WHICH AIRPLANE IS BETTER? | Cessna 172 vs Diamond DA40 NG | FULL Comparison
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- Опубликовано: 3 июн 2024
- THE SINGLE ENGINE SHOWDOWN. Enjoy this full NOSE TO NOSE COMPARISON video of the most popular training aircraft ever built -- the Cessna 172 VS the technologically advanced Jet-A burning Diamond DA40 NG.
Which airplane is right for you? In this video we dig into the history, specs and safety characteristics of each airplane and MUCH more!
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company. First flown in 1955, more 172s have been built than any other aircraft.
The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is an Austrian four-seat, single-engine, light aircraft constructed from composite materials. The aircraft is known for its exceptional operating economics and mild-mannered handling characteristics, and being the first popular piston aircraft to run exclusively on jet fuel.
Jump to a category below:
00:00 Intro
00:39 Specs
01:04 C172 History
01:31 DA40 Specs
01:59 Pricing (estimate)
02:20 Construction & Materials
06:03 DA40 Wing Design
12:07 C172 Powerplant
13:38 DA40 Powerplant
14:22 Props
14:52 Fuel Types
15:51 Doors & Storage
17:21 Entering/Exiting & Seats
20:19 Visibility
22:01 Outro
WHO ARE WE?
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LifeStyle Aviation is the leading seller of modern aircraft in North America and also delivers aircraft worldwide. The company sells Diamond, Cessna, Cirrus, ICON, Piper aircraft and other modern brands. LifeStyle Aviation has also invested in being the leading provider of diesel single- and twin-engine Jet-A piston aircraft, including the DA40 NG, DA42, and the all-new DA62. LifeStyle Aviation also created the unique DiamondShare program (DiamondShare.com) that provides attractive shared access to modern aircraft, allowing people to justify the plane of their dreams and “Make the Dollars Make Sense.”
I own and operate both Cessnas and a DA40, and have thousands on hours in both combined. This video was fantastic. Diamond is incomparably superior though !
Agree 100%...
The doors speak for themselves, one opens like a ferrari and the other a honda. I want the one with cool doors 😅
Has there been any concern brought up about egress from a flip-over accident in the diamond? I know it would certainly be exceedingly rare, but would stink to be trapped in the airplane after a crash with the possibility of fire all around you and no way to get the doors open. Hopefully the windows would also pop out in the accident.
@@Spastuscat the back door disconnects at the hinge after pulling the emergency exit lever. And there is also an emergency glass breaking “hammer” underneath the passenger seat for use on the canopy glass.
@@fkntourist Thanks! I figured there had to be something like that, but I've never seen it mentioned.
It is difficult digesting that a cessna 172 or Diamond DA40 are over half million dollars. I believe it has become obvious that GA has become completely out of reach for the common middle-class hard working person. It is simply ridiculous the cost of aircraft -- even an old junker.
I learned to fly in a C172 and now I have a DA40NG.
Both are excellent trainers, but a DA40NG is superior, as it is a plane of a new age.
Congrats on your airplane! Couldn't agree more. It's always fun to watch Skyhawk pilots make the transition.
Can you explain me, which one is better to get PPL?
@@Just_Viktor PPL end goal or CPL end goal ?
DA40NG is a terrible move for cpl. There's no mixture or prop control which is easier to fly but most employers won't touch a low time pilot without the experience with mixture and prop control as most airplanes still used today have those features
Most employers won't hire a pilot without jet or turbojet time. 🤠
What about the maitanence cost and availability for the composite airframe? I heard it's a pain in the ass to repair, even minor cracks are a huge deal for your wallet... Is that true?
300-500k for a used DA40 vs 60-90k for a used 172.
I fly both... DA40 when the weather is nice (ie: below 82F), C172 for everything else. The DA40 definitely is a dream to fly, whereas it feels like I'm wrestling the C172. BUT, I'm in Florida. The heat, humidity, and rain are brutal here. Being able to taxi/fly with the windows open and having a solid roof rather than plexiglass/perspex bubble over your head, especially when it's August, 95F with 50% humidity and you're putting along at 1500' underneath a Bravo shelf, is priceless. Likewise, entering and exiting a high-wing in rain is far more pleasant than popping open the canopy in a DA40 in rain. High wing ain't sexy, but it's extremely practical.
If I ever had the money, I think I'd go for a DA50RG w/aircon. That would fix 90% of my gripes with the DA40.
At the same time, the leading edges of the DA40's wings get chewed up pretty bad when flying in rain. We just had to have ours repaired. Likewise, anyone can field-repair panels on a C172. Not so much for the plastic planes.
Agree. I fly in Southern CA where it is hot. I will stick with the 172. That plane may not be sexy but it's a tank and it's more comfortable.
I work on the Cessnas daily, but no experience with the DAs. Do they not offer erosion strips for leading edges?
Our school's Barons have erosion material on the radome. It's taken quite a beating over the years, but the dome is still in good shape.
@@eclectichoosier5474I’m a student learning the DA40 in Tennessee. Our planes don’t suffer any leading edge damage, even the “old” 20 year ones. Only thing I ever see is some speed tape around some areas, but that’s the buffer on the wing for fuel tank maintenance.
One thing about the DA40 concerns me about safety. When I was a student pilot somebody was talking about a Piper Tomahawk for sale and my flight instructors comment was "It's a deathtrap. You can not recover from a spin." I was discussing that with somebody who told me he was one of very few people who ever recovered from a spin in a Tomahawk and it was because his father was a better pilot than he was and told him that on the count of 3 they needed to lean forward hard and fast to change the center of gravity to break the stall and get out of the spin. They were lucky. There is not enough airflow over the surface of the elevator with a T tail to get the nose down to break a stall. Just because a plane is not rated for spins does not mean that they will never enter a spin.
I have done many (deliberate) stalls and spins in a T-tailed aircraft, and never had a problem recovering to normal flight. It's unfair to imply that all T-tail aircraft are unrecoverable from a spin.
The problem with spins in the Tomahawk isn't getting out of them. It's with people who panic and come out of them too abruptly. Pulling up to recover can overstress the aircraft. You have to let the spin develop, then recover smoothly and gently. (Obviously, this is not a good thing on an approach stall/spin.)
I believe cirrus POH says if you enter a spin , pull the oh $h!t handle aka the parachute
@@geoffreytofte4049 I've flown Cirrus. The manual pretty much tells you that as long as you're above four or five hundred feet above the ground, any major problem is grounds for pulling the handle.
Not too long ago, a Cirrus lost engine power taking off from an airport very close to my home. They tried to land in a cornfield, but the ground was too soft; the plane flipped, and both occupants died.
Edited to add: Judging by the ADS-B data, they were high enough to pull the parachute when the engine started having trouble. It is likely that they were high enough to pull it when they realized that they wouldn't make it back to the airport, and decided to attempt landing in the field.
Pilots are human, and humans have a hard time being rational when under pressure. There is a tendency to fix a situation rather than do something that they know will damage the plane (pulling the parachute definitely damages the plane.) We forget that the plane is ultimately disposable. It can be replaced. It is much more important to protect the people inside, who can't be replaced.
As to spins -- If you're high enough, you can recover from a spin. Try that first. If it doesn't work, then you pull the handle. If you don't have the altitude, then pulling the handle is the first response.
@@eclectichoosier5474 lol @ first par.
Having flown both and given instruction in both, I'm partial to the DA40... however the 172 is still a great aircraft and you can't go wrong with either.
This old man likes using doors instead of canopies to get in and out of planes, especially on bad weather days. Doors may be better too if the plane winds up upside down after a mishap.
Damn good point, thank you!
That’s why the passenger area has an emergency pull handle that allows a side exit. Still, it’s only on one side provided you can’t break the window.
Having flown many hours in C 172 and C 182 I now fly Diamond and the Italian Techam2008 aricraft. Their flight behavior and fuel consumption show that they really are planes of a new aera. If the Europeans would not have developed these modern energy efficient planes, private flying might have almost disappeared by now because of fuel prices, at least in Europe.
Tecnam is a great design. I would like to see a Diamond with high wings. The new Sling with high wings is a winner. Sling informs me a TDI is too heavy for their airframe.
How do your avfuel costs compare w/100ll?
How do your av fuel costs compare w/100 LL
The tecnam p2006t is beautiful
@@JohnPruitt-su8fe At least here in Germany we pay around 2,8€/litre for AVGAS100LL and around 2€/litre for JET A1. And the jet fuel engins consumes even less per hour. My flying club has even a 172 diesel conversion, which is basically the same engine the DA40 has (google "Thielert engine"), only with a little bit less power. But therefore it is also rated for regular Diesel fuel. That being said, I'm a huge fan of Diesel powered air planes and I would love to fly the DA40. The only disadvantages I can see in the DA40 is how you wet everything when you hop in while it's raining and how it heats up in summer. But that's an issue with mostly all low wing designs.
The safety of the Diamond is a HUGE factor in these two models. I have a few hundred hours in a 172, but in my opinion, the DA40 far surpasses it. Great video!
Until you flip the planes during a emergency landing, good luck getting out of a DA40. C172 would be no issue getting out in a upset emergency.
@@JetsiahPOV You're right - - you'd have no issue getting out of the C172 because you'd be dead from the aircraft crumpling like a spam can. Take a look at the safety records of both aircraft. The DA40 may not last 50+ years like a C172 due to it being a plastic plane, but while it's flying it'll keep you very safe. The front seats are part of the structure of the aircraft.
@@grayrabbit2211 Well it all depends on how you strike the surface, my friend flew a Cessna 206 into the rocky shore of Hudson Bay at cruise speed, the airplane was destroyed and it burnt leaving only ashes in the shape of a aircraft, he was able to exit as it started burning when they rescued him he was ok
The cessna would give you a fuel shower, if you land a little too hard.
For what it’s worth, composite can last a very long time if cared for properly (and often even when it’s not). Tons and tons of fiberglass boats from the 70s still around.
The DA40 is a superior plane that’s for sure, but the Cessna 172 has some advantages for itself.
It is easier and cheaper to repare plus you easily find spare part all around the wold.
It is also way cheaper to buy in second hand.
it is a more robust aircraft and can be used to land almost everywhere on any field
It has a shorter wingspan, making it less efficient but giving it less ground clearance, I’ve seen video of 172 landing on narrow strip inside forest
It is also an iconic aircraft, really I love to see them in great shape like the one in this video.
The Cessna is still a great modern aircraft but the Diamonds is futureproof
You got it! Diamond has not really figured out the used plane market. Cessna is a way better choice if buying used and this is coming from a HUGE Diamond fan/pilot.
You wrote a whole list, all that sold me to the DA40 was the cool opening doors. I'm just a simple creature 😅
The parts things is why the flight school I was working at decided to not go with the Diamond. When something broke on the Diamond it could take weeks or longer to get replacement parts and at least one plane would be down till the parts came in. As it was explained to me, they had to send the broken art to Diamond and wait for the new one, and they weren’t allowed to stock parts for when they did break
@@omirlino Not true. I work for a flying school that has a fleet of about 60 DA-40's. We have enough parts in our store room to build 5 or so aircraft from scratch!
Parts aren't cheap though!
@@samuelkundael3503 Those doors are the one true negative of the DA40. In many parts of the world it's often raining when you get in/out of the plane. In the DA40, the entire inside is soaked if its raining.
I have flown both but appreciate the Cessna more.
C172 = roomier, two doors easy in and out, two windows that open, and SHADE.
I agree. As a glider pilot I used to sneer at the Cessna spam cans and Diamonds were the natural preference.
Until I got to fly (right seat) in a T210. Boy, what a platform. Like a house flying through the air.
John Armstrong, your insightful comparison between the Diamond DA40 NG and the Cessna 172 S is truly illuminating. Your breakdown of their history, design, materials, and features showcases how these two aircraft have evolved to cater to different needs and eras.
I really loved this video. Showing the upside of the DA40 without badmouthing the competitor. Really well done.
Having over 12,000 hours, including 2,000 hours of dual given, I was anticipating a hit job on the DA40.
I’m pleasantly surprised that your treatment of the DA40 is spot on.
The real selling point is that the DA40 is one of the best flying aircraft I have ever flown.
The stick is such an honest straightforward input you literally become unaware of your movements.
I sold dozens of DA40s for a dealer and it was always a satisfying day when I could put 3 adults in the plane and demo all the necessary maneuvers for a private license including accelerated stalls effortlessly and safely.
Best single engine aircraft in its class by an order of magnitude.
This is awesome feedback! Thanks for your comment :)
Master. Has. 28000 hours on te concired. Or more mist super sonic concored hours
After flying a Diamond DA40, I’ve become a huge fan of the aircraft.
Learned to fly in a DA-20. Love the Katana’s low wing and stick. Over time got checked out in a 150 and a 172.The Cessna with it’s big trim wheel and yoke floats along reminding me of a pontoon boat. Both fun to fly. I didn’t realize how much safer the Diamond appears to be. Not too crazy about the possibility of being trapped in the DA if it became inverted in a landing mishap. Didn’t seem like this was as much a comparison as a Diamond Aircraft sales piece.
Did you finish all your training at kanata aviation high river, alberta?
@@jayanth777 Baltimore, Md
What an enjoyable presentation. Thankyou for this - keep 'em coming!
I trained on both, both have their advantages and disadvantages, if I was going to own one personally, as much as I love flying the DA-40, I'd still go with the C172 because of the availability of cheap spare parts, and the ease of repairs, mechanical parts are much easier and cheaper to fix than computers
If you have to do a forced landing in the middle of nowhere because an engine control computer failed, you're stuck there until you walk close enough to town to get phone signal
If something mechanical breaks, for example the magneto (assume both of them broke)
You could take them both apart and cannibalize one so you can repair the other to at least get yourself back in the air
Non computerized parts are far easier to jury rig back into working order, which could mean the difference between flying back to civilization with a cool story to tell, vs having it etched onto your tombstone
The C-172 is built like a tank and comfortable to fly. The high wing helps with the sun. Both planes have pros and cons. The C-172 is just such a tank that it lasts and lasts and can take so much abuse and is easy to fix.
I started my flight training in the 172’s back in the ‘80’s. When I came back to flight training in ‘08 I found the DA-40’s and fell in love. The feel of flying the aircraft felt more natural. It was very easy to pick up. The school I finished my training in offered both the 172 and DA-40, but there was a price difference. And it was well worth it. My dream now is to find shared ownership in one. Heck, win the lottery and get the DA-62❤.
I love everything about Diamonds... and definitely want to own one!
As a private pilot I learned on a Cessna 150 and 172 back in the 1970's. Most of my time was in a 172 and some 182, but i also flew some low wing aircraft like the Grumman Tiger, Piper Cherokee and the Mooney 201. Your Diamond is a marvel of current technology and would be amazing to fly. Good review of features and functions comparing aircraft. Diamond really put a lot of thought into building this aircraft.
Great video, never really knew much about the DA40!
What a cool video! 👍 nice detailed explanation on every detail.
We're glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!
I trained in the Skyhawks and didn’t know much about the DA40 NG .thanks for giving me this virtual,to say ,upgrade .👌🏾
Awesome video! Very helpful.
Excellent video, appreciate all the detail 🙌
Great comparison! Thanks!
I really enjoy this vid..! excelent comparison :)
Great presentation, John!
I have a lot of hours logged in the 172 but I really would love to get checked out in the Diamond. GREAT comparison video.
Really nice video. Thanks 🙏
wow, great comparison! i didn't know anything about diamonds and modern GA aircaft so this was really quite enlightening! what an amazing piece of engineering this is.
I've known several salesmen in my life but you, by far, are a leader in the aviation field. You have focused my attention onto a "new" product similar in use but with so many updated features. Yes, the Cessna is an industry standard however it is time for others to shine such as the Diamond. It is an exceptional machine with a ton of desirable features! Stunning comparison and notably the Diamond is a star.
Excellent video.. very fascinating
Excellent video. Very informative. Thank you. As a person who is shopping for their first airplane, this video was really helpful.
Awesome, that's our goal! Let us know if we can help you in the aircraft acquisition process.
Loved it! Great Video!
Great content!
what a great video. well done with the explanation
Wow! If Diamond didnt sponsored that vid I totally love all the honest informations. So much useful data. Thanx for taking ur time to do this vid.
Great video! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for being here!
Excellent video
Absolutely fantastic video. I first saw a DA-42 in Pooler, GA ant the Savannah Int airport and fell in love with the diamond aircraft. I would love to fly one, it's my favorite GA aircraft.
We love it too! Thanks for sharing!
As someone who got my PPL, IR, and CSEL in the DA40 I can say that I fell in love on my very first flight, its a very easy aircraft to fly; the only problem I had transitioning from a 152 was when I would pull WAAAY too much on my flare, the pushrods really do make more precise inputs. Also transitioning into the DA-42 for my CMEL was a breeze and I loved it even more than the 40. I flew at a school that LifeStyle is very familiar with and my have something to do with one of the tail # in this video
I can’t wait to start flying on the DA42!!
Amazing content
Thanks for the video. I don’t know anything about modern GA aircraft. Cool stuff.
I trained with the DA40 but I own the DA50 love them both. Never flew in a C172 yet. Nice video and thanks for the info!
Excellent stuff bro
Very thorough description of both aircraft, excellent job.
However, it should be pointed out that the rudder was grabbed at the do-not-handle icon graphic (@ 12:07).
Great video!
excellent review...hit all the major differences...given the choice, most pilots prefer the diamond...great aircraft.
great, Thank you very much for very very clear information to decide which one i should have now a day 🙂
Glad it was helpful!
I flew C 152 and C 172 , before very interesting video with so much information , after watching this video I would love to try that
DA 40 for sure , Tks for sharing
I’ve flown the 172, DA40, DA42, and the DA62… the big drawback on the DA40 and DA42 is that, if it rains, you can’t get in or out, because opening the canopy exposes everything (avionics and co). The DA62 isn’t as bad, because the doors provide some more protection.
Never had a problem with that. Parked my DA 40 on the ramp, got in and out in the rain. Im talking actual rain. If it doesn’t hurt your head, it’s not rain, it’s humidity. 😂🤣
Usually we don’t fly when there’s heavy raining cuz it might block your sight
Get pulled into a hanger I guess! Call ahead and hope!
Never had this problem.
Not a big deal to me
Excellent material. I love flying Cardinals but this video left me plenty of curiosity.
Very good comparison
Owning a 172N with a CD155 retrofit. That’s a great combination- more power and range for less noise! The DA 40 is extremely nice with an efficient airframe. I like instructing and flying more the DA 40 2.0S with the CD155. This configuration of the Mercedes Diesel Engine is much lighter resulting in a even better handling and power characteristics then with the heavy Austro Engine. Nice comparison video😊
Very well described 👍👍
I never saw anybody promotes Diamond as good as you!!!
Well thought out and detailed presentation. If only I could afford one.
I would have mentioned the slight difference in high wing / low wing float on landing.
Great comparison! This my PPL trainer vs my IFR and Commercial
One of the best reviews ever seen. Literally. From airplanes, cars, pc, you name it. This should be a manual for everyone. Thank you.
What a great video. Instant sub my friend.
Thanks for the sub!
This is really neat comparison between the Cessna and the Diamond. I think the Diamond is my next plane to get used to. These guys also have a comparison video between the Diamond and the Cirrus SR-22. I’ll be watching that, too. All I can say about the Diamond is Wow!
That was a fantastic video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I enjoyed flying DA40NG! 😍 Superb aircraft to fly on
Hey lifestyle aviation, I learnt about diamond aircraft from you through this channel. Just wanted to say thanks for changing my life.
This made our day! Thanks for being here, blue skies and tailwinds! 🎉
@@LifeStyleAviation Thank you, and to you as well!! 💯
Back in 2017 I did my EASA CPL on the DA40 and DA42. Wonderful aircraft both of them. If you compare them with a Cessna or Piper, the Diamond feels like a Rolls Royce.
Man, the initial part is so fantastic... The father flew a B-17 and the uncle flew a P-51... wow... And congrats for the video, specially about differences between aircrafts and not just personal preference.
Great video! In this case, all of the new tech and capability costs you nothing extra.
learned alot about the DA40
I got to train on both platforms and man I love the wide screen view out of the Diamond so much better
I have only been able to afford one formal flight lesson, but have been blessed to be at the controls of a few of my friends airplanes. The Katana was by far my favorite, and when I get to the place to be able to afford to take more lessons, the Katana would be my aircraft of choice!
For civil airplane, the good or the bad of its maintainability will directly affects its whole life costs and affects its competition in the market
Great video, really enjoyed it. Shame I learnt on a 152/172 and not one of those Diamonds. I would love to hop into one and go poke holes in the clouds with it.
John Armstrong you are a king ... that was an amazingly well-done video. Thank you so much.
For those who are complaining that this is not a fair and balanced comparison ... you are right. He is the owner / founder of one of the largest Diamond distributors in North America, so what do you expect. If you don't have time to watch the whole thing to answer the question, "which airplane is better" I'll cut to the credits and tell you - it's the Diamond.
Hey great video, I am a pilot trainee on DA 40 NG. You have said most of it but some points I would like to add are the advantage that my Cessna friends have than us is that during cruise they get more shade and less sun exposure and better landing performance due it's high wing design, other than that Diamond beats on most things.
Yes, the 172 gets shade and is really comfortable. Love it for that. I am flying a Piper which fly nice but not as comfortable and its hot.
You can install a parachute on the Cessna and not the diamond. For this reason alone the Cessna is better
Gostei muito do vídeo, Parabéns, você explicou muito bem as diferenças entre as duas aeronaves, sou mecânico de aviões e trabalho com o cessna 172 mas fico fascinado com a tecnologia dos aviões diamond!!
¿Y como te gusta esta nueva generación de avionetas?
The IO-360-L2A is also certified for UL94, a slightly lower octane unleaded AVgas produced by Swift Fuels which is currently in production and available to any airport that requests it.
Thank you 🙏
@12:07 like how he grabs the no-grab sticker and yanks on that rudder tab!
Thanks!
Cool... interesting!
Didn't know avgas was leaded. Thanks for the heads up.
The view out the front of the DA40 is amazing. Check out some of the flight videos.
Great video - I also have both planes, or course I have the and older Diamond DA40 before they made some of the improvements. Still a great plane and very flexible. Had a bird strike in both planes and the experience in the Cessna felt like a non event compared to the canopy of the Diamond cracking and a bird ending up inside . Of course $14k later all was good .
$14,000 is what I paid for my Cessna 150K ten years ago. Still a good plane today with no major maintenance costs except $2,000 to add ADSB out. Hard to believe a new C-172 costs over $500k. DA40 has incredible performance - you are lucky to have one.
Nice video. You're fan of the Diamond. That's for sure. Haha.. Cessna. Indeed, the high cockpit. Front view and climb view is not fine on the Cessna's.
I like how you compared jumping into the 172 seat not mentioning if it's raining how you skip into the diamond and whipe your pants after😂😂😂😂😂
Learned to fly in a P-28 but did a lot of flying after my private in a DA20 and DA40. Moved and the new FBO only has 172s. The entire time doing my Instrument I was wishing I was in the DA40 again. They're just easier to control on account of having a stick, and better airplanes in most respects.
Now if only they'd be cheaper than Cessnas... perhaps someday.
Enjoyed some IFR training in the Diamond. The FADEC engine control is a game changer.
But getting in and out of the DA-40 was uncomfortable. Plus my passenger would find the center stick an inconvenience
Rode as a back seat passenger in the DA-42. Now that was decent.
Maybe a Tecnam which combines the ease of access of a high wing with the modern engine technology would be an option.
passenger center stick is removable
Yeah but you have to look at the Tecnam
@@aelisenko I’ve heard it is. I wonder how simple it is for someone renting the aircraft though. As an owner to be able to leave it out would be great, though there is the consideration of leaving the passenger without an emergency backup.
Cessna offered the Continental 4-cyl diesel as an option for their Skyhawks. I don't know, if they still do.
Cessna and Piper keep their original design from the 50's to these days ,however Dimond came throught with modern efficient materials , and a very comfortable seats on recline configuration
And you can buy a new PA-28 with an engine based on the same design as the Diamonds (the DX and DLX variants).
Cost to certify a plane is so high in the USA that the old airframes keep going.
@@Paiadakine True. It's ironic because the certification process was designed to improve and assure safety, has lead to a situation that degraded safety due to the high cost ensuring manufactures keep using old designs devoid of over 50 years of gained knowledge and technology about crash worthiness and engine management. It would be like if car design from the 50s with no airbags, no restraints, no crumple zones, no thought to occupant protection at all were still being used today.
Great 👍 boss
I'm taking lessons now in a 172 and I love it, but I've got to say that I am seriously considering a Diamond after I'm licensed
My bit questions are.
1. Ingress takes a bit of non standard gyration in the DA40NG. Pax has to get up on the wing, swing around and work their way in, kind of like a sports care. The C172 is pretty standard slide in and access the back the way you do on a two door car. I believe it depends on how you bend and twist. Getting our require arm lift and strength and leg lift from an awkward position on the DA40NG. I can see some liking one or the other but not both.
2. The C172 has a natural sun shade and how is the DA40NG? I never had a problem with visibility in flying C150/2 and 172. Before you turned you had a good look and you equally have a good look coming wings level again. The visibility in the DA40NG is fabulous no question. I don't know that I would call the C172 as a disadvantage as much as the DA40NG a whole new approach (assuming the glass does not cook your head).
I can't wait to start flying
AWESOME
As a student pilot, I started my initial flight training with a C160, which I also did my first solo on. Then, I flew the C172 for my cross country. Agree that the C172 is a great aircraft and very reliable to fly. I marvel the Diamond D840, but beyond my budget. Great educational video.
Holy shit you started with C-160 Transall?
you mean C-150
I guess you mean c-150 or C-172: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_160
Cessna built an improved C172. It was called the Cardinal - C177 (~1968-1975). I owned one for about 15 years. Flush rivet heads on about 30% of the wing (leading edge). Also it didn't have wing struts. It was a bit more efficient than the C172, It was also a bit more expensive to produce than the C172. If I were still flying, I'd get a DA40, period..
I prefer the Cardinal RG, upgraded with a turbocharger, 200 kt cruise, good visibility, range at altitude beats the Diamond, not sensitive to UV as all painted fiberglass wings are, unless a heavy gell coat with Al mini flakes protects the Epoxy resin.
put vortex generators on the upper wing in the aileron region, kit from Spruce and specialties is cheap.
Great video! 0:47 - The C172 does not have a prop control. It should say Throttle and Mixture control.
Diamond FTW. Love them.