The DA20-C1 Evolution is used by the Bruce Hartwig Flying School for all basic training and initial cross-country work. The DA20-C1 Evolution is the most advanced basic trainer available in the world today, and is the choice of the world's leading flying schools.

The Bruce Hartwig Flying School has made the decision to replace their basic flight trainers for a number of reasons.

Most flying schools today use aircraft that were designed in the 1950s.

As capable as the Piper Warriors are, they were designed as an aircraft that would be easy and safe to fly by pilots with limited aeronautical experience. They are extremely stable and as a result it can be difficult to fully explore the edges of the flight envelope. The handling of the Diamond DA20-C1 Evolution allows the instructors at the Bruce Hartwig Flying School to teach the necessary aeronautical skills more efficiently, therefore requiring less flying hours to reach the same level of expertise. This will result in significant savings for students of all levels, whether PPL or CPL.

The aircraft that we are replacing with the Diamond DA20-C1 Evolution represent the type of aircraft most likely to be flown by a private pilot through Hire & Fly organisations for some time to come. For this reason we will not be retiring all of our Warriors. They will be kept to allow our PPL students to gain experience on the type of aircraft that they are most likely to hire once they have gained their PPL.

Although many commercial aircraft are still produced with yoke control columns as used on our Piper and Cessna aircraft, there is a general trend to a joystick or sidestick control as used on the Airbus series of aircraft. The Diamond DA20-C1 Evolution features a joystick control.

• Powerplant: Teledyne Continental IO240B3B, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, fuel injected 125 hp
• Length 23 ft 6 in
• Height 7 ft 2 in
• Wingspan 35 ft 8 in
• Wing Area 125 sq ft
• Seats 2
• Empty weight, typical 1,166 lb
• Maximum gross weight 1,720 LB
• Useable fuel 24 US gal

• Takeoff distance, ground roll 1,106 ft
• Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle 1,470 ft
• Max demonstrated crosswind component 20 kt
• Rate of climb, sea level 1,000 fpm
• Cruise speed @ 75% power 135 ktas
• Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle 1,280 ft
• Landing distance, ground roll 581 ft

• Vx (best angle of climb) 60 kias
• Vy (best rate of climb) 75 kias
• Vso (stall, in landing configuration) 44 kcas
• Vne (never exceed) 164 kias