The Katana started out life as a motor glider built in Austria. The predecessor was the HK 36R Super Dimona tail dragger. The design had possibilities as a two-seat trainer, and the aircraft is now being built in Canada with conventional gear and is called the DA-20. The airframe is of composite construction with conventional gear, side-by-side seating, dual stick controls and a hatch canopy. The cockpit is snug and the seats do not adjust, although the rudder pedals do.
The DA20-A1 is powered by an 80 hp Rotax while a 125 hp Continental powers the C1 model. The A1 also has a Hoffmann constant-speed propeller, while the C1 has a fixed-pitch propeller. Both aircraft have safe, stable handling befitting a basic trainer.
