We live with three children in the Engadin. My work takes me regularly to Salzburg, Vienna and Styria — five and a half hours by car, three hours by airline with a transfer. The own aircraft up here isn't a luxury, it's logistics.
Before the DA50 I flew a DA40 NG. Excellent aircraft, but too small for five people with weekend luggage. The DA50 RG pairs cabin-class comfort with the efficiency of a Jet A-1 diesel — Continental CD-300 with turbocharger, which is essential at a 1,707 m home base.
Standard route: Samedan LSZS → Salzburg LOWS, two hours, fully loaded with luggage. In summer also out to Mali Lošinj LDLO on the Adriatic — just under three hours, island holiday with the family.
Samedan as a home base is a special exercise. Elevation 5,600 ft, density altitude regularly above 9,000 ft in summer. Funnel approach to RWY 21, no go-around below 7,500 ft MSL, PPR via the tower hotline. The turbocharged Continental CD-300 holds full power far higher than a normally-aspirated engine — exactly what this elevation demands.
Range 1,480 km by the brochure, in honest planning around 700 nautical miles with reserves. Cruise 333 km/h, avionics Garmin G1000 NXi. For most of my missions the tank carries an hour of reserve without effort.
Samedan LSZS is home — demanding but spectacular. No ILS, but a clearly defined funnel approach that enforces discipline. Salzburg LOWS is my most frequent business address: ILS, GA apron, customs handling.
Mali Lošinj LDLO in summer — short strip by the sea, Croatian island calm. Sion LSGS for Valais days; Bern-Belp LSZB for political appointments.
We thought hard about the DA62. Seven seats, two Austro diesels, over 2,600 km of range — the twin is objectively more aircraft. It's also two engines of maintenance, two MEP entries in the logbook, and a different per-hour fuel bill.
For our profile — five people, standard legs under three hours, high frequency, no routine over-water-by-night-or-IMC flying — the DA50 RG is the right size of machine. If the children move out in ten years, we'll think about it again.
“With a home elevation of 5,600 ft, the DA50 isn't a question of choice — it's one of reason.”
If I configured again, I'd spec the optional oxygen system from day one — a sensible default for Engadin commuters.
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