Thanks John! Loving it so far!

*shame

I have some footage and will get around to editing it some day!

@@diamondairtaxis this time last year, my son and I flew his Socata Trinidad from Las Vegas to Lakeland, Florida for Sun n Fun and back - 52hrs total flying time. I need to edit that footage. Hopefully soon.

Yes they are similar price new!

Shop around... I found an RA-Aus school in 2020 doing lessons for $195 an hour and got my RPC and XC endorsement through them for under $10k. I then completed a RPL conversion at a CASA Part 91 flight school for a few more thousand. Since then I've built my hours up and attained my PPL, however I could've just converted it straight to a PPL for far less money, likely around another $10k or less. All these high end flight schools charging $30 - $40k for a PPL are rip off merchants. Hours logged in a RA-Aus registered aircraft count towards your total aeronautical experience so there's no issues there, and the majority of their instructors, in my opinion, are far more experienced and much better qualified to teach you to fly than the

@@ujinxedit thanks so much for your comment mate! I live near Essendon Airport and the schools close by are $$$! I did look at the RA-Aus path and that's probably a better option. I'm saving your comment for reference, definitely will hit you up if I eventually go through with this. Thanks again!

@@ujinxedit Stupid question: who/what is "RA-Aus"?

Sorry for the jargon; Recreational Aviation Australia. They operate relatively independently from CASA and govern recreational aviation, they have their own aircraft register for example.

@@ujinxedit Belated thanks. The answer came to me a day or two after asking. Its existence predates getting my license (which was from the US anyway and merely transferred) and the expiration of my medical. I recently hung around a little airfield with RA jocks and planes. Something about all those little Topaz and Jabirus makes me uncomfortable. I sat in a fully IFR decked out Topaz. That's just... wrong. Yes, I'm being unreasonably judgmental here! This is an a/c that can't take two full adults with full fuel - and you want to fly IFR?! They make a C172 look like a turboprop twin! 😭 With their reduced to non-existent medical requirements, I thought "hey! that would get me back in the air". But I was feeling unsafe and my wife was absolutely adamant "not in one of those bugsmashers". 😱 (I showed her the DA62 brochure and its safety record and she said "that or nothing"). So, nothing it is! 😭

Great! What was the call sign of the 42?

@@diamondairtaxis he’s at SFC - VH-VNX

I used to fly an SR20 and SR22. Great aircraft. However I wanted to compare what I considered to be the best two piston twins still in production.

Only asking because I’m looking into purchasing an sr22. After a genuine review of the aircraft. The twins are great but there’s another engine to maintain. The sr22 has a similar TAS and no retractable gear. Keen for a video 👍👍👍

@@georgeamiouni8864 I would be curious whether US actuarian data would affect insurance ratings here in Aus. The Cirrus birds are starting to build a reputation as "doctor/lawyer killers" similar to what the Bonanzas did in the days of yore (70s 😆). My old CFII there quit instructing when one too many Cirrus drivers nearly killed them because they simply could not handle those aircraft. Whereas, Diamonds are developing a great rep as "safest GA planes".

I’m pretty sure global claims impact insurance premiums here. I understand cirrus are getting harder to insure.

I’m hoping so. I think it’s a great charter aircraft for 1-2 hour trips.

Utility Air are not a maintainer. They sell the planes. You can choose your maintainer providing they are certified to fix diamond aircraft. Blue Demon in Moorabbin were selected by Utility Air to do the initial maintenance and CofA for my aircraft so I have been using them as they are familiar with the plane. Also they are excellent!

@@diamondairtaxis Thanks for that. Good to know. Not far, once I win the Tatt's. 😆

@@diamondairtaxis Mark and the boys do good work

Correct. One of the few piston aircraft that burn Jet A1 instead of Avgas. It’s cheaper, available worldwide and doesn’t contain lead.

True. But the baron is well proven and has been adapted over generations to continually improve things. It is a remarkably capable aircraft.

I think it’s really important to get an excellent instructor. Ask around and get advice on the best school/instructors. Don’t just look for the cheapest option!

Great instructor, good learnting...and $$$$. I got up to PPL and suddenly developed a medicine induced colour blinness and opted to stop. I cant see red on black or black on red. Happened 2 weeks after aviation medical clearance