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Piston Power Series
Cirrus SR22 vs. Diamond DA62
by Joe Casey
Let’s say your regular mission is to fly two to four people about 500 nm, and everyone has a small bag
to bring along. You have a penchant for the nicer avionics, believe a newer air- frame will have better safety features and lower operational costs, and your spouse is a non-pilot who is far more interested in the destination than the trip itself. The spouse just wants to get there safely and comfortably, so you’ve got to ensure that all the fears are quelled. Bottom line, you will get to fly more when your spouse is smiling.
Sound familiar? If so, what is the right airplane for your mission?
It will not take long to narrow your search down, as few airplanes will fit that bill. Somewhere near the top of the list will be the Cirrus SR22 and the Diamond DA62. I own a Cirrus SR22T (G6), so you already know I see its merits. And I was recently asked to fly a DA62 from Austria back to the
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United States (30 hours flight time), so I feel like I can articulate the differ- ences and highlight which of these two fine airplanes belongs in your hangar.
The Cirrus SR series of airplanes is tailormade for the pilot described above. They are sleek, fast, good-look- ing, packed with the latest electronic gizmos, and are relatively cheap to operate. Yes, there is lots to love in the SR series of airplanes. But what really boosted sales for Cirrus is the parachute. It is both an effective sales tool and functional safety device. There have been many “saves.” But, if we are forthright, the parachute gives many spouses the comfort they need to write the check. Everyone wins, including Cirrus.
Then there is the Diamond DA62. There’s no parachute, but there is a second engine. That extra engine also gives the spouse the comfort needed to write the check. It too is sleek, fast,
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE CASEY
PHOTO COURTESY OF DIAMOND AIRCRAFT
sexy and has all the latest gadgets. And, did I say the DA62 is sleek and sexy? Oh my, this is one incredibly sleek and sexy airplane! It looks like it is doing Mach 1 just sitting on the ramp. After flying the DA62 over the North Atlantic, I can testify that it can- not fly Mach 1, but it does perform quite well and is a true contender for the pilot described above.
First, let’s go over the simi- larities. Both the Cirrus SR22 and Diamond DA62 will cruise at about 180 KTAS; both will burn less than 18 gallons per hour in cruise; both have four seats; both are FIKI-capable; both have ample baggage compartments. They are both also made up of com- posite materials and offer the latest and greatest Garmin avionics suites. Either will complete the mission for the pilot who wants a cutting-edge, su- per-nice, cross-country airplane. And, most importantly, both have an option