Diamond and Utah Valley State College have announced that UVSC will receive the first two DA42-TDI's delivered in North America. Deliveries are scheduled for Q1 2006, with a third Twin Star joining the fleet later. These innovative turbo diesel twins feature the G1000 glass flight deck and will join UVSC's Provo based fleet of seventeen DA20-C1's and three G1000 equipped DA40 Diamond Stars.

"UVSC and Diamond have been partners in flight training since 1995, when UVSC took delivery of the first of twelve DA20-A1's. Dr. Ron Smart has been extremely supportive of our vision regarding flight training and the relationship with UVSC has been an absolute pleasure," said Diamond's CEO, Christian Dries.

"UVSC represents the ideal location for us to introduce the turbo-diesel powered DA42-TDI. The combination of UVSC's superb maintenance, the diverse operational conditions in their locale, and our established fleet relationship will ensure that we can gather valuable service experience while fully supporting their operation. This will be the first flight school to use our complete range of aircraft for flight training, from the economical DA20-C1, through the capable glass cockpit DA40 and now including the DA42 TwinStar."

"We have flown 153,000 hours in Diamond aircraft," said Dr. Ron Smart, Director UVSC Aviation Science Department.

"We could not be more thrilled to complete our fleet with the addition of the new DA42-TDI Twin Star."

TAE Aircraft Engines will be supplying a fully operational TAE 1.7 engine for UVSC's Maintenance Training Program and the FADEC controlled turbo-diesel engine technology will be incorporated into UVSC's Maintenance Curriculum.

FMI: www.diamondair.com, www.diamond-air.at, www.uvsc.edu