Diamond's aggressive new D-Jet program has been aimed primarily at the burgeoning owner-pilot market -- with the hopes that a simple and capable single-engine jet might be more palatable to the upgrading piston and light turbine pilot than the supposedly more complex Eclipse 500 and the Cessna Citation Mustang. With an altitude limit of 25,000 feet, it is Diamond's hope that the aircraft will prove to be safer if the pressurization goes tango-uniform -- and of course, being a single, they expect that in jet-terms, the D-Jet will be a bargain to operate. In November of 2006, Diamond announced that Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) placed the first serious fleet order for 20 D-Jets, with the aim that they will become a major provider of training to D-Jet owners next year. Just a few months ago, Diamond confirmed that the single-engine Williams powered hot-rod will be built near the main plant in London, Ontario -- no doubt encouraged by the Canadian government's investment of nearly 20 million dollars, as well as the additional grant of $11 million from Ontario. The plant investment,alone is expected to expend some $100 million, by the time the project reaches completion. In the meantime, D-Jets are flying up a storm. The first bird took wing on April 18, 2006, and was followed d by public flights at Oshkosh. Since then, a second bird has been added to the flight test program and a third is expected shortly. Certification is expected in the middle of 2009... delayed slightly by the switch to a more powerful variant of the Williams FJ33, called the FJ33-19. Of special note, is Diamond's early development of a very capable D-Jet flight simulator, built with pretty much the same font end as a real D-Jet. Though a separate division builds the Diamond Flight sims, the devices are already getting quite a solid rep for their realism, capabilities and utility. Come along as ANN's Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, takes a (simulated) flight in the D-Jet and gets a feel for Diamond's hottest new set of ...
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