Daher marked another important step in improving processes and aligning its operations at the plant in Sandpoint, Idaho, that the OEM acquired from Quest Kodiak in 2019—the opening of a new paint facility. The goal? To bring this portion of Kodiak 100 and 900 manufacturing in-house and better track its quality.

In past years, newly completed Kodiaks were flown to other locations outside of the state for paint—and required the removal of flight control surfaces in the process. Now, the company can keep it local. 

“This underscores our commitment to the Kodiak’s future as we evolve the aircraft family,” said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s Aircraft Division. “It follows the launch of two new Kodiak versions since Daher purchased the product line four years ago: the enhanced Kodiak 100 Series III, which we introduced during 2021; and the larger Kodiak 900, unveiled in July 2022.”

READ MORE: We Fly the Daher Kodiak 900, Ready for Grand Adventures

Daher invested $2.7 million in the various elements of the operation, including distinct aircraft preparation and paint booths and the employment of already-skilled personnel to accomplish the work. The 9,000-square-foot facility was designed and constructed by local contractors. It allows for the process to replicate that in place for TBMs at Tarbes, France, where components are painted individually—fuselage, wings, control surfaces, cowlings and doors—before joining together on the production line. A more environmentally friendly electrostatic process is used to apply the paint, with more consistent results and a mirror finish.

SAF in Sandpoint?

In a press briefing at NBAA-BACE this week in Las Vegas, Chabbert indicated that Daher has just begun the process to bring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into its Sandpoint facility so that it can both deliver aircraft and conduct its corporate and flight test operations using SAF much as it does in the company’s Tarbes location.

When asked about any possible difference in acceptance of the use of SAF by Kodiak customers and personnel in Sandpoint, Chabbert confirmed its positive reception: “You know, the funny thing is that there is no resistance. It is actually something that has been requested by the people in Sandpoint. So I can tell you that I believe that, contrary to what people will say—that there is more consciousness in Europe as opposed to the U.S.—I don’t feel that way. I think there is the same level of concern. It’s treated differently and with a different approach. But [in] the end, it’s not the approach that counts—it’s the result.”

New TKS ‘Bio’ Fluid

In another eco-minded improvement for its Kodiak line, Daher has introduced a new de-icing fluid that will reduce environmental impact. In partnership with TKS supplier CAV Systems, the fluid, TKS 406 Bio, replaces the DTD-406B product in use. TKS systems can be found not only on Kodiaks, but also the legacy SOCATA TB-20 and -21 Trinidads. 

“I think it is important that the way we are going to reduce [the pollution] of our activities is not just—and is beyond—the use of fuel,” said Chabbert.

The post Daher Opens New Paint Facility for Kodiaks in Idaho appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Textron Aviation on Tuesday announced delivery of the 100th Beechcraft King Air 360 turboprop to the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC), one of the company’s longtime customers.

The delivery further establishes the King Air as the most popular family of turboprop business aircraft, Textron said.

“We take pride in providing aircraft solutions for our customers with the latest in aviation technology,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Textron’s senior vice president of global sales and flight operations. “The King Air 360’s updated airframe, avionics, and interior provide our passengers with a comfortable and reliable flight experience.” The King Air family of aircraft is renowned for its versatility and reliability, and this 100th delivery of the 360 is an exciting milestone in the continued success of a legendary product.”

• READ MORE: Beechcraft King Air 360 Gets Electric Air Con

CBCC is a pioneer in cancer research, testing, and treatment, including clinical trials that have led to new drug developments in cancer care. The company, which provides patients with access to clinical trials around the world, said the new aircraft will aid in its efforts.

“The addition of this aircraft will be a game-changer for us in terms of productivity,” said Dr. Ravi Patel, medical director at CBCC. “We are excited about the increased capability the King Air 360 will give us to globally expand our cancer care delivery and research”

Textron said 7,800 King Airs have been delivered to customers since 1964. The fleet has logged a total of more than 62 million flight hours, including commercial and special missions around the world and service with all branches of the U.S. military.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Beechcraft King Air 360

The King Air 360’s notable features include the ThrustSense Autothrottle, which automatically manages engine power from the takeoff roll through the climb, cruise, descent, and go-around phases of flight. Other upgrades include a 10 percent decrease in cabin altitude at the aircraft’s certified ceiling of 35,000 feet compared with the King Air 350i.

The 360’s cabin has been redesigned with “craftsman-built cabinetry, partitions, and side ledges, upgraded materials and finishes, along with all new interior schemes,” Textron said. Other standard features on all new King Airs include pull-out work tables, power outlets, USB charging stations, and a private lavatory.

The post Textron Aviation Announces Delivery of 100th King Air 360 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Daher celebrated the 500th delivery of its TBM 900 series turboprops with the latest model, the TBM 960, which went to a private owner in the U.S.

TBM 900-series aircraft are the best selling single-engine turboprops in the 33-year history of the TBM 700 program. Total deliveries now exceed all the previous TBM 700- and TBM 800-series aircraft produced from 1990 to 2014. Daher has a 100-plus aircraft backlog for TBM 960, representing more than two years of production.

Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president  of Daher’s aircraft division, says that the firm constantly looks for product improvements, seeks to enhance operational efficiency, and listens to customers’ concerns. “We are constantly listening to our customers feedback,” said Chabbert in a press briefing at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Conference and Expo, “and thanks to our major suppliers and any of the vendors that are following this program, we are in constant evolution, and we are able to make step changes on the aircraft—some are minor, some are major,” like the Pratt & Whitney PT6E-66XT on the TBM 960.

To this end, TBM 900-series aircraft incorporate several aero upgrades, including a ram recovery engine air inlet that boosts power output in climb and cruise, stability enhancements, winglets to cut induced drag, and a Hartzell five-blade scimitar prop that improves takeoff performance and reduces noise.

The TBM 960 is powered by a 850 shp, EPECS (FADEC)-equipped PT6E-66XT that provides carefree handling by means of a single power lever that controls both prop and engine. Chabbert quipped in the briefing that no longer can jet operators boast that turbofan aircraft are easier to fly than turboprops. “A lot of our customers—as you can see, 92 of them—are super happy to have this edition, which basically makes them equal to all of their friends who are flying jets,” said Chabbert. “So now, turboprops first!” The 960’s touchscreen GTC-controlled Garmin G3000 avionics system features an autothrottle, upset recovery function, emergency descent mode, and HomeSafe emergency safe return auto landing system.

TBM Speed, Efficiency—and SAF

Top speed is 330 ktas, endowing the TBM 960 with light jet-like block times on everyday 300 nm missions, but with 40- to 50-percent fuel savings. Daher is striving to provide sustainable aviation solutions, including starting flight tests of its Ecopulse TBM hybrid-electric aircraft, developed jointly with Airbus and Safran, in 2024. Chabbert also is a strong proponent of switching from fossil-based jet fuel to sustainable aviation fuel as the most promising short-term means of achieving zero net aircraft emissions by 2050. 

“We need people to invest and to trust the future and to make that aviation fuel available on a large scale,” said Chabbert. “We just cannot go neutral on a very small portion; we need major investment from petroleum companies first but we also have to have all of the users adopt SAF—this is the key to success.”

The post TBM 900 Series Marks 500 Deliveries for Daher appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In the midst of marking its 85th year serving the aviation industry, McCauley Propeller Systems celebrates an important milestone. The division of Textron Aviation announced the first delivery and entry into service of the C780 propeller on the Beechcraft King Air B300 series—bringing the twin turboprop’s means of propulsion “into the family.” 

The option joins McCauley props available on the B200, as well as B300 choices from Hartzell, MT Propeller, and others.

The 105-inch-diameter, four-blade aluminum, swept-blade prop system achieved type certification in July.

At a media briefing on Tuesday in Wichita, Kansas, the Textron Aviation team expressed its enthusiasm for McCauley’s achievement, likening it to the type certification of a new aircraft model for either of its aircraft brands, Cessna, Beechcraft, or Bell.

“The new McCauley C780 offers King Air customers increased performance, a quieter cabin, and greater efficiency,” Heidi McNary, vice president and general manager of McCauley Propeller Systems, said in a statement. “For 85 years, McCauley has been committed to delivering creative solutions and driving customers forward with their pioneering designs and strategies. We look forward to continuing to support the future of flight and legendary aircraft like the Beechcraft King Air.”

The first installation went on a King Air 350 owned by ExecuJet Charter Service in Florida, a private Part 135 charter operator. Interested owners can seek out the installation at Textron Aviation Service Centers or authorized McCauley service facilities.

Prop Stats

The C780 props for the King Air B300 include the following features and benefits, according to Textron Aviation:

• Propeller weight savings of more than 50 pounds 
• Increased takeoff and climb performance
• Reduced noise in the cabin and cockpit
• Extended time between overhauls (TBOs) of 5,000 hours or 72 months
• Textron Aviation’s 4,000 hours or 36-month limited propeller warranty

The King Air 360, which debuted in 2021, retained the four-blade Hartzell props from the 350. 

The post McCauley Celebrates Certification for King Air Props appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an aircraft that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1943 Douglas DC-3

Yes, this aircraft’s maximum gross takeoff weight is 29,000 pounds, not the 2,900 or so that might make more sense to pilots of light piston singles. This is a big airplane, and its ability to lift big loads of passengers and cargo helped make it the first truly practical, profitable airliner. It is also the reason this 1930s design is still flying today. It is still the ideal aircraft for certain missions, which is why you still have a good chance of spotting them at airports across the globe.

This DC-3 demonstrates how an adaptable design can continue to improve and perform decades beyond its expected lifespan—but it’s not just a stock DC-3, if there is such a thing. With 18,878 hours on the airframe, it has been updated with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67R turbine engines that have logged just 50 hours each, and 115-inch propellers. Fuel capacity is 1,030 gallons.

The cabin has room for 32 seats and is equipped with a galley that includes a cooler and hot water dispenser. Modern updates include a fire detection and extinguishing system, heated windshields, LED tip nav and strobe, landing and taxi lights, standby third battery, and de-ice boots.

There is no sign of 1943 in the panel, which includes Garmin GTN 750 nav/coms. Garmin GTX 3000 (2), transponder, Garmin GTS 8000 TCAS ll, Garmin GI 275 electronic instrument, Garmin GI 106A  VOR/localizer/glideslope (2),

Collins 331-3G HSI (2), Collins ALT-50A radar altimeter, L3 WX-500 Stormscope, weather radar, a Pratt & Whitney ADAS+ engine monitoring system, and more.

If your mission profile includes serious, airline-style transport with a touch of “Fate Is the Hunter,” you should take a look at this rare, updated, turbine-converted DC-3, which is available on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the airplane through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The Douglas DC-3 Changed Aviation Forever
• FLYING Magazine: DC-3: An Airplane for the Ages
• FLYING Magazine: DC-3 Historical Timeline
• Plane & Pilot: Douglas DC-3
• The Aviation Consumer: Warbird Ownership: Respect Required

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1943 Douglas DC-3 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Avantto, a leading executive aircraft-sharing and fractional-ownership company in Latin America, said it is adding Epic Aircraft’s E1000 GX turboprop single to its fleet. The move is part of the company’s expansion plan.

Avantto said it plans to establish new operations in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso, Bahai, and Goiás, and chose the E1000 GX because of its ability to reach remote destinations and operate from short runways which, the company said, are “a reality at most regional airports in Brazil.”

• READ MORE: We Fly: Epic E1000

“We have great confidence in the partnership with Epic Aircraft and the success of the
E1000 GX. We have placed an order for 34 planes for the fractional program to be delivered over a span of five years. The first two will be delivered in 2023,” said Rogério Andrade, CEO of Avantto.

Andrade said the aircraft will be used to improve its sharing program’s services in areas where the demand for aviation services is strong but access to commercial flights is limited.

“We are excited to launch our sales in Brazil through this long-term partnership with Avantto, a leader in the country’s aviation sector. This agreement signifies our mutual commitment to providing top-notch aviation solutions to the Latin American market,” said Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft.

• READ MORE: Epic E1000 Gains Type Inspection Authorization

Andrade noted that Avantto’s operational experience and strategy of offering high-performance products helped make the partnership with Epic an especially good fit. “For over a decade, we have innovated processes, which is why Epic Aircraft attracted us so much due to its technology, operational costs, and performance,” he said. 

Epic designed the E1000 GX to set new standards for single engine turboprops in terms of aerodynamics and performance. The six-place aircraft has a 1200-horsepower engine and a maximum cruise speed of 333 ktas.

WATCH: We Fly: Watch Our Report on the Epic E1000 GX

The post Avantto Orders 34 Epic E1000 GX Aircraft for Fractional Fleet in Latin America appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Textron Aviation said the National Civil Aviation Authority of Brazil, known as ANAC, has awarded type certification for the company’s Cessna SkyCourier twin turboprop utility aircraft, giving it access to the country’s vibrant aviation market.

The company said the SkyCourier, which received FAA certification last year, “offers an unparalleled combination of performance, capacity, and capability.” The aircraft’s versatility makes it ideal for service in Brazil, where demand for air transport is growing and the geography can be challenging.

• READ MORE: Textron Aviation Delivers 1st Passenger Cessna SkyCourier

“The Cessna SkyCourier’s high payload capacity, short takeoff and landing capability, and cost efficiency make it a great choice for operators in Brazil,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Textron’s senior vice president, global sales and flight operations. “The aircraft’s versatility and performance equip customers in the region with smart solutions for their unique missions and circumstances.”

The SkyCourier is designed to serve remote locations and areas with limited infrastructure while performing missions ranging from passenger and cargo transport to special operations. The aircraft’s recently certified gravel kit option enhances its ability to operate from unimproved strips.

• READ MORE: Cessna SkyCourier Gains FAA Type Certification

The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines mounted on the wings and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas. It can carry up to 19 passengers in its cabin, which can be reconfigured for cargo using quick-release seats and removable bulkheads. The aircraft has up to a 6,000-pound payload capacity.

The post Cessna SkyCourier Receives Certification from Brazil’s Civil Aviation Authority appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Piper Aircraft Inc. said Transport Canada Civil Aviation has approved its M600/SLS HALO Safety System with Garmin Autoland and a stand-alone autothrottle.

“The certification of HALO in Canada is an important accomplishment for M600 owners, Piper, and our Canadian dealer, Aviation Unlimited,” said Ron Gunnarson, vice president of sales, marketing, and customer support at Piper. “It is our mission to bring the latest and greatest technology in our aircraft to customers worldwide.”

• READ MORE: We Fly: Piper M600/SLS Halo

For M600/SLS aircraft already operating in Canada, the installation of a simple kit containing certain HALO components and new software will allow the entire Autoland system to function.

The Piper M600/SLS with the HALO Safety System is the first general aviation aircraft certified with Garmin Autoland, which can safely land the aircraft at the nearest suitable airport if the pilot becomes incapacitated. The Piper’s G3000 avionics include autothrottle, Autoland, emergency descent mode, Surface Watch, Safe Taxi, and other features designed to increase safety.

The six-seat, pressurized M600/SLS is powered by a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A engine. It has a maximum cruise speed of 274 ktas, a range of 1,658 nm, and a standard useful load of 2,400 pounds.

The post Transport Canada Grants Certification for Piper M600SLS HALO appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

With five-blade Hartzell composite props featured on a trio of its turboprop models on display at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, Daher has a vested interest in dispelling myths surrounding the use of these advanced materials over traditional aluminum blades. It certainly was convincing to watch bird strike video during its press conference at the show—carefully chosen to demonstrate the worst-use case—at takeoff power, near rotation speed, overtaking an avian friend on the roll. 

The point made? The composite structure is no more fragile than a similar aluminum prop, with the same ground-handling operations and repair categories as well. And the performance gains shown by the transition to the new props on its TBM 960, Kodiak 900, and Kodiak 100 Series III models prove their worth. “We are getting lighter weight,” said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s Aircraft Division, “and, of course, the low noise and vibration is something that we’re particularly interested in, on the highest power output on the Kodiak 900,” where the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A tops out at 950 hp. 

• READ MORE: We Fly the Daher Kodiak 900, Ready for Grand Adventures

The weight savings of 6.3 pounds translates into greater takeoff performance—and reasonable maintainability in the field as operators of the Kodiak 100 have experienced since 2014. The nickel-cobalt edge can be stripped and replaced, said J.J. Frigge, CEO of Hartzell, “and so you’re getting a brand-new leading edge—and also you’re adding material back to the blades, so that you’re restoring the blade to factory dimensions.”

Made for the Backcountry

“The goal was to…go in and out of backcountry runways the same way we had done it previously, but now we are significantly reducing the noise impact,” said Chabbert. “So we are having a huge benefit when it comes to places not only in Europe but also around the world where noise matters.” Daher’s corporation as a whole has invested a great deal in composites manufacturing as well, particularly in thermoplastics that can be recycled, repaired, and even welded like more traditional materials.

Daher debuted its Kodiak 900 last year at Oshkosh to great response—including from agencies taking on special missions, though it has struggled a bit to translate the momentum into production as it faces similar supply chain issues plaguing the aerospace industry as a whole. Still, Chabbert noted that Daher expects to deliver eight of the 900s in 2023 and twice that in 2024. FLYING honored the 900 with its Editors’ Choice Award for Aircraft this year.

• READ MORE: Daher Shows Off Kodiak 900, 100 & New TBM 960 Styles 

The 900 has created its own category, in a way. It was positioned as a larger, faster, more upscale version of the Kodiak 100 series, and though this has certainly been true, Daher’s flight ops pilots have witnessed even better results in remote, unimproved strips than they originally uncovered during the testing prior to Part 23 type certificate approval. 

This means the 900 can be used to support a wide variety of the humanitarian and relief missions for which the 100 was first developed—though both models continue to serve. 

“We care to support associations—especially nonprofit associations—that are really after something that is good for aviation,” said Chabbert. “One that is absolutely natural for us is the Recreational Aviation Foundation…We are super happy to be able to provide the use of the Kodiak 100 to cover all of the northwest activity for RAF…and to load and carry some of the heavy stuff into places that are literally impossible to get to by road.”

Daher recently supported two of the RAF’s rehabilitation projects, including one at the Moose Creek Ranger Station (1U1) in Idaho earlier this summer. The U.S. Forest Service strip was originally created 92 years ago using heavy equipment but now must be supported without mechanized equipment—save for aircraft. Daher donated the use of a Kodiak 900 to move materials, including tractor parts and shingles, that normally would have required mules or a helicopter to put into position. The RAF 100 is one display at AirVenture along with the 900 and TBM 960.

TBM Milestones

The TBM 960 launched out of the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in April 2022, and it has now logged its 80th delivery of the model to a private customer in the U.S. this month. It also marks a total of 488 aircraft in the TBM 900 series—the 900, 910, 930, 940, and 960—brought to the market overall since the TBM 900’s first flight a decade ago.

• READ MORE: Quest to Daher

The 960 debuted with the first dual-channel FADEC turboprop engine, the PT6E-66XT, with its proprietary engine and propeller electronic control system (EPECS) automating engine start and other management, and a data transmission and control unit streaming more than 100 data points to internal memory. Now, with Garmin’s official release of PlaneSync this week, the TBM 960 can come out into the open as having the GDL60 datalink controller at the heart of PlaneSync. The data transfer facilitated by the GDL60 transfers engine and other data upon landing, allowing for deep analysis and trend monitoring.

Daher Growth

Daher continues its growth and expansion into the U.S. market as well as in France, with more strategic acquisitions in the past few months, including Assistance Aeronautique et Aerospatiale (AAA) in France to strengthen its industrial services proposition globally. 

“We want to grow the business. We want to grow the company,” said Didier Kayat, CEO of Daher. “The group altogether will be at 1.8 billion next year—1.7 billion this year—with half of the business as manufacturing and half of the business as services. We need to become more international—we did the grand opening of our new headquarters in the U.S. in February, and we need to innovate in order to decarbonize, because it’s becoming more and more important.”

In this vein, Daher presented its EcoPulse hybrid-electric technology demonstrator at the Paris Air Show in June.

The post Daher Celebrates Milestone TBM Deliveries, Kodiak Success appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Four years ago, Garmin Aviation was going through the final stages of the certification process on its first installment of the emergency landing system, Autoland, on the Piper M600. In the intervening time, the avionics OEM and its airframe partners have secured approval on two single-engine turboprops—the Piper and Daher TBM 940—and the single-engine Cirrus Vision Jet. Garmin’s also in the process of working on Autoland in its first twin jet—Honda Aircraft’s HondaJet Elite II.

But its latest impending approval? Garmin announced on Wednesday that certification is “imminent” on a new retrofit kit for certain Beechcraft King Air 200s. While not technically the first retrofit package for Autoland—that honor goes to the upgrade offered by Daher for certain previously delivered 940s—it marks the first supplemental type certificate provided by Garmin directly to the aftermarket.

Initial approvals will be for King Air 200s that have the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck STC. After approval on the 200 series is secured, Garmin will pursue the nod on similarly equipped King Air 300s as well. 

“Bringing Garmin Autoland and Autothrottle to the Beechcraft King Air, and for the first time to the aftermarket, is a tremendous step toward transforming the general and business aviation fleet with safety-enhancing autonomous technologies,” said Phil Straub, Garmin executive vice president and managing director, aviation. “The G1000 King Air retrofit program was launched in 2007, initially on the King Air C90, with now over 800 G1000 retrofits in the King Air fleet. We are pleased to provide these operators an upgrade path to Autoland and Autothrottle, demonstrating our deep commitment to developing and continually supporting G1000 and our customers that have trusted us with this investment in their aircraft.”

The flight testing involved for the King Air STC has been significant for Garmin, according to Dan Lind, senior director of aviation sales and marketing, first in the complexity of the twin turboprop as compared to a single but also owing to the fact the King Air weighs twice as much as an M600, or Vision Jet, or TBM 940. FLYING will be taking a closer look at Autoland in action on the King Air next week during EAA AirVenture.

Autothrottles Also a Big Deal

A major improvement to the well-loved King Air, Garmin’s Autothrottle retrofit kit will also be available to fully integrate with the G1000 NXi. The autothrottle installation will provide automatic control of the engine via the power levers, maintaining their proper position for the phase of flight. The autothrottle will also help the pilot manage engine-out situations, setting the power lever on the side of the failed engine to a fixed point and adjusting the lever on the operating engine appropriately.

Together, the features bring significant safety upgrades to the King Air line, which continues to soldier on as a workhorse of choice across private and corporate fleets around the world.

The post Garmin to Put Autoland, Autothrottle on Select King Airs appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

One of the axioms in public safety is that without the right tools it is difficult to do the job. The North Carolina Forest Service’s Aviation Division is shoring up its ability to respond to emergencies with the acquisition of a Daher Kodiak 100 multimission aircraft. 

The agency took delivery of the turboprop on Wednesday at the Airborne Public Safety Association’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida.

“As North Carolina’s motto is ‘First in Flight,’ it’s extremely appropriate that the state’s forest service is the initial operator of this latest upgrade for the Kodiak 100,” said Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s Aircraft Division.

According to Daher, the NCFS will utilize its Kodiak 100 as a “load aircraft” to carry “equipment and supplies to operational locations in support of aerial tankers in the wildfire suppression role.”

The Kodiak 100 was designed to be a multimission workhorse, capable of applications that range from wildfire suppression, the monitoring of national resources and the protection of public safety to humanitarian services and surveillance and reconnaissance duties.

About the Kodiak 100

The Daher Kodiak 100 is the first to be delivered with the composite five-blade propeller configuration from Hartzell Propeller. Created for use on the Kodiak 100, the new design incorporates Hartzell’s lightweight Raptor propeller hub technology. According to Hartzell, the entire unit weighs 13 pounds, which is less than the Kodiak 100’s current four-blade metal propeller. This reduces the aircraft’s takeoff roll by 6 percent at maximum gross weight. The propeller time and warranty between overhaul is 4,000 hours or six years.

“We welcome the Kodiak 100 to the family of aircraft equipped with our five-blade composite propeller, joining Daher’s Kodiak 900 and the TBM 960,” said Hartzell president JJ Frigge. “Hartzell has been producing composite blades since 1978, which are made with a structural carbon fiber that offers superior strength, damage resistance, and reparability.”

Propeller specs

The five-blade composite propeller features a durable nickel-cobalt leading edge, a nickel erosion screen for foreign object damage protection, urethane paint for improved erosion protection, and the use of aerospace-grade carbon fiber.

The propeller diameter of 96 inches gives it a ground clearance of 16.4 inches, retaining the Kodiak 100’s ability to operate from unimproved strips.

Paul Carelli, director of Kodiak flight operations and special missions, noted that of the more than 320 Kodiak 100s delivered to date, more than 90 are in service with multimission operators, logging an estimated 28,500 flight hours annually.

“With its enormous useful load, off-airport capabilities, and simple and rugged design, the Kodiak 100 is ideal for such a broad range of applications,” Carelli said. “In addition to the performance improvement with Hartzell’s five-blade composite propeller, the aircraft is extremely quiet.”

The new propeller is also quieter than the four-bladed models, turning at 2,000 rpm for maximum torque—which is 200 rpm slower than the current four-blade metal propeller.

According to the company, this slower rotation speed reduces vibration aboard the aircraft and lowers the Kodiak 100’s flyover noise below the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s stringent 78 decibels. According to a decibel comparison chart from Electrical World, that’s about the same volume as a washing machine.

The post NC Forest Service Becomes First Operator of Multimission Kodiak 100 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Textron Aviation, the manufacturers of the Beechcraft King Air, will be sending five of the turboprops to Saudi Arabia in support of a weather modification mission.

The specially modified aircraft will be used for cloud seeding.

Cloud seeding involves the deliberate introduction of various substances, often dry ice or silver iodide, that acts as condensation nuclei in an attempt to induce precipitation.

According to Textron, the company was awarded the contract by AvMet International LLC based in Fargo, North Dakota, for one Beechcraft King Air 360CHW and four Beechcraft King Air 260.

• We Fly: Beechcraft King Air 360

AvMet and its partners Weather Modification International (WMI) and Fargo Jet Center (FJC) will equip the aircraft with a cloud water inertial probe (CWIP), data logger with aircraft tracking, and cloud seeding equipment. 

“We’re honored AvMet has chosen a fleet of Beechcraft King Air aircraft to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology cloud seeding program,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, special mission sales for Textron Aviation. “The King Air continues to be selected for a wide range of special mission roles around the world due to the aircraft’s capabilities and reliability.”   

The post Saudi Arabia Selects King Airs for Weather Mission appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The concept of distributed power—thrust produced not from a single point on an airframe—began with the Wrights and their extremely light twin. When exploring the feasibility of utilizing electric motors—which tend to be lower output, lighter, and cooler in operation than their fossil-burning brethren—distributing the lift across the airframe from several points makes sense. 

From a literal standpoint, many examples of this concept jostled for attention on the static display and in the halls at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget this year. But the distributed power demonstrated by CORAC-supported collaboration between major aerospace OEMs Daher, Safran, and Airbus on the EcoPulse project has also emerged as a theme in the drive toward a market-ready airplane.

CORAC stands for “le Conseil pour la Recherche Aéronautique Civile,” or French Aeronautic Research Council, a focal group in France leading the charge toward decarbonization. EcoPulse is also funded by the DGAC (France’s civil aviation authority) through France Relance and NextGenerationEU. While governmental motivation is critical, what powers a project toward real sustainability solutions is the will to commit precious workforce and material resources at the corporate and teams level.

What Is EcoPulse?

From a distance, the silhouette of the EcoPulse belies its basis on the Daher TBM airframe. Already an efficient utilizer of the Pratt & Whitney PT6-series turboprop engine, the TBM 900 formed a shell for the project with well-understood aerodynamics and serviceability as a baseline for the effort.

Daher was already “in anticipation” of the current climate on decarbonization for some time, according to head of aircraft design Christophe Robin, lead for the EcoPulse project for Daher’s team, with chief technology officer Pascal Laguerre. 

“We started to think about that five years ago, and at that time it was not a very common word—decarbonization—so we said we need to do something,” said Robin in a walkaround the airplane with FLYING. “But let’s make something very concrete. No PowerPoint, no things like that. Let’s build an aircraft—and let’s build an aircraft with partners, with people that have the technology that we don’t have as an aircraft manufacturer. Above 28 volts of electricity, we don’t know too much.

“The goal is not to modify a TBM. The goal is to put as much technology as possible on an aircraft, to make something which is probably completely stupid from a product point of view, but which makes sense from a technology point of view.” 

From this, the consortium would learn and capture immense amounts of data from which to draw conclusions that could inform a marketable initial product offering.

• READ MORE: EcoPulse Aircraft Headlines Daher’s Sustainability Initiatives

The project was announced at Le Bourget in 2019—the last occasion of the Paris Air Show—and work has taken place since then. Safran produced the six electric ENGINeUS motors (at 80 kwh each) mounted with e-Propellers distributed along the wings, three on each side. The props have two positions, one for normal flight, and one feathered. The propulsion system takes its power from two sources: a turbogenerator—an electricity generator powered by a gas-burning turbine—from Safran and a battery pack supplied by Airbus. The Power Distribution and Rectifier Unit protects the high-voltage network and distributes the available electrical power along with the high-voltage harnesses (all from Safran). That’s important, because the system manages a total capacity of 800 volts—a leap in electrical system management unprecedented in this type of vehicle.

“Hybridization and electrification are key to the aerospace sector’s decarbonization journey,” said Sabine Klauke, CTO at Airbus. “With EcoPulse, we learned a lot from developing the high-power battery pack entirely, from the monitoring system to the thermal runaway and short-circuit tests. Some of these key learnings are already applied in several of our demonstrators with the common ambition to lower emissions. We are now all eager to see this technology flying and continue to progress on our electrification roadmap.”

First Flight: Normal Power

The EcoPulse took its maiden flight in 2022 using its stock PT6A engine before the electrical system was operational. Ground and flight testing thus far in 2023—including 27 hours in flight—have gone toward proving the aerodynamics of the engine configuration along with the operability of its systems. The flight deck features a Garmin G1000 standard on the airframe, with additional avionics to support the new systems. The consortium looks forward to the first flight engaging the electric motors later this summer.

“The demonstrator has so far amassed around 27 hours of flight time with the electric propellers feathered,” said Laguerre of Daher. “Flight tests of the hybrid-electric powertrain are due to begin later this summer. We are going to learn a lot. From this demonstration program, we plan to develop our future product roadmap and basically spec the hybrid aircraft we intend to produce by the end of our five-year plan. We expect by the end of 2027 to be able to offer our first hybrid aircraft to the market.”

Eric Dalbiès, executive vice president of strategy and CTO for Safran, said: “After endurance ground test campaign for the e-Propellers, the first hybrid-electric flight with the six e-Propellers activated will be an important milestone for our technology roadmap as Safran’s objective is to position itself as the leader in future hybrid and all-electric aircraft systems.” 

“For us this project is a sweet sport,” Dalbiès added in the press briefing. “Whatever happens in the future, about the maturity of this kind of system, it’s really answering the goals of research and technology projects, to make a representative demonstration—full scale—of the complete system.”

The post EcoPulse Debut at Paris Highlights Progress on Sustainable Solutions appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The quest for greater efficiency on current airline platforms has driven an alliance between Tamarack Aerospace and SkyAlps, an Italian airline. Under the terms of the letter of intent signed by the parties, Tamarack will provide its Eco-SmartWing active winglet system to install on the SkyAlps fleet of de Havilland “Dash 8s,” as the popular Q400 model is known.

SkyAlps operates the fleet out of Bolzano Airport (LIPB) into the southern Tyrol region of the Alps, lending the company its name. By using the twin turboprop de Havilland Q400s, SkyAlps already offers a 50 percent reduction in carbon footprint for its flights over competitors using regional jet platforms. The implementation of the SmartWing technology will further improve efficiency by 7 to 8 percent. The Dash 8s will also see performance improvements along with the noise reduction, and lower fuel burn and emissions.

The two companies came together at the Paris Air Show on Monday to confirm details of the deal. SkyAlps is in growth mode, acquiring four more Q400s this summer, and an additional eight aircraft over the course of the next year, and two more to follow—bringing its total fleet count to 14 units. Following the initial installations on SkyAlps aircraft, Tamarack will take the SmartWing certification to the market, which consists of roughly 400 flying worldwide.

Broader Implications of the Deal

Significant delegations from the U.S. government are attending the Paris Air Show, and endorsing the opportunities that across-the-pond collaboration can generate. Among them was Congressman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who currently serves as chair of the congressional Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He’s also a pilot and in a position to understand the nuances of the deal. Graves commented on the Tamarack and SkyAlps deal, agreeing that it has far-ranging implications. 

“This letter of intent between Tamarack Aerospace, a U.S. aviation technology thought leader and SkyAlps—also an aviation visionary—is a powerful example of U.S. and other companies working together to meet the world’s sustainability goals,” Graves said.

At a press conference at the show, Tamarack Aerospace CEO Nick Guida said, “We’re going to take the Q400—which is an amazing aircraft—and make it more efficient and with less of a carbon footprint.”

The post Tamarack Moves into Dash 8 Market with SkyAlps appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On the heels of a successful year—in which it gained type certification on two new turboprops, the TBM 960 and Kodiak 900—Daher focuses now on accelerating its investment in a sustainable future with a substantial increase in R&D expenditures and the launch of the programs underpinning that spend.

At the Paris Air Show, company chairman Patrick Daher addressed the need for such investment—to give the mission the support it requires to achieve the lofty and critical goals of decarbonization. 

“People are very excited, very much on top of the situation—while we’ve been through the Paris Air Show and we have seen that all of us—all of us meaning all exhibitors, whether French, American, or any other countries, we have invested a lot of money in decarbonization,” Daher said.

• We Fly: Daher TBM 960

Daher noted that collectively the industry is on the eve of “the fourth evolution” of aviation. The first one was just being able to fly, “something that was thought impossible at the beginning of the 19th century,” followed by the ability to fly safely. The third evolution brought flying to everyone, in “democratization.” “Now the fourth evolution is we have to change the aviation system in order to come to decarbonization. If we do not do that, then that will be the end of aviation in the future.”

Strategic Investment

Daher celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, and it kicked off that commemoration with the “Take off  2027” plan announced at the beginning of 2023. A significant part of the plan centers around the company’s decarbonization efforts across its four verticals—aircraft development, aerospace manufacturing, manufacturing services, and logistics. The programmed investment represents four times the spend of the previous strategic plan.

• We Fly: Daher Kodiak 900

The company has created three innovation centers within its structure to help it contribute to the goals of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as outlined in the Paris Agreement on climate change. An initial “significant step” will take place by 2035, utilizing these centers along with efforts by its partners, suppliers, and customers. “Competitive solutions” for the marketplace will launch in three to 10 years in areas such as hybridization, new-generation materials, production processes (robotization and cobotization—human/robot collaboration), and digital transformation.

Solutions for the 90 Percent

Daher CEO Didier Kayat revealed in the press conference at Paris that 90 percent of the group’s carbon footprint comes from utilization of its products by its customers.

“Ninety percent of the carbon impact of Daher is due to the products of our clients,” said Kayat. “So if we don’t help our clients decarbonize, we will not achieve our decarbonization plans.”

In order to reduce those impacts, Daher is pursuing the use of lighter structures and new production processes to both increase output and reduce emissions. Also it will pursue more ecologically responsible logistics, using cleaner modes of transportation, for example, and implementing use of biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, which it has already started at its aircraft division headquarters in Tarbes, France.

Daher will also work on its own footprint through initiatives such as the launch of its first hybrid-electric aircraft by 2027—based on lessons learned from the EcoPulse joint project with Safran and Airbus, and driven into its TBM and Kodiak series of aircraft. 

“Though all my engineers say I’m crazy to say that publicly…we will launch a hybrid aircraft in 2027,” said Kayat. “We don’t know yet what aircraft it’s going to be,” but the company is learning a lot from the EcoPulse project so that “at the end of this year we can have the road map to see what our product is going to be.”

• READ MORE: Quest to Daher

‘Imagineering by Daher’

To achieve the critical goals—and propel the group toward a successful future as a global aerospace manufacturing and logistics company—Daher has developed the three centers of “open innovation” within its structure under the umbrella of “Imagineering by Daher.” While it has long promoted the spirit of entrepreneurship within the company, the current movement doubles down on preserving the startup mentality of its teams. Five key imperatives to that “imagineering” are “#explore, #connect, #test, #scale, and #communicate.”

The three centers include:

• Log’in: a Toulouse-based innovation acceleration platform for tomorrow’s logistics industry
• Shap’in: a center of excellence in Nantes dedicated to new-generation composite aerostructures
• Fly’in: a forward-looking development center in Tarbes for tomorrow’s general aviation industry.

Three examples of decarbonization projects within Daher take place in logistics and in its aircraft products. First, Daher is implementing the use of a digital twin (JUMEL) to model and optimize logistics warehouses—a project led by the Log’in TechCenter to promote and facilitate innovative, eco-responsible industrial logistics.

A second example is in the digitizing of data collection from its TBM series turboprops and using analysis of the data to drive more responsible flying. To this end, Daher launched version 6 of its Me & My TBM app earlier this year.

Third is the use of thermal plastics in its aircraft and other aerospace products. “We are working a lot on the new composites that [are] called thermal plastics,” said Kayat. “It’s reusable, so it has a double virtue—it makes planes lighter [by up to] 20 percent.”

“Since Daher’s creation 160 years ago, the company always has supported key industrial developments with its customers,” said Kayat in his closing statement. “We continue to write this story by going further: It is as pioneers that we will be the first to offer a hybrid aircraft to the market.”

The post ‘Imagineering’ by Daher Launches Within Increased Sustainability R&D Spend appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The DART-750, a new all-composite aerobatic trainer from Diamond Aircraft, made its first flight on June 12 at Wiener Neustadt East Airport (LOAN) in Austria.

The DART-750, powered by a 750 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C powerplant, has already arrived at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), where it will be on static display all week at the Paris Air Show, beginning Monday.

The first test flight clocked in at 30 minutes, piloted by Diamond’s head of flight test Sören Pedersen and senior test pilot Niko Daroussis. The pair took the DART-750 through normal maneuvers, and the new platform met or exceeded expectations.

“This flight marks another major milestone in the DART-750 program and demonstrates the entire team’s hard and excellent work in getting it achieved,” said Robert Kremnitzer, Diamond’s head of the design organization.  “The positive results make us confident in moving forward with the program as intended.”

The tandem-seat trainer will be certificated on the civilian side under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which is expected in 2024. Up front, the DART-750 features the Garmin G3000 integrated avionics suite, familiar to transitioning pilots. The trainer will be supported by a Diamond FNPT II flight simulator and the manufacturer’s proprietary computer-based training  (CBT) system. Diamond also supports the in-person training for the aircraft with its Basic  Training Solution, including ground-based training and basic aircraft training.

The PT6A series is a proven powerplant system, having logged more than 440 million flight hours across 52,000 engines delivered.

The post Diamond’s DART-750 Makes First Flight appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

I’m still trying to figure out how they pulled it off, fielding an ideal complement of single-engine turboprops into the market during a calendar year. But that’s just the shiny part on the surface that we see—the mountainous iceberg of effort that went into bringing the TBM 960 and now the Kodiak 900 to certification in 2022 began years before, in both cases.

In the case of the 900, it started within Quest—and a desire to meet a clear need for a larger cabin and faster cruise speed. But underlying that project was another, greater challenge—to bring together two teams that not only differed on engineering mission but also in culture. The cranberry color of the airplane caused me to recall the Thanksgiving holiday I spent solo in Paris several years ago. I set out to recreate a handful of favorite dishes to mark the occasion. Finding a turkey leg to roast was easy—but for the life of me I could not find fresh cranberries with which to make sauce. But my dinner was far from ruined—I roasted chestnuts and had a tarte tatin for dessert, combining the best of my new locale and the heritage I brought with me.

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That kind of solution feels fundamental to the successful marriage of two distinct—and strong-willed—traditions. A good result brings out the best of both, harmonizing the differences. And that helps us under-stand what had to come together to create the 900.

On a Mission

A collaboration of humanitarian organizations originally ponied up the money to launch Quest Aircraft in 2001, after founders Tom Hamilton and Dave Voetmann dreamed up the perfect turbine-powered mount to serve the mission community. Hamilton came from Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft, building the Glasair and Glastar experimental/amateur-built singles, while Voetman hailed from missionary aviation—specifically Mission Aviation Fellowship. Voetman left Quest in 2010, but remained with the MAF, from which he recently retired after 62 years of service, both flying and volunteering.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Daher Kodiak 900

A town of less than 10,000 tucked into the pines at the top of Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho, Sandpoint might seem like an unusual place for aerospace development—it’s a resort town complete with restaurants, inns, wineries, taprooms, and a small sandy beach on the lakefront: quiet, remote, away from it all.

But it became home to that aerospace company called Quest, which purchased its original plant at Sandpoint’s municipal airport (KSZT), a 27,000-square-foot facility that would eventually expand to 84,000 square feet by the time the company was ready to ramp up production. The original Kodiak’s first flight took place in October 2004, and type certification on the utility starcame on May 31, 2007.

It took almost six years for Quest to go from delivering its first production unit in January 2008 to ticking over serial number 100 by the end of 2013. That slow ramp up served the company well. Since Sandpoint is not on any main thoroughfare, any buildup in personnel needed to take place incrementally.

EASA type certification came in April 2017,  just after Quest secured the ability to operate the Kodiak at night in IMC—critical for consistent commercial operations with the airplane. The original Kodiak 100 is certificated in more than 60 countries. The 900 gained FAA type certification in July, but as of press time was still waiting on the EASA sign-off.

Beginning in 2019, joining Daher and Quest, leadership has been critical to the process. Collaboration was already part of Daher’s way of doing business, as evidenced by the transoceanic cooperation between the OEM and suppliers such as Pratt & Whitney. Chabbert joined Nicholas Kanellias, vice president of general aviation for Pratt & Whitney, as they opened up the cowl to show off the PT6E-66XT at Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo last year, and it was the same at the unveiling of the new PT6A-140A at Oshkosh. The pair demonstrated the symbiotic relationship between airframe OEM and engine manufacturer, working through design, supply chain constraints, and other challenges together.

The Next Kodiak

Back in 2014, when FLYING flew the Quest Kodiak around south Florida, there was little indication the company was interested in fielding a larger model, other than the fact it made total sense. But it turns out that there was definitely something in the works.

Brown recalls the initial conversations at Quest,which began in 2015, “brainstorming, drawing on napkins if you will.” In 2016, the project was funded and started moving forward in earnest. “At that time it was not what you see today,” said Brown. “It was all about ‘how can we make the Kodiak faster?’” The company had had the original Kodiak and its incremental evolutions on the market for nine years when the project started. “We always felt like there was room in the market for a new airplane,” said Brown. “There was a hole in the market… [and the need for] a bit more room—but the big thing was speed.” The target? A 200-kt-plus true airspeed,

The Kodiak 100’s primary competition—the Cessna Grand Caravan and the Pilatus PC-12—boast of more room but also higher price tags. True to its roots as a cost-conscious problem-solver for utility and humanitarian markets, Quest sought to keep the airplane in the $3 million range, yet retain its excellent off-airport capabilities. Plus, it needed to hold 3,300 to 3,500 pounds of cargo and people. “That was the blue space that we were after in the market,” said Brown.

• We Fly the Daher Kodiak 900, Ready for Grand Adventures

“We needed to break into what we considered to be special missions and commercial operators,” such as fleet-type sales used in Part 135 operations. “We thought we knew the answer” to the model differentiation, but no one in the market really knew about the 900 until the big reveal at Oshkosh, and at the show, there were some good surprises.

As Chabbert noted in our interview, “people were so excited to see an aircraft in this class, to cross the 200-knot [line], that they just came with their checkbooks and said ‘we want to order it.’” Indeed: The company sold out of its 2023 production slots by the end of the show.

Bringing Plans to Fruition

Translating the new model into production and first deliveries—slated for the first half of 2023—isn’t like flipping a switch. When I walk a production line at a general aviation manufacturer, I’m always struck by the hundreds of small elements that must come into the process at just the right point. In a smaller company, producing only a couple dozen units each year, it may feel like there’s more room for variation in when each component comes together, but anyone who has built even one airplane in their garage knows there are certain things that must happen in sequence.

It’s a highly intricate puzzle to solve—and it’s compounded if a manufacturer chooses to build more than one model on the same line. Daher has done this successfully for many years with the TBM series, and now the company works toward the same integration of the 900 within the 100 line as much as makes sense. The plan optimizes efficiency from the commonality of parts, including the wing, empennage, much of the fuselage, and the flight deck. “We knew we wanted to keep a lot of Kodiak 100 parts,” said Brown. The parts commonality is anticipated to drive efficiencies in production, as well as for fleet operators using both models.

But the integration involves a few points of differentiation that happen at the joining of the fuselage itself, the fuselage to the gear, and the engine hang and cowling stations. Two plugs in the fuselage stretch the 100 into the 900, and add a little more than four feet in exterior length, boosting cabin length by three and a half feet. “We knew that a commercial airline or special missions operator, that cost of operation would be very important to them. The Kodiak was already known for that, so we didn’t want to make this more complicated. And we were actually able to redesign quite a bit to make it less complicated, more maintainable.”

Initial production units are coming together on the same line as the 100, but will eventually command their own line, if production reaches a certain volume, according to Brown. And that’s a goal that feels very achievable, given the model’s success right off of the line.

A Green Future… Now

Throughout the 2022 promotion of its new turboprop models, Daher has focused on the efficiency and economy of the series updates—building on an already solid foundation. 

The company reported at NBAA-BACE that it was working to provide sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to all aircraft operating from the plant—building the infrastructure now so that aircraft flying out of the Tarbes base will be fueled with SAF as of late October, using a blend of SAF and jet-A as was available from partner World Fuel Services. “The path is quite clear for us,” said Didier Kayat, CEO of Daher, during a press conference at NBAA-BACE. But to have a wider use of SAF, Daher would need to have more visibility about SAF policy by fuel suppliers in terms of blending, pricing, and availability. The sourcing of SAF isn’t a straight forward problem, as supplies globally remain limited—in 2021, only 1/1000th of the total volume needed was actually produced. According to a report by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) in early December, roughly 300 million liters of SAF were produced in 2022, with a path for the industry to produce 5 billion liters by 2025, and 30 billion liters by 2030.

That may sound like a lot of fuel sloshing around in the tanks, but, IATA said, “Airlines are committed to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and see SAF as a key contributor. Current estimates expect SAF to account for 65 percent of the mitigation needed for this, requiring a production capacity of 450 billion liters annually in 2050.”

Airlines in the European Union are operating towards the requirement that they uplift 5 percent SAF at every European airport by 2030.

Answering the recent eruptions of climate change protests in France and around Europe, the trio of Daher, Dassault, and Airbus appears to be working together both on real efforts to innovate in sustainable directions and getting that message out to the general public.

Daher has integrated environmental concerns into its Me and My TBM application to assist its pilot-owners with operating in the most efficient manner. The scores generated by pilots include an “eco-ranking,” “because we do consider that we need to goto a decarbonization for oursector,” said Kayat, and the company is fully committed to achieving the net-zero carbon emissions standard by 2050.

EcoPulse Progress

The partnership with Safran and Airbus to develop the EcoPulse demonstrator—taking a TBM airframe and seeking to power it electrically—continues on track. Kayat reported that high-voltage testing was underway with the EcoPulse at Daher’s facilities. “We are learning a lot,” said Kayat. “We feel we need this first step of having a demonstrator before we can have a roadmap on products.”

The post Quest to Daher appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

What do you do when you have a serious backcountry turboprop single that does its job so well—and is so well loved by the folks who fly it around the world? In the case of the Kodiak 100, you stretch it and speed it up—while at the same time managing to make it more efficient—and quieter too. 

Join FLYING editor-in-chief Julie Boatman as she gets an introduction to the Daher Kodiak 900 upgraded utility turboprop both on the ground and in the air.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Daher Kodiak 900

The post We Fly the Daher Kodiak 900, Ready for Grand Adventures appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

What compels us to fly, to load up an airplane and strike out for adventure? It’s not just the call of the places we long to fly to, but also the confidence inspired by having a machine matched to the task. One that takes us—and our closest companions and their gear—further and faster and into those special places.

There’s a visual pleasure to an airplane that’s wellmade, too. The effective translation of function into form makes a considerable impression when you approach a well-designed aircraft on the ramp, for one. There’s also the exterior design, enhanced by the choice of paint scheme—and the paint itself.

Looking at the Daher Kodiak 900 as I prepared for my demo flight, I couldn’t help but think “frosted cranberries,” though the trade name for the Sherwin-Williams paint color is the more prosaic Red Pearl.

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Maybe it was the lead-up to the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays that gave me that sensation when I walked up to it on the ramp at Hagerstown Municipal Airport (KHGR).

We’d assembled to shoot the cover of this issue, with the maples and beeches throwing an embroidered coverlet of russets, golds, and greens over the hillsides, still shivering off their leaves for the season in western Maryland. 

The rich, blazing red glazed over an executive gray dash and set off against that backdrop in a herald. But there was so much more to the monster turboprop than just the 900’s significant ramp presence. The exterior hinted at a lot more, inside and out.

A. The Garmin G1000 NXi incorporates envelope protection, along with data from the GTS 800 TAS and WX 500 Stormscope in the executive package.

B. The integrated GFC 700 autopilot uses a relocated control panel to the top center of the flight deck.

C. Upgrades to flooring combat issues stemming from trapped condensation in the 100.

D. The oxygen system facilitates high-country operations as well as long-distance cruise so that the pilot can optimize speed at altitudes that stretch the turboprop’s range even farther.

E. The power quadrant and central pedestal remains virtually the same as the 100, easing the transition between the models.

First Impression

It is a big baby. The top of the tail sits nearly 17 inches taller than the 100’s, though both the forward and aft door sills are roughly the same height off the ground. The 900’s door handle solves a minor yet common nag from pilots—you have to reset the lever flush on the outside of the door on the 100 in order for it to close properly from the inside. No longer is that the case on the 900—the handle resets itself. Redesigned steps in the rear cargo door make entry more like the TBM, too.

As Mark Brown, Daher’s chief demo pilot for the Kodiak, taxied into the wide ramp at Hagerstown for our day’s festivities, we stood a bit transfixed by its approach. Though I’d visited the airplane on display at shows twice, you don’t feel the 900’s true size until you see it in the wild—and taxiing towards you.

We conducted a detailed walkaround, in which Brown outlined all of the key points of difference between the models, as well as those critical elements that remained the same—the wing, the tail, and the cargo pod now smoothed into the massive cowling.

The preflight revealed all of the mods that have translated into 25-plus knots of additional speed for this model over its sibling—the wing flap track fairings, the integrated cowl faired into the belly of the fuselage, and the wheel pants spring to mind first. The cowl shrouds a critical part of the equation, as the obvious streamlining you see from the outside only tells part of the story.

Firewall forward, the 900 is completely new. The increased speed results from a few different areas, with the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A at 900 hp continuous—from which the model draws its name—on take-off and in cruise, connected to the Hartzell five-bladed composite prop, it wrests more power throughout the phases of flight while making gains in other areas. “Noise was also a big component,” and a reason to upgrade to the new prop, said Brown. “Specifically being owned by Daher in Europe—noise is a much bigger deal, although we wanted to be good neighbors everywhere.”

Other factors in the 900’s increased speed lie in the inlet and outlet design. “What a lot of people underestimate is how much drag is produced by airflow as it goes into the engine and as it goes through coolers, and when it exits,” said Brown, adding that, on exit, you want that airflow to be smooth. If it’s turbulent, that creates drag.

Customer feedback—from 15 years in the field—drove several standard features, such as single-point refueling (an option on the 100) and an improved TKS ice protection system. The reservoir location under the cockpit, accessed through the forward section of the cargo pod on the 100, created a pain point from both a pilot’s and ops’ perspective. The new location makes it easy to inspect fluid levels and service the reservoir.

Once on board, the sense of presence couples with the same practical ruggedness reproduced from the100’s flight deck. The power quadrant carries over from the original model, as does the circuit breaker panel placement. The avionics and aux bus switches have been updated from rockers to toggle switches as well.

Up front, the Garmin G1000 NXi provides the interface for all aircraft control, navigation, and engine management in three displays. This is coupled with a G5 electronic flight instrument with an internal battery backup. The NXi suite provides familiar grounds for transitioning pilots, whether they are moving from the 100, across the Daher fleet from a TBM, or from a glass-equipped piston single or twin. The GFC 700 autoflight system’s mode controller moved from below the central MFD to above it, for slightly better access.

Climb Power

Power management changes subtly as the 900 drives through the air behind the new PT6A-140A—the largest PT6 variant yet. Daher elected to flat rate the -140A as it has the PT6As in the TBM line—and the PT6E-66XT in the 960—restraining the horses to 900 shp. The benefit? You still command a 150-hp increase over the -34in the 100, and you have access to that same hp over the entire operational range, up to 99 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature. The powerplant carries a 4,000-hour TBO and on-condition hot section requirement.

Our engine start generally follows the same sequence as in the 100, with a couple of tweaks. The starter switch no longer has Lo/Motor and Hi positions for start-up, and the igniters come on automatically when the start switch is moved to the On position and the aux fuel pump is On, moving to Standby after a successful light off. The pilot monitors Ng (the rotation speed of the compressor section of the engine) as it comes up quickly through 12 percent before introducing fuel to low idle. Then they monitor fuel flow and ITT (staying below 1,090 degrees) until Ng climbs past 62 percent, when the starter can be released. After bringing the generator and alternator online and making electrical system checks, the prop lever comes out of feather to max rpm.

As we watch everything stabilize, we call for a taxi clearance and head out to Runway 7. This wide expanse of pavement really isn’t necessary—except for its ability to accommodate my roll-in of right rudder as I push up the PT6A to full bore, gauging its strength.

Slow Flight, Short-Field Ops

We climbed to 10,500 feet to test climb and cruise. Because the 900 is unpressurized—like the 100—you may pick an altitude that keeps you out of the oxygen masks. The fastest speeds are to be found up higher—without the wing-mounted radar pod—but we consistently saw speeds above 205 ktas after we’d leveled off.

Good low-speed handling characteristics turn the dark edge of the envelope into a playground—and that’s exactly where the Kodiak needs to bring its best game. In the backcountry environment, the margin of safety this provides becomes critical—not just at STOL strips in the Idaho wilderness but remote places scattered around the globe where a minor screw-up can send you into a starring role in a Lord of the Flies tale.

The 900 carries over the multi-phased wing, with a series of primary airfoil and leading edge cuffs that drive stall propagation inboard to retain aileron effectiveness. Brown demonstrated this directly with our stall series. I set up for a standard power-off stall, no flaps, and watched it break cleanly. Then he said, “check this out,” and proceeded to take the 900 deep into stall territory like we were in a 1,500-pound Cessna 150 as opposed to an 8,000-pound utility hauler.

The safety benefit produced by advanced aerodynamics, like those in the original Kodiak’s wing, carry over into the 900. The natural low-airspeed protection of the wing offered a buffer against the variances introduced by pilots and micro conditions on final approach. Again, this is invaluable in the true backcountry where you do not have the support of a planned airfield and normal TERPS and airport design criteria. Also, the tail cone on the 900 is virtually identical to the 100, including the empennage—more commonality that is intended to help the model fit well on the production line with its sibling.

The new design also allowed engineers to move the landing gear out of the belly of the airplane. That change resulted in reducing complexity in the flight control system too—a lot of pulleys that had to route cables up and around the forward cabin were eliminated to a good extent, according to Brown. To preserve a similar control feel between the 100 and 900 models, Daher for the most part kept control surfaces the same, with minor adjustments made at the higher end of the speed spectrum, for consistency in the transition from low to high speeds. According to Brown, this was accomplished with a few extra springs and similar components.

Halfway through the demo flight, we landed at Bedford County Airport (KHMZ). Though not a short strip by any measure, it provided a more immediate feeling of the airplane’s capabilities. We set up for a short-field takeoff and were easily off in the first quarter of the 5,006-foot-long runway on the mild afternoon (21 degrees C/+8 degrees C ISA).

In cruise, the 900 achieves the desired speed while reigning in fuel burn—thus far it has proven a 9 percent reduction in specific fuel consumption at 205-knot-plus cruise speeds, according to both Brown and Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of Daher Aircraft USA. “I flew from Sandpoint, [Idaho], to take the aircraft to Oshkosh,” said Chabbert in an interview in October. “I actually had nine people on board, and we were nicely truing at 205 knots.” It took them a little less than five hours to cover the roughly 1,200 nm distance.”

Daher Kodiak 900

• Price (executive package): $3.487 million
• Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A, 900 hp
• TBO: 4,000 hours
• Propeller: Hartzell Raptor 5-blade composite, 97 in.
• Seats: 2+8 
• Wingspan: 45 ft.
• Wing area: 240 sq. ft.
• Wing loading: 33.3 lbs./sq. Ft.
• Power loading: 8.89 lb./shp
• Length: 37.7 ft.
• Height: 16.1 ft.
• Cabin height: 4 ft. 9 in.
• Cabin width: 4 ft. 6 in.
• Cargo compartment volume (external): 65 cu. Ft.
• Cargo compartment capacity (external): 680 lb.
• Standard empty weight: 4,470 lb.
• Max takeoff weight: 8,000 lb.
• Max landing weight: 7,800 lb.
• Standard useful load: 3,630 lb.
• Full fuel payload: 1,546 lb.
• Fuel: 311 gal. usable
• Max rate of climb, sea level: 1,724 fpm
• Certified ceiling: 25,000 ft.
• Stall speed (flaps extended): 65 kcas
• Max cruise speed: 210 ktas, at 12,000 ft.
• Max cruise range/endurance: 969 nm. 4.3 hours at 58 gph
• Takeoff distance, sea level (ground roll): 1,015 ft.
• Takeoff distance, sea level (ground roll, no reverse): 1,460 ft

More on the Inside

A  black leather interior says “utility” but also “let’s do this in style.” The aim to create an environment like the inside of a Range Rover, yet to keep much of the field serviceability for which the Kodiak is rightfully famous, is apparent.

The interior can be configured in a multiplicity of ways, up to two seats up front and eight in the back.Only the left front seat—the pilot’s perch—is required for flight. Though you need to comply with the seat pitch limits outlined in the POH’s section six, weight and balance, there’s a lot of flexibility baked into the way you can lay out the cabin for your particular operations—or any given mission. Like its predeces-sor, the 900 can hold all the seats on board in the vast belly-slung cargo compartment that is now a seamless part of the fuselage.

Other considerations carry over from the earlier Kodiak design, such as nose-gear tow points that are functionally the same as those on a Cessna 182 or 206 for commonality on the FBO ramp—or for getting it into your own hangar.

As a whole, the 900 looks like it has hit that bluespace in the sky—as our next section reveals—that first Quest and now Daher have targeted so precisely

This article was originally published in the February 2023 Issue 934 of FLYING.

The post We Fly: Daher Kodiak 900 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

With six Cessna SkyCouriers delivered in 2022, flying for launch customer FedEx, the model has yet to enter passenger service—but that’s about to change.

Textron Aviation has delivered the first of its twin turboprop SkyCouriers to Western Air—doing business as Lana’i Air in Hawaii—which plans to operate the model on its interisland routes connecting Oahu to resorts on Lana’i.

• READ MORE: Cessna SkyCourier Expands Capability With Gravel Kit Option

“The Cessna SkyCourier is well on its way to becoming a legendary aircraft for our company,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of global sales and flight operations for Textron Aviation. “It’s highly versatile, with cabin flexibility, payload capability, performance, and low operating costs, and has already proven to be popular around the world.”

The passenger configuration swaps out the rear cargo door and open area to fit three LD3 shipping containers for an up to 19 passenger-seat installation—with large windows suitable for viewing the incredible scenery between Honolulu and Lana’i. With a 900-nm range and 200 kts cruise speed, the SkyCourier targets the short-haul mission well. 

While the SkyCourier was delivered in the passenger configuration, the cabin design makes exchanging the seating for a cargo-only profile relatively easy.

• READ MORE: Textron Delivers First Cessna SkyCourier to FedEx Express

The SkyCourier is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines, paired with McCauley C779 full-feathering, 110-inch, four-blade props. Up front, the flight deck features the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated avionics suite.

The post Textron Aviation Delivers first Passenger Cessna SkyCourier appeared first on FLYING Magazine.