…Gas-Powered Twin Star, TAWS For Cirrus…

While part of the show’s focus may be on little airplanes, those who build the bigger stuff have plenty to talk about, although the recent flurry of new-product announcements seems to have waned. Last year, Diamond Aircraft’s new Twin Star, with its efficient diesel engines, was among the most visited booths. This year, Diamond is bringing both the diesel sipper and its brawnier Lycoming-powered stablemate to the show. While the diesel version is no slouch, performance wise, the 30-percent power boost offered by the twin IO-360s on the avgas model translates to better climb, cruise and single-engine performance. The Garmin G1000 suite is standard in both models. In keeping with its safety theme, Cirrus will be showing off the new terrain awareness warning system (TAWS) that it is now including as standard equipment in all its aircraft. In a pre-show news release, Cirrus noted that 20 percent of GA fatalities occur in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. Cirrus picked the Honeywell Bendix/King KGP 560 system for factory installation, and retrofit kits will be available for existing planes. High technology also comes in small packages and Symphony Aircraft Industries will roll out its glass-cockpit two-seater today. It’s a long road for some exhibitors to get to Oshkosh but none comes farther than Gippsland Aeronautics with its GA8 Airvan. One of the display aircraft has flown from Latrobe City, east of Melbourne, Australia. The Airvan will be put to work this year as a jump plane for the Liberty Sky Dive team during each day’s air show.