Of the many companies that have attempted to tackle world markets with a new-technology piston engine for light singles and twins, only Thielert in Germany has demonstrated some success. For that it can thank in some measure Diamond Aircraft, an Austrian company that has established a firm niche as a supplier of all-composite light aircraft, including the DA 42 twin-engine aircraft on display here in the static park.

One of the two aircraft available for inspection by visitors is the local demonstrator owned by Abdul Aziz M H Al Thani who owns AMH, the Qatar-based distributor for the region. Flying schools are showing keen interest in the DA 42 because its Thielert diesel engines have proved to be both reliable and economical–two essentials for such an operator.

With avgas becoming increasingly difficult to obtain in the more remote parts of the world, a switch to diesel power makes sense, if only because kerosene is widely available. For fleet operators, the economics make a lot of sense–and that can apply to police or military users as well–likely the reason the multi-purpose DA 42 model on display has drawn so much interest here at the show.