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Going the Extra Mile
DA-40XLS Flight Report
By David Brown
The long-winged Diamond DA-40 has been steadily entering the market in the four-seat fixed-gear general aviation aircraft, which has been long dominated by the Cessna 172. With sleek and sturdy composite construction, the DA-40 can show a clean pair of heels to the competition.
Diamond has not been resting on its laurels but has been continuously improving the DA-40. I was eager to fly the latest version, the DA-40XLS. I met up with the XLS on the ramp at Long Beach Airport in Southern California. The day did not seem promising for our mission with a thick overcast blanketing the area, but Robert Stewart, my demonstration pilot, was not dismayed. With a full avionics fit and integrated autopilot, the DA-40XLS was fully IFR capable, and the inclement weather would give us a chance to see the advantages of the system under instrument conditions.