Diamond DA40 Star TDI for Sale

Price on request

Available now: 2001 Citation Bravo — $2,300,000

Aircraft Specifications

Asking Price
Price on request
Model
DA40 Star TDI (Centurion 2.0)
Airframe
3,332 hrs
Engines
1 × Thielert / Centurion TAE 125-02 (2.0) diesel
Engine time
858 hrs (1,242 hrs remaining)
Seats
4

Avionics

Description

This Diamond DA40 Star TDI is a four-seat, single-engine aircraft with a full composite airframe and a Thielert / Centurion TAE 125-02 (2.0) diesel engine running on jet fuel. The airframe shows 3,332 hours total time. The engine shows 858 hours, with 1,242 hours published as remaining. Power is managed through FADEC single-lever engine control.

The propeller is an MT Propeller MTV-6-A/187-129 three-blade constant-speed unit, serial number 171473, published with 1,872 hours remaining.

Listed avionics and equipment: a Garmin GTX 33 Mode S transponder (IFR certified), an integrated autopilot, an Artex ELT 455-0012, a full pitot-static and altimeter pack, a pitot heat system and electrically adjustable rudder pedals.

Year of manufacture, airframe serial number, registration, location, inspection status and the type of primary flight instruments are not part of the published data and are available on request, together with the logbooks. The asking price is on request.

In short, this is a mid-time DA40 Star TDI: moderate airframe hours and an engine a little under halfway through its published interval. Gobbo Capital can arrange the full document package and a pre-purchase inspection before any commitment.

Consultant's Notes

The short version

This Diamond DA40 Star TDI for sale is a mid-time example. The full composite airframe shows 3,332 hours total time. The Thielert / Centurion TAE 125-02 (2.0) diesel shows 858 hours, with 1,242 hours published as remaining. The propeller is an MT MTV-6-A/187-129 three-blade constant-speed unit, serial number 171473, with 1,872 hours remaining. Listed equipment includes a Garmin GTX 33 Mode S transponder (IFR certified), an integrated autopilot, an Artex ELT 455-0012, a full pitot-static and altimeter pack, pitot heat, FADEC single-lever control and electrically adjustable rudder pedals. Year of manufacture, serial number and registration are not in the published data and are available on request. The price is on request.

Why a mid-time DA40 Star TDI deserves a look

Most DA40s on the market sit at one of two extremes. There are low-time private airplanes priced accordingly, and there are high-time school airplanes that have flown many thousands of hours. This one is in between: 3,332 hours on the airframe is real use, but it is well short of the totals that training fleets often reach.

That middle ground is where a lot of sensible buyers end up. You are not paying for showroom hours, and you are not taking on an airframe that has spent its whole life doing circuits. What you need to understand is where each major component stands, and what it will cost to keep it there.

The DA40 Star TDI in brief

The DA40 is Diamond's four-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear single, built from composite materials, which the listing for this aircraft confirms as a full composite airframe. The Star TDI version replaces the Lycoming avgas engine with a Thielert (now Continental) Centurion diesel. The Centurion 2.0, designated TAE 125-02-99, produces 135 hp, burns Jet A-1 and is run by a FADEC through a single power lever.

For a pilot, the practical result is simple operation: no mixture, no separate propeller lever, and an engine computer that handles the details. For an owner, the practical result is access to jet fuel, which is widely available in Europe and often cheaper than avgas, and a maintenance model that differs from a traditional piston engine.

The engine: 858 hours used, 1,242 remaining

The published figures are 858 hours on the engine and 1,242 hours remaining. Added together, they point to a 2,100-hour interval. The Centurion is managed on a time-between-replacement (TBR) basis: when the engine reaches its limit, it is exchanged rather than overhauled in the traditional way. Gearbox and certain components have their own intervals.

So this engine is a little under halfway through its published interval. That is a perfectly reasonable place to buy, provided the price reflects it. The useful way to think about it is as a reserve: every hour you fly consumes part of the cost of the next exchange engine. Ask a Centurion service centre for a current exchange quote and divide it by 2,100 to get your own hourly reserve figure. Then compare that with the reserve you would need on an airplane with more or fewer engine hours.

Questions to settle before you agree a price:

- Is the 858 hours since new, or since installation of an exchange engine? - Is there a calendar limit on the engine, and when does it fall? - Has the 2,100-hour figure been confirmed against the current approved documentation for this engine? - What is the gearbox status, and when are the next gearbox and clutch items due? - Are all Continental (Thielert) service bulletins and airworthiness directives complied with?

The propeller: 1,872 hours remaining

The MT MTV-6-A/187-129 propeller is listed with its serial number, 171473, and 1,872 hours remaining. On hours, that is more than the engine has left, so the propeller is unlikely to drive your first major maintenance decision on hours alone.

MT propellers, however, also carry calendar limits, and the listing does not give one. Ask for the date of the last propeller overhaul and the calendar limit that applies. For an owner flying 100 to 150 hours a year, the calendar is often what decides the overhaul date, not the hours.

Airframe: 3,332 hours of what kind of flying?

Composite airframes handle time well, but the type of use still matters. Ask what this aircraft has been doing: private touring, club use, or training. Each leaves a different trace in the logbooks and on the airframe.

What we would look at on a DA40 at this time:

- Landing gear, mounts and brakes, especially if the aircraft has been used for training. - Composite repair history. Any repair should be documented and carried out by a shop approved for Diamond composite work. - Canopy and seals. The large canopy is one of the pleasures of the DA40; it is also an item to inspect carefully. - Applicable airframe life limits and time-dependent inspections under the current Diamond maintenance documentation.

Avionics and equipment

The published list confirms:

- a Garmin GTX 33 Mode S transponder, described as IFR certified; - an integrated autopilot; - an Artex ELT, part number 455-0012; - a full pitot-static and altimeter pack; - a pitot heat system; - electrically adjustable rudder pedals.

The adjustable pedals are worth a mention. They let pilots of different heights get a correct seating position without cushions, which matters in a club or shared-ownership setting.

What the listing does not state is the type of primary flight instruments. The GTX 33 is a remote-mounted transponder controlled from another unit in the panel, so the panel could be an integrated Garmin system or a conventional layout; ask for a panel photo and the full equipment list before drawing conclusions. The make and model of the autopilot, whether the transponder is extended squitter (ADS-B Out) capable, and the date of the last pitot-static and altimeter check should also be confirmed.

Who this DA40 Star TDI suits

It suits a private owner or a small group who want a diesel four-seater with a sensible balance of airframe and engine time, and who prefer to know their running costs in advance. It also suits a club looking for a second or third aircraft without paying for a low-time airframe. With 1,242 engine hours remaining, a typical private owner has several years of flying before the engine exchange.

It does not suit a buyer who wants a nearly new airplane, or one who does not want to plan for an engine exchange during ownership. A high-utilisation operator should also do the arithmetic: at several hundred hours a year, the 1,242 hours will go faster than they look.

What we would check before buying

1. Complete, continuous logbooks for airframe, engine and propeller. 2. Engine records: new or exchange, installation date, TBR basis, gearbox status, service bulletins. 3. Propeller records: last overhaul date and the calendar limit. 4. Damage and repair history, including any composite repairs. 5. Certificate of airworthiness and ARC (or national equivalent), valid and current. 6. Airworthiness directives and Diamond service bulletins, with a compliance list. 7. Panel details: primary instruments, autopilot model, transponder capabilities, last pitot-static check. 8. A pre-purchase inspection at a shop with Diamond and Centurion experience. 9. Registration and transfer requirements for your registry.

Frequently asked questions

What year is this Diamond DA40 Star TDI? The year of manufacture is not in the published data. It is available on request with the serial number and registration.

How many hours are on the airframe and engine? 3,332 hours total time on the airframe; 858 hours on the engine, with 1,242 hours remaining.

What does "1,242 hours remaining" mean for a Centurion engine? The Centurion is managed on a time-between-replacement basis. When the remaining time is used, the engine is exchanged. Budget for that from the first hour you fly.

How much time is left on the propeller? 1,872 hours, as published. The calendar limit is not stated and should be confirmed.

Does it have an autopilot? Yes, the listing includes an integrated autopilot. The make and model should be confirmed.

What is the asking price? The price is on request. Contact Gobbo Capital for the figure and the logbooks.

Can it be inspected before purchase? Yes. We recommend a pre-purchase inspection at a shop experienced with Diamond airframes and Centurion engines.