EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, July 25, 2023 – Daher’s Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 are known as the “ultimate getaway vehicles,” with the capability of opening backcountry airfields for outdoor adventures, as well as helping agencies and organizations that protect the environment.
With this spirit, Daher has actively backed the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) for many years, and the company stepped up its support in 2023 by providing a Kodiak 900 to assist U.S. Forest Service (USFS) personnel in accessing two isolated grass strips in the mountains of southeastern Idaho.
Pilots and employees from Daher’s Kodiak Aircraft Company joined with the USFS for the airlift of building materials and support equipment to two remote U.S. Forest Service grass airports: Moose Creek (1U1) and Shearer (2U5), utilizing the prototype of Daher’s new Kodiak 900.
These strips are very difficult to reach, with high mountains and the nearest roads being more than 19 miles away – normally requiring pack animals for resupply of any kind. In the past, USFS rangers were based at these locations, but years of budget constraints created challenges for this government agency in maintaining and supporting the sites.
Using the Kodiak 900’s superior cabin size and excellent cargo-carrying capability, the USFS was able to accomplish maintenance for these airstrips and their structures, along with other support duties.
“Only the Kodiak aircraft family brings the advantages of a spacious cabin together with facilitated cargo access, a significant payload capability and short takeoff/landing (STOL) capabilities to operate from these isolated, unimproved U.S. Forest Service airstrips,” explained Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division. “At Daher, we value our relationship with the volunteer-focused Recreational Aviation Foundation through our shared vision of conserving and maintaining backcountry airports in the U.S.”
The 20-year-old RAF is a nonprofit organization founded by a group of pilots to preserve America’s backcountry strips and ensure their availability for the benefit of the aviation community and others.
To highlight Daher’s support for the Recreational Aviation Foundation, the company is exhibiting a Kodiak 100 at the EAA AirVenture fly-in – complete with RAF logos.
This aircraft is fitted with the new Hartzell Propeller’s five-blade composite propeller, which is integrated with the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine. The new propeller configuration was tailored by Hartzell for its application on the Kodiak 100 and incorporates the company’s lightweight Raptor hub technology. With the 96-inch-diameter propeller’s ground clearance of 19 inches, the Kodiak 100 retains its ability to operate from unprepared strips.
- Daher is present at EAA AirVenture, exhibiting at Booth 387-392 in the main aircraft display area.
Media contacts: Jeffrey Lenorovitz
Daher Vice President – Communications
e-mail: j.lenorovitz@daher.com
U.S. mobile telephone: +1 703 615-3646
Int’l mobile telephone: +33 (0)6 80 85 86 25
Philippe de Segovia
Daher’s Aircraft Division
e-mail: p.de-segovia@daher.com
Tel: +33 (0)6 70 21 70 47
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 July 15, 2023, a total of 325 Kodiak and 1,155 TBM aircraft had been delivered to international owners and operators, with the global fleet accumulating nearly 3 million flight hours.
