Beechcraft Baron 58 (1970-2005) vs Diamond DA62
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
iBeechcraft Baron 58 (1970-2005)
**Which airplane the specifications above describe.** This page covers the whole Baron 58 line, 1970 through 2005, but its frontmatter describes exactly one airplane: the **Model 58, S/N TH-773 and after, within the Continental IO-520-C engine block** — S/N TH-1 through TH-1395 except TH-1389, which is **65.6% of the 2,124 serials TCDS 3A16 Section X makes eligible for the type**, the certificate's clear majority (runbook rule 23). It is also the only block for which a primary Pilot's Operating Handbook was located this session, so it is the block whose cruise, range and endurance figures above can actually be traced to a document rather than carried over unsourced. Every other configuration below — the 1984-and-later IO-550-C run, the 58A reduced-gross variant, and the 58TC/58P — is a row in the Variants table with its own figures, or a flagged gap where no reliable figures were found this session.
- +Dual cargo doors enable stretcher/bulk loading and flexible passenger boarding
- +Twin-engine redundancy with solid single-engine ceiling (8,425 ft)
- +185 KTAS cruise with comfortable 6-seat cabin
- !Right-side cargo door seals prone to deterioration; water intrusion and cabin drafts common
- !IO-520-C engines (pre-1984) known for mid-time top-end cylinder issues
- !Single-engine service ceiling below gross weight—decision-making margin tight
Diamond DA62
**This page describes the current 7-seat, 5,071 lb US-configuration DA62** — Diamond's flagship piston twin, introduced in 2015.
- +7-seat capacity with competitive useful load for twin-piston business travel
- +Strong cross-country performer: 1,288 nm range, 180 kt cruise, efficient fuel burn
- +FIKI and turbocharged to 20,000 ft ceiling available
- !High acquisition cost ($1.05M–$1.93M) makes local fun flying uneconomical
- !Austro AE330/E4P engine parts sourced from Austria with several-week lead times
- !Requires Austro-authorized service centers for engine work and certified composite shops for airframe repairs
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