Embry-Riddle Prescott got four new DA-42’s over the summer to switch out the old Piper PA-44 Seminoles. Yesterday, I had my first flight in the retractable gear, multi-engine aircraft! Here I am with R93, which is the plane I got to fly in!

It is quite different getting to use two power levers and a gear switch, but it is a lot of fun! When picking a practice area to go to, I decided I wanted to go to crown king; which is a practice area dedicated to only multi engines. After preflight, I got in with my instructor and started the engines. It is easier to start than the 172 because there is no mixture control in the Diamond; its is all control by the Engine Control Unit (ECU). We taxied out to runway 21L and took off.

In the practice area, I completed all the standard private maneuvers (stalls, slow flight, steep turns) and got to have a feel for how the aircraft flies. During the flight, we climbed to 12,700′ MSL; but not for more than 30 min. Also, on our way back, we got to 180 KIAS (indicated airspeed) and a ground speed of 199 KTS! I had a beautiful landing which was aided by the trailing linkage gear on the Diamond’s. I taxied back to the ramp and that was my first flight. I logged my first multi-engine time in my log book. It was a proud moment. I hope you will enjoy the Diamond’s as much as I do!