English name: Samurai Sword
TYPE: Two-seat lightplane.
PROGRAMME: Original Austrian-built Katana revealed following first flight on 16 March 1991 of proof-of-concept LF2000 (OE-VPX); folloved by LF2 Katana predecessor (OE-CPU, first flight December 1991); DV 20 prototype (OE-AKL, first flight 17 December 1992) developed from this Dries and Volck and was representative of production aircraft; Austrian and German certification 26 April 1993; JAR-VLA certification received later in 1993; now also certified by Canada, UK and USA (FAA). Second production line opened in Canada, initially for the DA 20-A1; European-built aircraft designated DV 20. European manufacture of the DV 20 ended in mid-1996.
The current C1 version, introducing minor airframe improvements, was announced at Aero '97 at Friedrichshafen, shortly after first flight of the Canadian prototype (C-FDVA); production of this version began in early 1998. Canadian variant introduced some 40 minor changes, including wider cabin, electric trim and doubled electrical capacity, but is unnamed. Exports of -C1s to USA began June 1998 with seventh production aircraft.
CURRENT VERSIONS: DA 20-C1: As described. Relaunched in two versions from early 2001: Evolution basically equipped trainer, capable of 135 kt (250 km/h; 155 mph) cruise at 1,830 m (6,000 ft) and Eclipse, featuring carpets, leather seats and other interior features for private owners.
DA 20-A2: Intended to have DA 20-C's improved airframe, but retain DA 20-A's 59.7 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912 flat-four engine. Not launched.
DA 20-W: Based on DA 20C-1 airframe, but with 78.3 kW (105 hp) Diamond GIAE 110R rotary engine. To be built in Austria by Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH.
CUSTOMERS: Total of more than 680 DV/DA 20s of all versions delivered by end 2002 from Austrian and Canadian production. European production of DV 20s terminated with the 160th aircraft in July 1996. Total of 199 C1s registered up to December 2002. Most to USA, but some to Canada and one each to New Zealand (in March 1999) and UK (July 1999). Katanas of all versions operated by training schools in Australia (one), Austria (six), Canada (11), Czech Republic (one), Finland (one), Germany (six), New Zealand (one), Sweden (one), South Africa (one), Switzerland (one), UK (two) and USA (32).
Recent customers include Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which has leased 35 C1s to fulfil a contract to provide basic flight training of USAF cadet pilots at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
COSTS: Evolution US$123,900; Eclipse US$139,990 (2002).
DESIGN FEATURES: Conventional, mid-wing, T-tail monoplane of composites construction.
Wing section Wortmann FX-63-137/20; dihedral 4o at root, 27o at tip; sweepback 1o; incidence 2o 30'. Fin sweepback 57o; tailplane incidence -2o.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Ailerons and elevators are operated by push-pull tubes, rudder by cables; electrically actuated spring bias provides elevator trimming; electrically actuated flaps.
STRUCTURE: Fuselage, with integral vertical fin, is mostly of GFRP construction with local CFRP reinforcement in high-stress areas, comprising two half-shells which are bonded together and incorporate transverse bulkheads in the cabin/centre-section area and three ring bulkheads in the tailcone. Wings comprise I-section spar of GFRP, with ribs providing mounting surfaces for control tubes and bellcranks; CFRP spar caps; centre section shear web is foam and fibre; wing skins are of GFRP/PVC foam/GFRP sandwich construction, as are the rudder and horizontal tail surfaces. Flaps and ailerons of GFRP.
LANDING GEAR: Fixed tricycle type, with cantilever self-sprung aluminium leg on each main unit and elastomeric suspension on nose leg; latter offset to starboard by 8 cm (3 in). Steering is provided by differential braking of the mainwheels and friction-damped castoring nosewheel. Speed fairings on all three wheels standard on Eclipse, optional on Evolution.
POWER PLANT: One 93 kW (125 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-240-B flat-four driving a Sensenich two-blade wood and composites propeller. Fuel capacity 92.7 litres (24.5 US gallons; 20.4 Imp gallons), of which 91 litres (24.0 US gallons; 20.0 Imp gallons usable); oil capacity 5.7 litres (1.5 US gallons; 1.25 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION: Two seats side by side, with baggage space to rear, leather seats and inertia reel safety harnesses optional. Canopy hinged at rear to open upward.
SYSTEMS: Electrical system includes 12 V 40 A alternator and 12 V 240 Ah battery.
AVIONICS: Comms: Eclipse has Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, GNS 430 comm/nav/GPS, GI 106A, and GTX 327 transponder, all as standard; other avionics to customer's choice include GNS 420, GPS 150XL, Bendix/King KMD 150 GPS and KI 208 VOR. Evolution has Bendix/King KX 155 nav/com, KI 209 VOR/LOC/GS indicator, KT 76C transponder and PM501 intercom as standard. AvPac 1 adds KLX 135A GPS/com and PMA 6000 audio panel/intercom with marker beacon receiver; AvPac 2 adds items as for AvPac 1, but with glideslope for KX 155.
Flight: Optional S-TEC 30 two-axis autopilot and slaved HSI in Eclipse.
EQUIPMENT: Evolution options include sheepskin seats, deluxe carpet, inertia reel harnesses, integral instrument lighting, electro luminexsent panel floodlight, pop-out vent windows, engraved aluminium throttle quadrant cover plates, external power receptacle, engine heater system, and heavy duty battery.
