By Dayna Fedy-MacDonald | July 5, 2022 Estimated reading time 8 minutes, 42 seconds.
In late May, Diamond Aircraft Austria announced that its special mission flagship aircraft, the DA62 MPP, would be touring North America this summer. The aircraft is taking surveillance to the next level with increased performance, space, and capability – all while being more cost-effective.
While the MPP platform is suitable for several mission types — including search-and-rescue; coastline and border patrol; disaster management and firefighting; and infrastructure and environmental monitoring — Diamond is especially hoping to show airborne law enforcement operators in North America that its fixed-wing platform is superior to the rotary-wing platforms traditionally used in the sector.
The aircraft recently made its way from Austria to Diamond’s London, Ontario, facility to prepare for the tour. On June 28, the aircraft departed from London, marking the first time the DA62 MPP has flown in the U.S.
From early July to September, the aircraft will visit some 25 cities, circling counter-clockwise around the U.S. Notably, the aircraft will be stopping in Reno, Nevada, at the end of July for this year’s Airborne Public Safety Association conference (APSCON), where it will be on display on the show floor.
At the controls for the duration of the tour is Air Bear Tactical Aircraft pilot, John Nielsen, with tactical flight officer (TFO) Steve Pierce operating the mission equipment. California-based Air Bear is the sole DA62 MPP dealer for the U.S.
Equipped with the Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpit, with a fully integrated GFC700 autopilot, the DA62 MPP is based on its predecessor, the DA42 MPP. Like its predecessor, the DA62 MPP is capable of accommodating one to two pilots and one to two operators, but the 62 is roomier and has a greater total payload of 1,566 pounds (710 kilograms).
The DA62 MPP demo aircraft is configured specifically for airborne law enforcement, and Air Bear’s Nielsen and Pierce will be responsible for demonstrating the aircraft’s features and competitive advantage to potential customers for the duration of the tour.
The demo ship is outfitted with an impressive lineup of mission equipment, including the EO/IR sensor Trakka TC-300 from Trakka Systems; HDX-1100 Line-of-Sight Downlink from Vislink; Makito X4 Video Encoder from Haivision; and AIMS-ISR Mission Software from CarteNav.
However, Mario Spiegel, sales manager for special mission aircraft at Diamond Aircraft Austria, said the DA62 MPP can be outfitted with a variety of equipment.
“There is no fixed configuration,” he said. “The DA62 MPP has many STCs, which allows us to install different kinds of equipment that fit within the pre-certified envelope of the STC.
“In the nose, for example, we can install any kind of camera up to 16.5 inches in diameter and weighing up to 65 kilograms,” he added. “So whatever fits within this envelope, we can install and certify ourselves. So that makes us pretty flexible.”
The current demo aircraft is a law enforcement workhorse. With the TrakkaCam TC-300, a TFO could read the license plate of a car from 3,000 to 6,000 feet above ground level, as if it were right in front of them.
But the big selling feature to the law enforcement sector, said Spiegel, is the aircraft’s low operating costs. “We’re operating the MPP for around US$200 direct operating cost per hour, and most helicopters don’t even take off for $200.”
The aircraft is powered by two, 180-horsepower Austro Engine AE330 jet fuel engines. The aircraft’s max cruise speed is 194 knots TAS, but at 45 percent power (132 kts TAS), the aircraft burns just nine US gallons of fuel per hour. At loiter speed (35 percent power), the fuel burn decreases to 7.4 US gallons per hour. This means range is not an issue, as the aircraft is theoretically capable of being airborne for a maximum of 10 hours. With its modern engine technology, the DA62 MPP is also the greenest aircraft in class.
“The crew can go up with full fuel tanks and stay on target for an entire shift,” said Spiegel.
He also noted: “We are independent of the AVGAS 100 Low Lead issue that the FAA is now raising. So, if they ban 100 Low Lead anytime in the next few years, we are not affected at all.”
A capable surveillance aircraft, the MPP special mission aircraft was designed with stealth in mind. The exhaust systems are mounted over top of the engines, which allows it to be quieter compared to traditional aircraft. At 1,000 feet, the sound associated with the aircraft measures at just 70 decibels. This is important for airborne law enforcement operators who are trying to remain discreet.
While the DA62 MPP offers many benefits over helicopters in the airborne law enforcement role, Spiegel said the biggest challenge from a sales perspective is convincing helicopter pilots to fly a fixed-wing aircraft.
“But with the budget cuts that many programs are experiencing right now, there’s a need to look for more cost-efficient platforms,” he said. “So, we are definitely getting more and more interest from law enforcement units . . . especially considering the MPP’s super-efficient jet fuel engines.”
All DA62 MPP aircraft are currently being built at Diamond’s Austria facility. The base price of the aircraft, including the STCs, is roughly US$1.67 million.
