What kind of aircraft is flying over Germany?

Factual Questions
1

I’m watching CNN, and there is a man flying a stolen private aircraft who is threatening to fly into the Euro Bank tower. I missed the city, but I think I heard Frankfurt.

CNN is calling the aircraft a “Cessna” (of course; because all “little airplanes” are Cessnas, right?). Actually the anchor says it looks more like a glider with its long wings. But she’s still calling it a Cessna because that’s what the German police are calling it. The aircraft looks like a German-made motor-glider. Long wings, and a skinny empanage with a T-tail. I haven’t been able to see if it’s a trike or a taildragger. The name is on the tip of my tongue, but it’s just not coming.

Can any of you tell what kind of aircraft it is?

2

Two bits of info:

  1. It looks like a trike.

  2. It has landed at Frankfurt airport.

But I’m still curious as to what what it is.

3
  1. The pilot has been arrested.
4

Wow, if you’re going to do something that mind-numbingly stupid, you should be sure to carry out your threats.

5

The plane was a Mid-Atlantic Diamond Eclipse.

http://www.midatlanticdiamond.com/eclipse_features.html

6

I think I found it. It looked like a Diamond Katana, which is the name that was on the tip of my tongue.

7

Thanks, RSA. Well at least I got the maker right, if not the model.

8

If Cecil doesn’t post to this thread, I’m going to fly a (paper) airplane into the Straight Dope World Headquarters!

9

Reuters reports that the pilot performed his act to bring attention to the fact that Judith Resnik died in the Challenger accident in 1986.

10

Only in Europe. In the U.S., all small planes are Piper Cubs.

  • ::: g, d, & r ::: *