Flight Training DA20

N

nilesgm

New Member
Well I have to admit, my favorite part of the forums are the "Pictures from the Road", so here are some of the pictures I've taken during my last couple of lessons:

#1 - DA20 cockpit in flight, headed up for spin awareness training.
#2 - Nice view over the wing at 6000 feet.
#3 - Plane sitting on the ramp at sunset cooling down after a long day of training.
#4 - The cockpit.
#5 - Looking out over Goshen.
#6 - Unusual attitude.

Enjoy!

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Thanks for looking!


- Niles
photo
 
are those seats in the newer katanas pretty comfortable? I instruct in a bunch of 2001 Katanas and after about 30 mins in that thing my butt goes numb. I bet having the headrest is nice too.
 
Thanks for the replies. I do think the seats are comfortable, overall it's a comfy airplane and I'm 6' 1". It's the only plane I've flown though so I guess I cant really compare.

- Niles
 
That's a nice looking 20, personally I think the 20's are more comfortable than the 40 but it might have had something to do with the crappy seat covers in the plane.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
are those seats in the newer katanas pretty comfortable? I instruct in a bunch of 2001 Katanas and after about 30 mins in that thing my butt goes numb. I bet having the headrest is nice too.
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No, they are not comfortable at all. . .after over 86 hours in the damn things, your ass goes numb after about the 25th hour total time in type.

And it's the worse lower back pain as well.

Thanks for the pictures. I've been meaning to upload a whole bunch of mine from my SE XC days, and a couple ME images. Just haven't had the time. Oh - and your DG is off. . .:)
 
Cool pics...I got my first 100hrs instructing in the DA-20A1, that thing was a piece of junk (but I learned to like it). This one had the rotax engine, couldn't get it started in the winter, and it would overheat like a mother climbing out in the summer. The wing covers...plugging in the built in engine heater every night...ahhh..the memories!

I remember guys being 6'1'' not wanting to fly it for fear of cracking their heads into the canopy. One guy had hit his head and hurt his neck.

Thanks again for the pics...man..I miss flying...(current job doesn't count...not nearly as fun).
 
surreal1221 said:
No, they are not comfortable at all. . .after over 86 hours in the damn things, your ass goes numb after about the 25th hour total time in type.

And it's the worse lower back pain as well.

Thanks for the pictures. I've been meaning to upload a whole bunch of mine from my SE XC days, and a couple ME images. Just haven't had the time. Oh - and your DG is off. . .:)
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Yeah, I'm coming up on 400 hrs of dual given, probably 75% of that in the DA20. Comfort thing aside, it is a pretty sweet trainer. I always seem to forget that we're slightly faster than most other trainers and I'm constantly reminded that when approaching the airport.
 
I have flown the almost the exact same bird over a different Goshen - Goshen Utah. I agree that the 20 is actually more comfortable than the 40. I have flown around 70 hours in the 20 and 20plus hours in the DA-40 as a Cross Country. I am 6'2" and at the time I weighed 260lbs.

My first dead stick landing was in a DA-20, If you ask around there are plenty of DA-20 pilots that will confirm some apparent trend with the 20s and dead stick landings.
 
akaFlyboy 4 said:
I have flown the almost the exact same bird over a different Goshen - Goshen Utah. I agree that the 20 is actually more comfortable than the 40. I have flown around 70 hours in the 20 and 20plus hours in the DA-40 as a Cross Country. I am 6'2" and at the time I weighed 260lbs.

My first dead stick landing was in a DA-20, If you ask around there are plenty of DA-20 pilots that will confirm some apparent trend with the 20s and dead stick landings.
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You love the Gremlin; allegedly the new fuel pump arrived, but still requires other parts. Why the hell Diamond is pushing this self adjusting mixture thing I don't know, but they are sticking too it. I will not fly that plane till it has shown some reliability.

Honestly though, with about 400 hours in the DA20 the only ones I have had problems in are the newer ones.Look at 9DC, I can't remember ever having a serious problem with that one.
 
The DA20-C1 is approved for spins, and is in the Utility category no matter the weight.

The -C1 has a 125 HP Continental engine, as opposed to the Rotax in the A1. The -C1 performs much better.
 
Van_Hoolio said:
The DA20-C1 is approved for spins, and is in the Utility category no matter the weight.

The -C1 has a 125 HP Continental engine, as opposed to the Rotax in the A1. The -C1 performs much better.
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And it spins quite well, and recovers nicely. You ain't flown it till you spun it.
 
Berkut said:
Well, he did say it was spin awareness training. My spin awareness training during my private was a couple of spins.
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You're right...he sure did. I just missed that initially. Thanks. :D

Guess it will take around 50 or so spins for me to be able to take a pic while in one. Usually too busy soiling myself. ;)
 
Ahhhh flying around in "the egg" as we used to report it. Im 6'2" and loathed when one of my students looked at it and the stick and said "Lets do my private in that!!". I cant tell you how uncomfortable that thing was to me, i had to put a cushion behind my back and slouch so my headset didnt vibrate off the canopy and in the summer...man...better hope your student showered lol. Then froze your butt off in the winter.

But man was that thing fun to spin!!
 
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