There are three cargo areas in the DA42:
- the nose baggage compartment (in fuselage nose)
- This area is generally in use by the preflight utilities, and the remaining space is generally to little to count on it for any payload cargo items
- Always double-check that the nose baggage doors are both closed and locked before every flight – a door popping open in flight might detach and fly straight into the prop on its side!
- the cabin baggage compartment (behind rear seats)
- the cabin baggage compartment extension (there is a folding “door” to that area)
Please note the weight limitations for each area, and also the combined weight limit of the latter two cargo areas in section 2.7 in the POH/AFM.
All cargo areas are mostly rounded spaces that are hard to describe for the purpose of understanding what will fit.
“Safe measurements” have been taken (not found in the POH/AFM) of the space behind the rear seats to help you figure out whether or not you can fit in specific items – “safe” because the spaces illustrated below are actually somewhat bigger than the below cubes representing the two part of the cabin baggage compartment and the small 16″x12″x14″ cabin baggage compartment extension on the right:
So you can see that a bigger item (e.g. a foldable stroller, using all three cubic spaces) up to 16″ x 44″ x 12″ will fit, so will an item up to 20″ x 30″ x 15″ (e.g. a duffle bag, using the two gray cubic spaces).
Either or both back seats can also be folded forward to make space for more or bulkier cargo in case you travel by yourself or with just one other person in the front seats.