Diamond D-Jet
Encyclopedia
The Diamond D-JET is a composite
, five-seat, single-engine jet
aircraft
produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries
. The aircraft is undergoing flight testing. The final cost is advertised as US$
1.89 million, in March 2009 dollars.
and the Cessna Citation Mustang
. By limiting the altitude to 25,000 feet, it will be safer if pressurization fails. Diamond intends the D-JET to have a lower operating cost than other very light jet
s.
On November 9, 2006, at the AOPA Expo in Palm Springs, California
, USA, Diamond announced that Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) placed the first fleet order of 20 Diamond D-JETs. ATP will provide factory-approved training to D-JET purchasers beginning in 2008. Toronto-based Chartright Air Group ordered 10 D-JET aircraft with expected delivery beginning 2010.
In February, 2008 Diamond announced that the aircraft will be built in a new plant in London, Ontario, Canada
. This announcement came after the Government of Canada
announced it was giving the company a “Cdn$
19.6 million strategic, repayable investment” and the Government of Ontario
announced that it had given the company Cdn$
11 million. Diamond claims that research and development costs for the D-JET have been Cdn$
95.2 million and that the plant to build the aircraft will cost an additional $100 million.
In October 2008 Canadian charter operator SwiftJet announced that they had ordered five D-Jets with options for ten more. SwiftJet's intention is to offer air taxi
service "anywhere and anytime to destinations around the world." SwiftJet currently operates one Dassault Falcon 20
in the charter role.
The Government of Ontario loan was contingent on a matching loan from the federal Canadian government, which was not approved and so the 213 laid off employees have not been rehired.
The D-JET was initially to be powered by one Williams FJ-33-4A-15 turbofan engine. That 1564 lbf (7 kN) thrust engine was found in early 2008 to produce insufficient bleed air for cabin pressurization and other services. As a result a decision was made to switch to the Williams FJ-33-4A-19 turbofan engine, which produces 1900 lbf (8.5 kN) of thrust instead.
The switch in engines delayed the certification schedule and moved the projected first customer deliveries of the aircraft into the spring of 2009.
Diamond is also developing a military trainer variant of the D-JET that will likely feature Martin-Baker
lightweight ejection seats and is intended to sell for under US$3M.
The first flight of the D-JET was made on 18 April 2006 from the London International Airport
(ICAO: CYXU) in Ontario
, Canada
the homebase of Diamond’s North American division. The flight was piloted by test pilot
Gérard Guillaumaud
and lasted 1:06 hours. The aircraft's public debut was at Oshkosh
in July 2006. After completion of flight testing, Diamond expects full certification in the middle of 2009 with deliveries starting at the same time.
On Friday, 20 July 2007 Diamond Aircraft announced the roll out of its second D-JET, serial number 002. Serial number 002 is the first D-JET intended to conform to the expected production configuration in its structural layout and aerodynamic design. D-JET prototype serial number 002 first flew on Friday 14 September 2007. It was joined by D-JET Serial Number 003, which first flew on April 15, 2008.
Flight testing and program development was halted in the spring of 2011 as the company lacked funds to proceed. After a failed campaign for federal government support, private investment was found and test flight resumed in September 2011.
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
, five-seat, single-engine jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries
Diamond Aircraft Industries
Diamond Aircraft Industries is an Austrian-based manufacturer of general aviation aircraft and motor gliders, which also has a large manufacturing facility in London, Ontario, Canada...
. The aircraft is undergoing flight testing. The final cost is advertised as US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.89 million, in March 2009 dollars.
Design and development
Diamond has targeted the aircraft at the owner-pilot market, seeing it as more practical for single-pilot operations than the Eclipse 500Eclipse 500
The Eclipse 500 is a small six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation.Eclipse 500 became the first of a new class of Very Light Jet when it was delivered in late 2006...
and the Cessna Citation Mustang
Cessna Citation Mustang
|-Operators:The aircraft is operated by private individuals, companies and executive charter operators. A number of companies also use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs.-See also:-External links:* * * * .* * * *...
. By limiting the altitude to 25,000 feet, it will be safer if pressurization fails. Diamond intends the D-JET to have a lower operating cost than other very light jet
Very Light Jet
A very light jet, entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation, seating 4-8 people, with a maximum take-off weight of under...
s.
On November 9, 2006, at the AOPA Expo in Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, USA, Diamond announced that Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) placed the first fleet order of 20 Diamond D-JETs. ATP will provide factory-approved training to D-JET purchasers beginning in 2008. Toronto-based Chartright Air Group ordered 10 D-JET aircraft with expected delivery beginning 2010.
In February, 2008 Diamond announced that the aircraft will be built in a new plant in London, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This announcement came after the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
announced it was giving the company a “Cdn$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
19.6 million strategic, repayable investment” and the Government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
announced that it had given the company Cdn$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
11 million. Diamond claims that research and development costs for the D-JET have been Cdn$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
95.2 million and that the plant to build the aircraft will cost an additional $100 million.
In October 2008 Canadian charter operator SwiftJet announced that they had ordered five D-Jets with options for ten more. SwiftJet's intention is to offer air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
service "anywhere and anytime to destinations around the world." SwiftJet currently operates one Dassault Falcon 20
Dassault Falcon 20
The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.-Design and development:...
in the charter role.
The Government of Ontario loan was contingent on a matching loan from the federal Canadian government, which was not approved and so the 213 laid off employees have not been rehired.
The D-JET was initially to be powered by one Williams FJ-33-4A-15 turbofan engine. That 1564 lbf (7 kN) thrust engine was found in early 2008 to produce insufficient bleed air for cabin pressurization and other services. As a result a decision was made to switch to the Williams FJ-33-4A-19 turbofan engine, which produces 1900 lbf (8.5 kN) of thrust instead.
The switch in engines delayed the certification schedule and moved the projected first customer deliveries of the aircraft into the spring of 2009.
Diamond is also developing a military trainer variant of the D-JET that will likely feature Martin-Baker
Martin-Baker
Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of ejection seats and safety related equipment for aviation. The company origins were as an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a pioneer in the field of ejection seats...
lightweight ejection seats and is intended to sell for under US$3M.
The first flight of the D-JET was made on 18 April 2006 from the London International Airport
London International Airport
London International Airport or London Airport is located northeast of the city of London, Ontario, Canada.In 2009, the airport handled 501,835 passengers, and, in 2010, was the 9th busiest in Canada in terms of aircraft movements, with 141,001. Air Canada, Air Canada Express, United Express ,...
(ICAO: CYXU) in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
the homebase of Diamond’s North American division. The flight was piloted by test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
Gérard Guillaumaud
Gérard Guillaumaud
Gérard Guillaumaud , was a French Air Force test pilot.Guillaumaud was born in France and was a graduate of the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California....
and lasted 1:06 hours. The aircraft's public debut was at Oshkosh
Oshkosh Airshow
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is America's largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States....
in July 2006. After completion of flight testing, Diamond expects full certification in the middle of 2009 with deliveries starting at the same time.
Flight testing and program development was halted in the spring of 2011 as the company lacked funds to proceed. After a failed campaign for federal government support, private investment was found and test flight resumed in September 2011.