Beechcraft Baron 58 (1970-2005) vs Diamond DA62
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
iBeechcraft Baron 58 (1970-2005)
The 1970 Beechcraft Baron 58 was the **stretched, cargo-door successor to the Baron 55** -- 10 inches longer fuselage, dual cargo doors on the right side (similar to the A36 Bonanza), and 285 HP per side as standard. The 58 quickly became the **most popular Baron variant** and remained in production through 2005 in this pre-G58 configuration, with a G1000-equipped G58 succeeding it for current production.
- +Dual cargo doors enable stretcher/bulk loading and flexible passenger access
- +200+ KTAS cruise with 6-seat comfort; gold standard for owner-flown light twins
- +IO-550-C engines (1984+) offer improved reliability and 300 HP per side
- !Cargo door seals prone to deterioration; water intrusion and cold drafts in rear cabin
- !IO-520-C engines (pre-1984) have known top-end cylinder issues at mid-time
- !Single-engine ceiling only 7,400 ft; requires careful performance planning
Diamond DA62
The Diamond DA62, introduced in 2015, is Diamond's flagship piston twin — a 7-seat composite, diesel-powered, FIKI-capable cross-country machine that reimagines what a light twin can be. It pairs the fuselage lineage of the DA50 single with two 180HP Austro AE330 Jet-A turbodiesels, delivering 192 KTAS cruise on roughly 13 GPH total — an efficiency profile that redefines piston twin economics.
- +192 KTAS cruise on ~13 GPH Jet-A—unmatched piston twin economics
- +7-seat FIKI-capable composite twin with single-lever FADEC and G1000 NXi glass
- +1,283 nm range and 20,000 ft ceiling; strong single-engine climb (450 fpm)
- !Austria-sourced parts and Austro engine components routinely face multi-week lead times
- !Composite airframe damage repair expensive and requires specialist shops
- !Austro AE330 engine work requires authorized service centers; not all field mechanics qualified
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