With Upgrades Galore, This Daher Kodiak Gets The TBM Treatment

Daher Kodiak 100

Daher handed over the keys to its first upgraded Series III Kodiak 100 on Monday. Rick and Adam Ross took delivery of the flying SUV turboprop single at Daher's Kodiak factory in Sandpoint, Idaho. A second delivery is scheduled for this week. The latest Kodiak 100 has new safety features, offers a spiffed-up cabin and improved performance, and comes with enhanced maintenance support as part of the purchase price. Daher Aircraft Division Senior VP Nicolas Chabbert attributes many of the improvements to increased alignment with the company's TBM series. Daher acquired the Kodiak product line and factory in 2019.

The Series III upgrades to Garmin's G1000 NXi avionics suite along with the GFC700 digital autopilot with level mode and envelope protection. SurfaceWatch runway monitoring, ChartView and synthetic vision are included. Also available is Garmin's GWX 75 Doppler-capable color weather radar.

Now standard are the previously optional 29-inch main landing gear tires, increasing landing weight to 7,255 pounds and reducing zero-fuel weight for more payload and much better mission flexibility, especially on short hops with lower fuel requirements---a highly desirable capability for a utility aircraft.

And every new Kodiak 100 is now delivered in float-ready configuration. The pitch-latch propeller, which enables the prop to stay in fine pitch during engine shutdown, is standard, as is gap-fillet sealant throughout for corrosion protection.

While the Kodiak is popular in the hands-dirty utility role, it can also serve as a luxury SUV of the skies, especially with composite floats. For the Series III, Daher offers its eight-seat Executive Edition cabin with club seating, two-zone air-conditioning (with cockpit and cabin controls) and a more robust onboard oxygen system. Buyers can also opt for higher-quality exterior paint with a three-year warranty.

The purchase package also includes the four-year Kodiak Care maintenance program, which covers scheduled maintenance through the fourth annual inspection or first 1,000 hours, whichever comes first. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engine is covered by the manufacturer's Gold-level ESP maintenance program and comes with one year of CAMP Systems maintenance tracking. A year's subscription to Garmin's NavData database is also part of the deal.

Samantha ThomasWriter