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Few questions for DA42 owners/flyers

What causes the sale of a 1.7 DA-42 with 550 hrs TTAE at $160K USD, out of annual?

DA-42 For Sale

Ouch..
Damage history? Based in corrosive environment?
1.7 liter engines are not an asset to put in mildly.

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

An 8½ year old DA42 w/550 hrs & last Flightaware activity was 2 years ago – probably just a neglected or compromised aircraft. (“sold as is where is”) It’s due for clutch & gearbox replacement as well.

Also no FIKI TKS makes it a less desirable aircraft in many markets…

Emir, if your typical cruise altitude is FL170-180, get an Austro – the turbos perform really well up there. Also the lower maintenance burden is a nice addition. (no clutch, no gearbox or alternator replacement for the 1st 1500 hrs etc) I’d spring for a -VI upgrade if it’s within your budget; the weather radar really transforms the aircraft.

If however you’re typically cruising at lower altitudes, I’d save some money & go for the 2.0s. (however, don’t expect a dramatical difference above the 2.0)

Aircraft owners tends to have an unhealthy obsession with cruise speed numbers. At mid-power settings and FL100, there’s really not that much difference between the different DA42’s.

Even at FL180 – in real life, cruising at 160 kts vs 180 kts? – who cares, just an extra 10-15 mins here ’n there.

Last Edited by Hodja at 19 Jun 00:44

An 8½ year old DA42 w/550 hrs & last Flightaware activity was 2 years ago – probably just a neglected or compromised aircraft. (“sold as is where is”) It’s due for clutch & gearbox replacement as well.

From the advert: “1.7 Liter Thielert engines with fresh gearbox”.

I noticed the lack of Flightaware activity too, and also that the owner since 2012 has been Evolution Airparts Corp…. It wouldn’t surprise me if it hadn’t been flown for some time. I’ve come across a couple of US owners of these aircraft, where there is little economic case for them, and noticed them being both well funded and eccentric. I can imagine that makes for an uncertain life, if you’re a DA42.

Years ago I knew a guy who drove a Porsche turbo and couldn’t be bothered washing it. It was at that point that I decided that one definition of wealth is the ability to buy expensive stuff without regard to value, abuse it, throw it way and buy another.

That said, the one DA42 that’s local to me is very well cared for, like new and meticulously maintained. Its owned by a retired brain surgeon, who flies it weekly or so. He’s a great guy too, eccentric in a good way.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 19 Jun 01:32

At the lowest point of the Thielert saga I saw a DA42 on the market for 80k GBP. I suppose that with no engines it would be valued for breaking-up only…

I know just one US owner of a DA42 and he more or less stopped flying back then. So I would guess there might be a number of such examples on the market. Low time but neglected.

Everything has since changed…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Silvaire,

What causes the sale of a 1.7 DA-42 with 550 hrs TTAE at $160K USD, out of annual?

Those frames are used for upgrades/conversions mostly, and they are pretty difficult to find these days. That’s why even the old frames are starting to increase with their prices. As far as I know only the main body of the aircraft is used, so the TKS system can be installed within the conversion into a -vi, for example, simply by using new wings. The frame finally has the 2000hrs inspection done, the engines are factory new, all the modifications (but not the weight decrease) are done, the interior is refurbished, so you have your NG / -vi.

Again, thanks everybody for contribution in this thread.

At the moment I’m considering these two aircrafts listed on PlaneCheck:
1. Link
2. Link

I’m pretty sure I understand pros and cons for each of them. The idea for #1 is to get it, fly for a while (500 hours), and then decide on engine replacement AE300 or 2.0s. The idea for #2 is to get AE300 from the begining and get benefits of GFC700, stronger engines and little more payload – the drawback is that it will never be -VI (according to current info I have).

I’m ready to hear your opinions.

Of course, I would also consider donor airframe for -VI upgrade but then it should be located in Europe and cost significantly less than €200k.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

When having to choose between the two, I would go for the first. With the 2.0s, it will be a better aircraft than #2 and you’d save quite a bit of money. Given the new update options arising for the DA42, I would expect it to keep its value over the next years. There aren’t that many existing airframes ready for upgrade.

GFC700 is great, much better than King but the price difference is huge.

I know just one US owner of a DA42 and he more or less stopped flying back then. So I would guess there might be a number of such examples on the market. Low time but neglected.

I imagine in the end, they’ll go back to Europe for remanufacture and resale to the local market,

I’m heading to Sweden next week, I’ll post my impressions.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia
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