Helicopter Questions

[Baradium]

UND had Katanas for a while (both DA-20 and C models).  I started in them, but they were always down for maintenance and were eventually pulled off the line.  Part of the problem was UND's fault (didn't follow "suggested" maintenance), but they couldn't take the abuse of primary students flying them every day with tons of cycles.

Now, there are multiple types...  The Katana is the 2stroke.  There's the C1 "Exclipse" which is a DA-20, but it's a later model.  The early ones were 2 stroke and temp limited on the wings.  The C1s aren't and have real airplane engines. 

MTSU has had good luck with the diamonds.  The DA-40 will fly like a 172 if you treat it right, but you do need to learn airspeed control.   The 20s are supposed to be harder to fly than the 40 though (never flown a 20), and I don't know if they are so good for initial students or not.

[Ted_Stryker]

UND had Katanas for a while (both DA-20 and C models).  I started in them, but they were always down for maintenance and were eventually pulled off the line.  Part of the problem was UND's fault (didn't follow "suggested" maintenance), but they couldn't take the abuse of primary students flying them every day with tons of cycles.

Now, there are multiple types...  The Katana is the 2stroke.  There's the C1 "Exclipse" which is a DA-20, but it's a later model.  The early ones were 2 stroke and temp limited on the wings.  The C1s aren't and have real airplane engines. 

MTSU has had good luck with the diamonds.  The DA-40 will fly like a 172 if you treat it right, but you do need to learn airspeed control.   The 20s are supposed to be harder to fly than the 40 though (never flown a 20), and I don't know if they are so good for initial students or not.

The FBO that I fly out of has DA-20's, DA-40's and a host of other planes from Cessna and Piper, etc., with more coming on the line.  I know a lot of people that fly the DA-20's and DA-40's as primary students and like them a lot.  They seem to do well for the FBO too, though their maintenance department is top-notch and keeps everything flying beautifully no matter what model plane it is.  If anyone is interested, it's Skyline Aeronautics based at KSUS (Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri, USA)  http://www.skylineaero.com/.

One of these days I'm going to have to take some actual, loggable, chopper lessons.  There's a school for that at this airport too.

[Firegirl]

Owee!!! 
You said "chopper" !!!!!

Mike's gonna be maaaaad!!! 

[Ted_Stryker]

Owee!!! 
You said "chopper" !!!!!

Mike's gonna be maaaaad!!! 

Heheh... I didn't think it was a derogatory term....   Uhm... Mike... if you read this... no denigration intended my friend!
 

[Turbomallard]

Owee!!! 
You said "chopper" !!!!!

Mike's gonna be maaaaad!!! 

No no no no no.... he meant motorcycles... uh, right Ted? Yeah, yeah... that's what he meant...

How many points do I get for the save?

TM

[Mike]

grrrrr *@$##@    a "CHOPPER" is a motorcycle!!!!

Firegirl is right, and yes, good save Turbo!!   

Way to go though if your plan was to take HELICOPTER lessons, Ted !!   

[Ted_Stryker]

grrrrr *@$##@    a "CHOPPER" is a motorcycle!!!!

Firegirl is right, and yes, good save Turbo!!   

Way to go though if your plan was to take HELICOPTER lessons, Ted !!   

Pardon the faux pau, Mike   I work around military types here at Boeing, and many of them are Vietnam era vets, and they use that term with affection for the Huey's and such that were used so heavily.

Of course, I meant that I'm going to take motorcycle lessons... AND Helicopter instruction   Ahem

[fireflyr]

Owee!!! 
You said "chopper" !!!!!

Mike's gonna be maaaaad!!! 

OHHHHH, I DIDN"t KNOW THAT !!!!!   <suppressing grin>
Gotta remember that next time I talk with Mike (the chopper pilot guy)

[Gulfstream Driver]

It's possible I'm not remembering correctly.  I thought we had both DA-20 models (I know we had the C1), but either way we called them Katanas.  Diamond may have changed the name after we sent them back, too...

[Baradium]

It's possible I'm not remembering correctly.  I thought we had both DA-20 models (I know we had the C1), but either way we called them Katanas.  Diamond may have changed the name after we sent them back, too...

You called it a C model before... could be the 1 denotes the change.   It might have also been early models that didn't yet have all the improvements.


I do really like cessnas, but the modular design for the diamonds is pretty impressive.   Something I'm not fond of is that the 20s can't be IFR certified because they don't have the wire mesh in the wing  like the 40's do (to conduct electricity if there is a lightning strike.

[Gulfstream Driver]

That could be.  It was almost 8 years ago.   

[spacer]

It's possible I'm not remembering correctly.  I thought we had both DA-20 models (I know we had the C1), but either way we called them Katanas.  Diamond may have changed the name after we sent them back, too...

You called it a C model before... could be the 1 denotes the change.   It might have also been early models that didn't yet have all the improvements.


I do really like cessnas, but the modular design for the diamonds is pretty impressive.   Something I'm not fond of is that the 20s can't be IFR certified because they don't have the wire mesh in the wing  like the 40's do (to conduct electricity if there is a lightning strike.

We'd pull the wings at 1000 hrs, getting lots of comments from passersby. Yep, they are VFR, though there was quite a bit of instrument training (simulated) still going on in 'em. They're fun to fly, fast, and don't use a lot of gas. Heck, it'd be a great little
two seat cross country bird... if you could only fly in weather it'd be even better. We also had really good service out of the
Continental IO-240, going well over TBO before pulling the mills. Even then, the pull was more of a cautionary thing. We stayed in touch with Teledyne and sent in oil samples on a regular basis as they wanted data on this relatively new engine.
I liked it. Very reliable and packed a pretty good punch.

[Baradium]

We'd pull the wings at 1000 hrs, getting lots of comments from passersby. Yep, they are VFR, though there was quite a bit of instrument training (simulated) still going on in 'em. They're fun to fly, fast, and don't use a lot of gas. Heck, it'd be a great little
two seat cross country bird... if you could only fly in weather it'd be even better. We also had really good service out of the
Continental IO-240, going well over TBO before pulling the mills. Even then, the pull was more of a cautionary thing. We stayed in touch with Teledyne and sent in oil samples on a regular basis as they wanted data on this relatively new engine.
I liked it. Very reliable and packed a pretty good punch.

The DA-40 is fun to fly too and is IFR with weather certs, but it means you have to get the 4 seater to fly in the weather. 

[spacer]

We'd pull the wings at 1000 hrs, getting lots of comments from passersby. Yep, they are VFR, though there was quite a bit of instrument training (simulated) still going on in 'em. They're fun to fly, fast, and don't use a lot of gas. Heck, it'd be a great little
two seat cross country bird... if you could only fly in weather it'd be even better. We also had really good service out of the
Continental IO-240, going well over TBO before pulling the mills. Even then, the pull was more of a cautionary thing. We stayed in touch with Teledyne and sent in oil samples on a regular basis as they wanted data on this relatively new engine.
I liked it. Very reliable and packed a pretty good punch.

Someone mentioned fixing that in future models. It's a shame, as it'd be a great, economical light cross country bird.
...as well as a heck of a lot cheaper.
I figure I'd go ahead and build a CH601 for that purpose. It'd end up being a little less expensive, I can build it to LSA specs,
and I'm currently working on an 801 with identical materials and techniques.


The DA-40 is fun to fly too and is IFR with weather certs, but it means you have to get the 4 seater to fly in the weather. 

[switchtech]

We'd pull the wings at 1000 hrs, getting lots of comments from passersby. Yep, they are VFR, though there was quite a bit of instrument training (simulated) still going on in 'em. They're fun to fly, fast, and don't use a lot of gas. Heck, it'd be a great little
two seat cross country bird... if you could only fly in weather it'd be even better. We also had really good service out of the
Continental IO-240, going well over TBO before pulling the mills. Even then, the pull was more of a cautionary thing. We stayed in touch with Teledyne and sent in oil samples on a regular basis as they wanted data on this relatively new engine.
I liked it. Very reliable and packed a pretty good punch.

The DA-40 is fun to fly too and is IFR with weather certs, but it means you have to get the 4 seater to fly in the weather. 

Someone mentioned fixing that in future models. It's a shame, as it'd be a great, economical light cross country bird.
...as well as a heck of a lot cheaper.
I figure I'd go ahead and build a CH601 for that purpose. It'd end up being a little less expensive, I can build it to LSA specs,
and I'm currently working on an 801 with identical materials and techniques.

I'm looking at building a Zodiac XL over the next few years.  I want to fly to Missouri to the Zenith HQ to take their hands on Shop and maybe take a demo flight.

jbs