This safety side bar in the recent Plane and Pilot article about the DA40 XLS is worth highlighting here. Make sure you read the full article and check out the cool air-to-air video.

DA 40 XLS: The Innovator Keeps Getting Better

Safety is the new buzzword for success in today’s aviation market, and Diamond is raising the bar

The ongoing success of Diamond Aircraft, and the DA40 in particular, is invigorating for aviation. Technically advanced aircraft from several manufacturers are changing the way we fly and what we look for in our airplanes. Today’s airplane buyers are completely different from those of even 15 years ago, and their level of sophistication and knowledge is unprecedented.

“Airplane buyers are extremely well-researched,” says Jeff Owen, regional sales manager for Premier Aircraft Sales (www.premieraircraftsales.com) in Florida and an expert on Diamond aircraft. “They ask extraordinarily intelligent questions.” Owen cites safety as the number-one factor in the airplane buying decision. “It’s absolutely, 100% safety,” he notes.

For potential buyers, the safety component is made of two parts: how the airplane prevents accidents and, if something does happen, how the design of the aircraft adds to the survivability of the occupants. Diamond has made considerable investment in automotive-like crash and drop testing. The company has studied the resulting data and implemented features like 26-G-capable seats, protected fuel cells, unobstructed head-strike zones and a composite fuselage that has no life limit.

The XLS features the newest inflatable aviation restraints from AmSafe—the same as are used aboard Air Force One. The aviation insurance industry has taken notice of Diamond’s focus on safety and the DA40’s exemplary safety record. The result is attractive insurance rates for Diamond buyers.

Safety is the main reason Dennis Benbow and his son, Jordan, purchased the XLS last November. Benbow is a pilot who hasn’t flown for many years but wants his son to earn his certificate and eventually use the DA40 as a business tool. Benbow’s main concern was that the airplane be as safe as possible while still being advanced enough to use for regional travel. The XLS fit the bill perfectly.

The DA40 has been selected by the U.S. Air Force Academy as the primary trainer for its Powered Flight Program. Training academies such as Embry-Riddle and several flight universities have selected Diamonds as their training aircraft, both for their safety and considerable fuel economy. In 2008, a pilot named Marc Aurel Lehman—who had only been flying a couple of years—piloted his DA40 around the world in 150 flying hours, including a 2,250 nm nonstop leg from Japan to Alaska!