SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, Lakeland, Florida, March 28, 2023 – A five-blade composite propeller option from Hartzell Propeller is now being offered on Daher’s Kodiak 100 –for both new-production aircraft and as a retrofit.
Announced today at the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, this option enhances the turboprop-powered Kodiak 100’s performance and further improves its sustainability. The new propeller configuration will be 6.3 dB quieter and 13 lbs. lighter than the current four-blade metal propeller version, while reducing the aircraft’s takeoff roll by six percent at maximum gross weight.
At maximum torque, the five-blade propeller turns at 2,000 rpm, which is 200 rpm slower than the current metal propeller configuration. In addition to reducing vibration aboard the aircraft, the new propeller lowers the Kodiak 100’s flyover noise to 77 dB(A) below the European EASA and German LBA authority’s stringent 78 dB(A) requirement.
“As an already-recognized reference in the STOL (short takeoff and landing) and multi-mission categories, the Kodiak 100 will be even more capable and quieter with the Hartzell five-blade composite propeller option,” said Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division.
Hartzell tailored the new propeller for its application on the Kodiak 100 and incorporated the company’s lightweight Raptor hub technology. The 96-inch-diameter propeller has a ground clearance of 19 inches, retaining the Kodiak 100’s ability to operate from unprepared strips.
The new propeller will be available as an option on new-production Kodiak 100 Series III aircraft with deliveries beginning in June. The retrofit option for all in-service Kodiak 100s is offered via the Hartzell Top Prop program.
About Daher – www.daher.com
As an aircraft manufacturer, industrialist, industrial service provider and logistician, Daher achieved a revenue of 1.3 billion euros in 2022. Backed by its family shareholding, Daher has been focused on innovation since its creation in 1863. With more than 10,500 employees and offices in 13 countries, mainly in Europe and North America, Daher designs and develops value-added solutions for its aeronautical and industrial customers and partners.
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About Daher’s aircraft product line – www.kodiak.aero / www.tbm.aero
Daher manufactures two families of single-engine turboprop airplanes: the Kodiak utility aircraft in Sandpoint, Idaho, USA, and the very efficient pressurized TBM in Tarbes, France.
The Kodiak 100 Series III is an unpressurized 8-10-seat airplane equipped with Garmin’s G1000 NXi avionics, capable of operating on uneven and unimproved runways, or on water in the amphibious version. Its unique combination of robust construction and remarkable 3,530 lb. useful load has resulted in many additional applications for the Kodiak, including special missions, medevac, as a skydiving platform and more.
Daher introduced the larger Kodiak 900 version in 2022, featuring a fuselage length extension of 3.9 feet for more passenger room and cargo space, a cruise speed increase to 210 KTAS, and a greater useful load while offering a maximum range of 1,129 nm.
Current TBM models in production are the TBM 910, equipped with Garmin’s G1000 Nxi avionics system, controlled by a keypad; and the TBM 960, featuring Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6E-66XT engine and a dual-channel digital Engine and Propeller Electronic Control System (EPECS), an autothrottle, Garmin’s G3000 avionics with touchscreen controller, and the HomeSafe™ emergency autoland system. Both models offer increased automation and superior performance.
As of March 20, 2023, a total of 321 Kodiak and 1,132 TBM aircraft had been delivered to international owners and operators, with the global fleet accumulating some 2.5 million flight hours.
