Diamond DA40 Diamond Star
.jpg) Diamond DA40 Diamond Star. Photo: bomberpilot, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Diamond |
|---|---|
| Model | Diamond DA40 Diamond Star |
| Type | Light aircraft |
| Country |  Austria
|
| First flight | 5 November 1997 |
| Built | 1997–present |
| Status | In production |
| Number built | 2,200 (December 2020) |
| Registered in the US | 1,015 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | one, three passengers |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360-M1A, 134 kW |
| Cruise speed | 279 km/h (2007 model Diamond DA40 XL Diamond Star)
|
| Developed from | Diamond DA20 |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is a four-seat, single-engine light airplane built from composite materials by Diamond Aircraft Industries in Austria and Canada. It was developed as a four-seat version of the two-seat DA20. By the end of December 2020, 2,200 DA40s had been delivered, including 500 diesel NG models.[1] In the U.S. there are 1,015 with a valid registration.[2]
History
The Rotax 914-powered prototype DA40-V1 (OE-VPC) first flew on November 5, 1997, followed by prototypes with a Continental IO-240 and, in 1998, a Lycoming IO-360. The first production airplane came in 2000, and the IO-360 version was certified in October 2000.[1]
It is a low-wing composite airplane with fixed tricycle gear and a T-tail. Officially there are only three versions, the DA 40, DA 40 D and DA 40 F; names like DA40-180, XL, CS and XLS are marketing names. The DA 40 D is the diesel version with a Thielert engine, sold mainly in Europe as the DA40 TDI.[1]
Safety record
The DA40 has a very low accident rate, especially for stalls and spins: its overall and fatal accident rates are one-eighth those of the general aviation fleet, with no stall-related accidents. This is credited to its long, efficient wing, low wing loading and gentle handling. Trimmed fully nose up with the engine at idle, it descends hands-off at 48 knots and 600 to 1,200 feet per minute.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1,015 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| DA 40 | 687 |
| DA 40 NG | 314 |
| DA40 F | 13 |
| DA 40-180 DIAMOND ST | 1 |
Specifications (2007 model Diamond DA40 XL Diamond Star)
| Item | 2007 model Diamond DA40 XL Diamond Star |
|---|---|
| Crew | one |
| Passengers / capacity | three passengers |
| Length | 8.1 m |
| Wingspan | 11.9 m |
| Height | 1.98 m |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360-M1A, 134 kW (4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine) |
| Cruise speed | 279 km/h |
| Stall speed | 91 km/h |
| Range | 1,341 km |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Diamond DA40-TDI Diamond Star (UK registration G-JKMF) at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. Photo: Adrian Pingstone (User:Arpingstone), Public domain -
Photo of a Diamond DA40 Diamond Star (N218DS). Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
Diamond DA40 Diamond Star. Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
G-1000 equipped Diamond DA-40 "VH-YNH" at The Aeroplane Company (Jandakot) in Western Australia. Photo: Aerobrick, Public domain -
Diamond DA40 Diamond Star. Photo: Mike Kaplan, Public domain -
Diamond DA40 Diamond Star of the United States Air Force Academy at RIAT 2010. Photo: Bthebest, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Diamond Star DA40 XLS preparing for taxi to runway. Photo: Oryst, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Diamond DA40 Diamond Star. Photo: K.M.ABU BAKAR SIDDIQUE, CC BY 4.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Diamond DA40 Diamond Star
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Wikipedia, "Diamond DA40 Diamond Star", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.