Diamond DA42 Twin Star
| DA42 Twin Star | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Light twin-engined utility and trainer aircraft |
| National origin | Austria |
| Manufacturer | Diamond Aircraft Industries |
| Status | In production |
| Number built | 600+ (2010) |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2002–present |
| Introduction date | 2004 |
| First flight | 9 December 2002 |
| Variants | Aeronautics Defense Dominator |
The Diamond DA42 Twin Star is a four seat, twin engine, propeller-driven airplane developed and manufactured in Austria and Canada by Diamond Aircraft Industries, an Austrian subsidiary of China-based Wanfeng Aviation. It was Diamond's first twin engine design, as well as the first new European twin-engine aircraft in its category to be developed in over 25 years. In 2004, the DA42 became the first diesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to perform a non-stop crossing of the North Atlantic.
By 2012, the DA42 had become a key revenue generator for the company, having gained popularity with government and military operators in addition to the civil market that had suffered as a result of the Great Recession. Government customers have typically employed the type in the aerial surveillance role, which contributed towards the development of the Aeronautics Defense Dominator, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which had been derived from the DA42.