Enough Of The Excuses... Here Is Our Final Decision On
THE Best Bird Of The Year
Final Compilations by ANN Editor-In-Chief/Roving Aeronaut, Jim
Campbell
Each year, we put our heads
together, look over reader input as well as our own reports and
other sources of info and try to recognize the VERY BEST aircraft
in a number of pivotal categories. This particular series will
cover the aircraft we consider to be the VERY BEST of the whole
breed.
The following award categories have been established:
- E-LSA Kit Category
- S-LSA RTF (Ready To Fly) Category
- Amateur-Built/Experimental Kit Category
- GA Piston-Single Engine Category
- GA Piston-Twin Engine Category
- GA Turbine-Single Engine (Turboprop)
- GA Turbine-Multi Engine (Turboprop)
- GA Turbine (Jet)
- Plane Of The Year (The Best Of Them All -- Regardless
of Category)
Each year, the choices get tougher. Worse; we tend to also make
it more difficult by tightening the reins on the decision making
process so that it gets harder and harder to make the cut as the
best in any category, much less wind up at the top of the pack as
our Overall Plane Of The Year selection.
As this year came to a close, we
also made some additional decisions as to what constitutes a "Best
of Breed" and how wide we wanted to cast the net and wound up
adding some categories to recognize some birds that truly deserved
the nod. As noted in past years, it struck us that naming an
overall "best" aircraft across the entire spectrum of general (or
sport) aviation is probably no longer reasonable. Which isn't to
say that we won't make a selection... but that we reserve the right
not to do so if no specific aircraft steps to deserve the title.
There are simply too many aircraft that have distinguished
themselves in too many outstanding ways for one to readily be
called better than the other on an overall basis. One man's perfect
high-speed Hot-Rod, for instance, becomes the expensive "way too
hot to handle" mistake of another pilot whose mission requirements
may differ markedly. So... we're going to cop out -- just a bit,
mind you. From here on out, we will name the best aircraft in
individual categories, and reserve the right in the future to
whittle down those categories as necessary which means that MAYBE
we WON'T name an overall winner each year... and MAYBE we
will -- we're picky that way. The fact of the matter is that no one
airplane is all things to all pilots, and within the spectrum that
we have decided on, these are the aircraft selections that truly
impressed us in each of the chosen categories -- and that each
year, MAYBE there will be an overall winner... and MAYBE not.
Are we absolutely (crystal) clear on this now (grin)?
Let me also note that while aircraft that previously were named
Best Of Breed in any category, or overall, are eligible for
inclusion in this year's list, we have decided to make it more
difficult (in our judging protocols) for a previous winner to take
the top spot in our judging criteria, so that a repeat winner truly
earns the distinction (and frankly, that hasn't happened in a
while). And finally... we totally reserve the right to weasel out a
bit and name more than one winner in a category where the margin of
victory is simply too close (or subjective) to call.
That said, herewith our selection for ANN's Plane of The Year:
The Diamond
DA42-L360
It truly is difficult to commit to
naming anything the best, overall, in an industry (embattled as it
is) that still manages to raise the bar, year after year. This year
was the most difficult on record... with birds like the SR22 G3
Turbo FIKI, the Piper Matrix, Cessna's near legendary Turbo 206
(one of my personal favs), HBC's rugged Baron G-58, and a number of
other notables, the crop of 2009 GA birds was tough to whittle down
to just one plane...
However, an aggressive flight at Oshkosh 2009 ultimately
turned the tide for an airframe that has had to fight to stay alive
in the last year or so as a result of outside factors that would
have left lesser aircraft (and their manufacturers) dying in the
dust.
We speak, of course, of Diamond Aircraft's curvy DA42-L360
(curvier, in fact, than the most recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
edition... and nearly as pretty)... a thoroughly modern twin that
(for the moment) has eschewed the allure of diesel tech for the
dependability of some Honest-To-God Lycomings. The Thielert debacle
and all the associated machinations and fiscal improprieties should
have sunk this program, but Diamond did what few other
manufacturers could or would have done... they modified the
airframe for the Lycoming while also taking on the daunting
development of a new Diesel powerplant concept
(the Austro) that -- some day -- may prove to be the
answer to those who wanted what Thielert failed to deliver. But...
in the meantime, the Lycoming does more than give new life to an
exceptional airframe, it flies this aircraft as if it was meant to
be the ideal powerplant combo all along. Seriously, the bird is
sweeeeeet.
We were incredibly impressed with the exceptional single-engine
manners, the dependable S/E handling and performance, and the
continued maturing of a thoroughly modern twin that offers
exceptional visibility, versatility, comfort and a truly enjoyable
flying experience. Yes, its a light twin and the normally aspirated
Lycomings have their limits in hot and high conditions, but
throughout the envelope, we came away impressed with the fact that
the aircraft refused to "bite" no matter how aggressive we got in
S/E mode... and as always, the slow flight envelope of this
otherwise speedy bird is a delight... as we tested quite admirably
behind a Tri-Pacer (and not even a "Fast" one) on the way back to
Oshkosh's Wittman Field.
A twin is a truly satisfying bird.,.. offering all manners of
redundancy, security and panache -- And for the moment, the state
of the art in dependable light twin design (in a field that does
have some great but elder designs) is indisputably the Diamond
DA42-L360. If we had flown this bird prior to our SR22 G3 Turbo
purchase, we'd have had a tough time deciding between the two
(though one has to ponder... what would a DA42-L360 Turbo version
be capable of... the mind boggles... but we hope Diamond is
thinking the same thing).
The DA42 was initially introduced with TAE Centurion
turbo-diesel engines and over 500 aircraft were reportedly
delivered, in that fashion, since 2005. Since then, the DA42
series has become the best selling piston twin. With the Lycoming
powered L360 version joining the recently certified DA42 NG,
powered by Diamond's proprietary Austro Engine AE300 170 hp
turbo-diesel powerplant, Diamond is offering maximum choices to
suit personal preferences or mission requirements.
The DA42L was specifically focused for the North American
market, with a specific eye on tending to the fairly conservative
needs and habits of flight training organizations or owner
/operators looking for an affordable "conventional" light twin. The
well proven Lycoming 360s (pix of which might be found in the
dictionary next to the term "Bullet-Proof") are nearly an iconic
product in the GA market... with no lack of available and
affordable parts and service. Diamond quotes fuel burns of as low
as 16 gph for flight training operations, or approximately 20 gph
at 75% cruise.
Best of all, this is uncomplicated airplane. Overall, it sports
the nearly industry-standard G1000 and no cowl flaps with box-stock
Fuel injection -- making this a nearly perfect training twin, first
twin, or undemanding but no-less capable twin transporter. With
FIKI certification pending and the ability to upgrade to Diamond's
own Austro diesel engines at some point in the future, the
DA42-L360 has so much to recommend it... and so we will. As we get
a start on 2010, the DA42-L360 carries ANN's Highest
Recommendation.