First announced at Farnborough two years ago, the Diamond Aircraft DART-450 trainer aircraft was unveiled at Farnborough 2016 this week, just two months after making its maiden flight.
A tandem two seat aircraft aimed at both the aerobatic and military flying training markets, the DART-450 is an all carbon fibre airframe and provides a variety of capabilities that stretch its potential role to that of a special missions aircraft. The fuselage has been preconfigured to accommodate sensors ranging from retractable surveillance cameras to electronic intelligence gathering systems. Stressed to +7/-4g, the aircraft features an Ivchenko-Progress/Motor Sich AI-450S turboprop engine and has a range of 1,500 nautical miles and endurance of eight hours. A GARMIN avionics system, sidestick HOTAS control system and an intelligent flight management system all contribute to making the aircraft a flexible and potentially highly valuable multirole aircraft at a cost-effective price.
