Phil Rose

Diamond Aircraft will manufacture the airframe for the all-composite Dornier Seastar twin-turboprop amphibian, the companies announced late last week. Dornier Seawings, based in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, selected Diamond for its experience in composite airframe manufacture.

 


Diamond will build the Seastar’s fuselage and one-piece wing at its London, Ontario factory, and deliver the components to Dornier Seawings’ facility in Germany for final assembly and completion. An initial contract covers the production of 10 shipsets and tooling work for planned higher-volume production. A Diamond spokesman told AIN that the first airframe components are already in production and will be shipped to Oberpfaffenhofen for scheduled assembly and completion in the second quarter.

 


Developed initially by Claudius Dornier Jr., the 12-passenger Seastar amphibian made its first flight as a proof-of-concept aircraft in August 1984. Shortly after FAA certification in June 1991, work on the program was halted due to a shortage of funding, but was resumed in 2009 by Dornier Seawings.

 


The design uses two centerline-mounted Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PT6A-112s. Specifications for the Seastar includes a 10,141-pound mtow, 900-nm range and 180-knot max cruise speed.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Dornier Seawings Taps Diamond To Build Seastar Airframe

Diamond will build the fuselage and one-piece wing at its Ontario factory and deliver the components to Dornier's facility in Germany for final assembly.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Ultra-long-range model has amassed 75 records, many from customer trips

Speed Records Abound for Bombardier's Global 7500

We talk through the process from conception to delivery

Flying Privately: How Aircraft Like the Bombardier Global 8000 Come to Life

Hanneke Weitering

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

AltiSky will assemble, sell, and service VoltAero's aircraft

VoltAero Picks U.S. Distributor for Cassio Hybrid-electric Aircraft 

Jennifer Leach English

Company noncommittal on expanding its lineup upwards, citing $1B investment cost

Embraer’s Plans for a Larger Bizjet Remain Up in the Air

Operations ebbed, backlogs were steady, and available aircraft increased

GJC: Bizjet Market Continues To Stabilize in 3Q2024

Greenville-based charter operator pre-orders 10 eVTOL air taxis

SAI Flight To Operate SkyDrive eVTOL in South Carolina

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

In this article

Dornier Seastar

Dornier Seawings

More In Aircraft

Speed Records Abound for Bombardier's Global 7500

Ultra-long-range model has amassed 75 records, many from customer trips

Flying Privately: How Aircraft Like the Bombardier Global 8000 Come to Life

We talk through the process from conception to delivery

VoltAero Picks U.S. Distributor for Cassio Hybrid-electric Aircraft

AltiSky will assemble, sell, and service VoltAero's aircraft

Embraer’s Plans for a Larger Bizjet Remain Up in the Air

Company noncommittal on expanding its lineup upwards, citing $1B investment cost

GJC: Bizjet Market Continues To Stabilize in 3Q2024

Operations ebbed, backlogs were steady, and available aircraft increased

SAI Flight To Operate SkyDrive eVTOL in South Carolina

Greenville-based charter operator pre-orders 10 eVTOL air taxis

AMSL Starts Untethered Flight Tests with Vertiia eVTOL Aircraft

Australian start-up is developing a hydrogen-powered aircraft

Deliveries Increase as EHang Works to Boost eVTOL Aircraft Performance

Chinese manufacturing wants to extend range with solid-state batteries

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN