01.
PowerplantFADEC turbo-diesel
Twin Austro AE300 FADEC-controlled turbo-diesel engines. Single-lever power, automatic engine management, Jet-A fuel. Smooth, efficient and simple to operate.
Aces HighAviation · KLGB
Doc. AHA · Multi-Engine · Rev. 26.06
Briefing · Multi-Engine Rating
Add the
second engine.
Diamond DA-42 Twin Star · FADEC diesels · full G1000 glass.
$500/hr wet · trained to proficiency, not a quota.
The multi-engine rating is one of the most approachable add-ons in aviation, and the DA-42 is one of the easiest twins to learn it in. Modern diesel engines, single-lever FADEC power, and a full Garmin G1000 panel take the busywork out of flying two engines so you can focus on what actually matters on the checkride.
01 /
Proficiency, Not a Logbook Quota.
Here is the part most people miss: once you already hold a Commercial certificate, the multi-engine add-on has no FAA-mandated minimum flight time. It is purely proficiency-based. You train to the standards in the Airman Certification Standards, demonstrate them to a Designated Pilot Examiner, and that is the rating.
Adding multi-engine before your Commercial? Then plan on roughly a 10-hour minimum. Either way there is no padding on the clock: you pay for the time it actually takes to get proficient, and not a tenth more. Most pilots are checkride-ready in around 8 to 12 hours, and a current, sharp pilot in fewer.
That is what people miss when they see the hourly rate. Yes, a twin costs more per hour than a 152. But because you are training to proficiency rather than filling a logbook, the total often lands far more reasonable than expected.
02 /
Built to Be Flown, Not Fought
A · 01
FADEC. One lever per engine.
Full Authority Digital Engine Control runs the engines for you. No mixture, no prop control, no carb heat, no cowl flaps. You push the power levers up and fly. That frees your hands and your head for the multi-engine work itself.
A · 02
Full G1000 glass.
A complete Garmin G1000 WAAS panel with PFD, MFD and KAP 140 autopilot. The same glass philosophy as our 172, so the transition is about flying the twin, not relearning the avionics.
A · 03
Docile, predictable handling.
The DA-42 is a forgiving, stable platform with honest manners, including its single-engine behaviour. Predictable is exactly what you want when you are learning engine-out procedures and Vmc work.
A · 04
Diesel efficiency.
The Austro turbo-diesels run on Jet-A and sip fuel for a twin. Modern, smooth, and a long way from the old piston twins most pilots picture when they think multi-engine.
03 /
The Aircraft
02.
AvionicsGarmin G1000 WAAS
Full G1000 glass cockpit with WAAS, PFD and MFD, plus a KAP 140 autopilot. Coupled approaches, full situational awareness, modern from front to back.
03.
Performance170+ kt cruise
Cruises north of 170 knots with genuine cross-country legs and real twin-engine capability. A serious travelling machine as well as a training platform.
04.
BuildComposite airframe
A modern composite airframe with side-by-side seating and excellent visibility. Comfortable, quiet, and a genuine pleasure to fly compared with the legacy twins.
04 /
Who It's For
B · 01
The career track.
Heading to the airlines or any turbine job? Multi-engine time is the currency. The rating is the first step and the DA-42 is an honest way to start logging it.
B · 02
The capable owner.
Already flying singles and want the redundancy and range of a twin for real travel? Add the rating in the airplane that makes it least intimidating.
B · 03
Prefer it intensive?
If you would rather knock it out in one focused block, we run a structured five-day accelerated course in the same aircraft. See the 5-day course →
B · 04
Pay as you go.
No packages, no deposits, no membership fees. You pay for the aircraft and instruction you actually use, lesson by lesson, all the way through. Financing available →
Reserve your spot
Join the multi-engine
waitlist.
We run the DA-42 with a dedicated multi-engine waitlist so we can pair you with the right instructor and a clear block of time. Add your name, no deposit, no commitment, and we will reach out when a slot opens.
Questions first?
Ask about the DA-42.
Tell us where you are in your flying and what you want from the rating. We will come back with a straight answer on hours, cost and timing. No obligation, no hard sell.
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Doc. AHA · Multi-Engine · Rev. 26.06 · KLGB · MMX