through the intercom. You can also connect your iPhone to the TEL connection to call up ATC at non-towered airports to pick up an IFR clearance.
“Cruise performance at 14,000 MSL on the way home from Oshkosh 2019: 88% power (max at this altitude to avoid overspeeding the prop) TAS 158 Kts, 7.9 gph. 3 kt tailwind → 160 Kts GS. We were close to max gross at takeoff (with camping gear) and we both using the Mountain High O2 system.”
At LifeStyle Aviation our mission is simple — to give our clients the same the same buying experience we would like to have ourselves. Thank you for sharing your experience, Paul! We’re thrilled you love your new airplane!
