 | |
| Formerly | Hoffmann Flugzeugbau (1981–1985) Hoffman Aircraft Limited (1985–1992) Dimona Aircraft (1992–1996) |
|---|---|
| Company type | GmbH |
| Industry | Aerospace manufacturer |
| Predecessor | HOAC |
| Founded | 1981 in Friesach, Carinthia, Austria |
| Founder | Wolf Hoffmann |
| Headquarters | , Austria |
Key people | Bin Chen (Chairman) Frank Zhang (CEO, Austria division) Kevin Sheng (CEO, Canada division) Joyce Li (CEO, China division)[1] |
| Products | Light aircraft Simulators |
Number of employees | 1,300+ (2023)[citation needed] |
| Parent | Wanfeng Aviation |
| Website | www |
Diamond Aircraft Industries is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft and motor gliders, based in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, Austria. It has been a subsidiary of the Chinese company Wanfeng Aviation since 2017.[2] It is the third largest manufacturer of aircraft for the general aviation sector, and has operational facilities in both Lower Austria and Ontario, Canada, as well as further production lines operated as joint ventures in other nations, such as China.
The company was founded by Austrian aircraft designer Wolf Hoffmann in 1981, at which point it was known as Hoffmann Flugzeugbau. Its first aircraft, a motor glider initially known as the HK36 Dimona, became a commercial success and led to improved models and further types of aircraft derived from it. Following several changes in ownership and naming, the company received the name Diamond Aircraft Industries in 1998. By this point, Diamond was producing a range of light aircraft, including the Dimona, the Diamond DA20, and the in-development Diamond DA40.
In 2004, Diamond introduced its first multi-engined aircraft, the Diamond DA42 Twin Star. Demand from government operators led to the development of the Aeronautics Defense Dominator, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for aerial surveillance. For several years, the company was developing a single-engined very light jet, the Diamond D-Jet, intended for both private and military customers.[3] However, due to the Great Recession, development of the jet slowed and was ultimately discontinued in 2013.