04.01.05 Special Edition: Diamond Aircraft has just taken the wraps off an amazing new aircraft that is set to enter the production pipeline in a matter of months. Dubbed the DA100, the multi-engined, piston/jet, retractable geared aircraft is designed to be something of a universal training aircraft capable of fulfilling virtually any training mission.

It's a novel design. The combination piston/jet aircraft can serve as either a single or multi-engine trainer, a jet-turbine transition platform, an IFR Trainer, a commercial aircraft trainer... you name it. In order to acclimate pilots to either glass panel or conventional instrumentation, the DA100 is also configured with a G1000 panel on the left and a conventional panel on the right (though Diamond notes that they can do the opposite, on special order).

Diamond honcho, Peter Maurer, took the wraps off early Friday, giving ANN the first public look at their latest product. "We think the DA100 can do it all... the aircraft is spin certified, can be flown as a single-engine piston, or as a multi-engine jet trainer... but with all three engines running simultaneously, you should see the look the line-guys give you when you come taxiing in! It's priceless!"

"Best of all, an aircraft like this gives a flight school NO choice but to order a DA100... no aircraft does as much in as many ways as the DA100."

Maurer expects the bird to be certified shortly and production to be commenced jointly overseas, as well as in Canada. "If there are no appreciable hang-ups, we expect to have the aircraft ready for sale by Oshkosh."

FMI: www.diamond-has-lost-their-mind.com