The aircraft is a further development of the HK36 touring motor glider and has similarly good aerodynamic characteristics. It differs from the motorglider with a wingspan of 16.3 meters mainly in its shorter wingspan of 10.9 meters and the lack of airbrakes.

Building on the successful DV20 Katana built in Wiener Neustadt since 1993, Diamond Aircraft Canada developed, certified and produced a light, two-seat composite aircraft in 1994: the DA20 Katana. The aircraft is built primarily from fiber-reinforced plastic and is known for its cost-effectiveness. Therefore, it is often used as a training aircraft for private and commercial pilots. Widely used in Germany is the DA20-A1 (DV20-A1) with a Rotax engine that can run on both MoGas and AvGas. In contrast, the DA20-C1 with a Teledyne Continental engine, which is rarely flown in Germany, requires AVGAS / 100LL. This version is most common in North America.

The history of SFG Kondor dates back to the early days of the air forces of the 2nd Republic. In this period of building up military aviation after the occupation, the aim was to create the possibility for young men who were enthusiastic about flying and who could not be immediately assigned to flying personnel to nevertheless be recruited for the air forces (excerpt from the Festschrift 10 Jahre Heeres-Flugsport-Vereinigung, 1976). For this reason – supported by the Austrian Army – Army Aviation Sports Groups were founded at the end of the 1950s at Austria’s military airfields. These were the aviation groups: ALBATROS in Graz, HABICHT in Langenlebarn BUSSARD in Linz-Hörsching, GRIMMING in Aigen/Ennstal and KONDOR in Zeltweg The SFG Kondor notified the formation of the association in December 1959 to the Security Directorate for Styria and with the non-prohibition notice of January 5, 1960 the formation of the Sportfliegergruppe Kondor – Fliegerhorst Zeltweg was officially completed.

At AIRPOWER22, the KONDOR sport aviation group will demonstrate its DA-20 Katana in static display.

Photo credit: (c) Diamond Aircraft