Latest and Greatest from Business, Cargo Turboprop Manufacturer Surprises at NBAA-BACE

Daher had not one, but two surprises in store for attendees this year with two new models of their venerable high-wing Kodiak and low-wing TBM aircraft. 

Since their purchase of the Kodiak design, Daher has lavished no shortage of attention on the model, constantly sharpening it as a contender for the high-wing, 10-seat turboprop niche. Improvements in power and performance ease use on uneven and ultra-short runways while enhancing safety. The newest iteration of the model is the Kodiak 900, an unpressurized utility aircraft designed for the rough-and-tumble duty associated with aircraft in the same vein. The Kodiak is better than ever, boasting a fuselage length extension of 3.9 feet for additional passenger room and cargo space, as well as a greater useful load up to a maximum range of 1,129 nm. 

Even better, it boasts a cruise speed of 210 knots indicated. 

The TBM series got its share of love, too, morphing from the best-selling iteration of the aircraft, the TBM 940, into the new TBM 960. The pressurized 6-seater incorporates fully digital e-=throttle and a HomeSafe emergency autoland system, along with a raft of similarly safety-boosting automation aids that ease pilot workload along every flight. Changes to the model primarily lie in its improved avionics and powerplant, like its G3000 touchscreen panels and Pratt & Whitney PT6E-66XT engine. 

“This year’s NBAA-BACE enables us to bring together our top-of-the-line Kodiak and TBM versions, underscoring the improvements that we have incorporated for efficiency, operational safety and comfort,” explained Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division. “The NBAA’s large industry gathering provides the opportunity to meet professionals who are seeking increasingly sustainable solutions for commercial and corporate operations, as well as for the sector of special 
Missions.”

FMI: www.tbm.aero, www.kodiak.aero