EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the largest General Aviation show in the world, has opened its doors again from 24 – 30 July 2023. And Diamond was right at its usual spot next to the main admission gates at booth #9 on James Ray Blvd to present its incredible lineup.
This year’s annual convention turned out to be another record-setting year. “There was so much going on during the week that encompassed the entire world of flight, from the presence of the U.S. Air Force Training Command and NASA, to magnificent aircraft restorations and exciting new flying technology,” said EAA Chairman and CEO Jack J. Pelton. “Oshkosh was again the place that brought the aviation world together.”
Together with our U.S. sales partners Premier Aircraft Sales, Steel Aviation and Lifestyle Aviation, we showcased our beautiful DA50 RG, DA62, DA40 NG and DA40 XLT to potential and existing customers. But that wasn’t all, you could find our sparkling Diamonds all over the EAA showgrounds: a DA42-VI @ Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, another DA42-VI and a DA40 NG @ Blue Line Aviation as well as a DA40 XLT @ Middle Tennessee State University.
Additionally, our partners Electric Power Systems (EPS), a leading provider of high-power, scalable powertrains that are certifiable for electrified aviation, and provider of the battery for our eDA40 were present as well as another new partner, the Diamond Pilots Association (DPA). The mission of Diamond Pilots Association (DPA) is to provide Diamond aircraft owners, operators and pilots worldwide with technical, training, and operational resources to enhance their experience flying these remarkable aircraft, and to foster a Diamond pilot community through social interaction. We are proud to have established a formal collaboration with them in order to help them reach their goal.
Our AirVenture week started with a thrilling event with media representatives joining our big news announcement. On July 25th our revolutionary DA50 RG got its FAA certification. We received the DA50 RG FAA validated type certificate at our booth during a tour with FAA members organized and supported by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), led by GAMA President Pete Bunce. Mrs. Lirio Liu, Executive Director of the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service, personally handed over the certificate to Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO Diamond Aircraft Group & CEO Diamond Aircraft Austria, Kevin Sheng, CEO Diamond Aircraft Canada, Jane Wang, Sales Director Diamond Aircraft Austria and Trevor Mustard, Head of Aircraft Sales & Marketing Diamond Aircraft Canada.
“What an amazing day! Our revolutionary DA50 RG is getting overwhelming high praise from everyone that flies it. Its combination of cabin size, utility, performance and efficiency paired with environmentally friendly jet fuel engines make it an ideal aircraft for the U.S. market,” said Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO Diamond Aircraft Group & CEO Diamond Aircraft Austria. “We have been eagerly waiting for this next milestone and are extremely proud to be offering this great aircraft, alongside our popular singles and twins. We’d also like to congratulate Continental Aerospace Technology on receiving FAA certification for the CD-300 jet fuel engine, powering our fantastic DA50 RG.”
And if that wasn’t enough exciting news, we could also celebrate the first U.S. delivery on the day of FAA certification receipt. Together with one of our U.S. dealers, Premier Aircraft Sales, we handed over a brand-new DA50 RG to the very first U.S. customer, Mr Jordan Cram. We cannot wait to see many, many more DA50 RG flying in the U.S.!
“The DA50 RG is a perfect match for sustainability, performance, and design requirements,” Jordan Cram said. “The excellent fuel economy combined with jet fuel made me feel better about carbon impact, and the balance of function and form is just unparalleled. We’re going to be up in the air a lot."
This news was followed by another exciting announcement on July 26th, 2023. Our all-electric eDA40 made its first flight at our headquarters in Wiener Neustadt (Austria) on July 20th, 2023. This marks a significant milestone for us and all project partners and is a big step towards certifying the aircraft. We are very much looking forward to presenting this forward-looking aircraft to a broader audience soon!
Well, we couldn’t stop here. We had more news to share: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has selected the Austro Engine jet-fuel piston engine-powered Diamond Aircraft DA42-VI for its fleet renewal to provide multi-engine training at its Daytona Beach, Florida campus. The contract is for 12 new DA42-VI aircraft, to be delivered in 2024. We are so honored to further strengthen our longstanding relationship with Embry-Riddle!
We are so thankful for having met all of you and for celebrating exciting days at this year EAA AirVenture! Thank you for being part of our journey! Thank you for being part of our #DiamondAircraftFamily! We are very much looking forward to seeing you again 22 – 28 July 2024!
