Kodiak 900 on display at Henderson Executive Airport. It recently returned from hurricane relief duty in North Carolina.
LAS VEGAS—Daher Aircraft has delivered 150 TBM 960s and 13 Kodiak 900s, two new single-engine turboprops manufactured in France and the U.S., respectively.
Delivering the company’s press briefing at NBAA-BACE, Daher Aircraft CEO Nicholas Chabbert reported a 100-aircraft backlog for the TBM 960, which is manufactured in Tarbes, France. He said production of the Kodiak 900, built in Sandpoint, Idaho, has ramped up to one aircraft per month.
Daher unveiled both aircraft in 2022—the TBM 960 at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, that April, and the Kodiak 900 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in July. The company is displaying both at Henderson Executive Airport during NBAA-BACE.
The Kodiak 900 multimission demonstrator on display recently returned from North Carolina, where it supported Daher’s contributions to disaster relief following Hurricane Helene. The manufacturer performed an urgent on-site repair of a North Carolina Forest Service Kodiak 100 that was damaged in a jet blast incident at Asheville Regional Airport.
The Kodiak 900 has a 3.9-ft.-longer fuselage than the legacy Kodiak 100, which allows for a double club cabin seating configuration. Earlier this year, Daher announced that it will increase production capacity at Sandpoint to 25 aircraft this year from 18 in 2023.
Supporting the ramp-up is the addition of a second, parallel production line from Stages 3-6 in the assembly process, with separate integration steps for the Kodiak 100 and 900 involving wing and horizontal stabilizer mating, flight controls integration and engine and avionics installation.
Chabbert said Daher is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first flight of the Kodiak 100. The legacy aircraft is now available with the Hartzell five-blade composite propeller with a pitch latch function that enables float-equipped aircraft to be maneuvered on water with greater control.
