Daher Makes World Debut Of New Kodak 900 Utility Turboprop At EAA AirVenture
Daher introduced its new single-engine Kodiak 900 turboprop at the recent EAA AirVenture 2022 air show. The up-to-10-passenger aircraft builds on Daher’s backcountry, short takeoff and landing (STOL), multirole Kodiak 100, with a nearly 4-foot (1.2-meter) longer fuselage, a faster maximum cruise speed of 210 KTAS, and a larger useful load of 3,630 pounds (1,646.5 kilograms). The aircraft received Federal Aviation Administration certification on July 20, and Daher says deliveries should begin next year.
Get To Know The Kodiak 900
The Kodiak 900 is certified under Part 23 regulations in the Normal category for day, night, visual flight rules (VFR), and instrument flight rules (IFR) operation, and for flight into known icing when equipped with optional TKS Ice Protection. It can handle grass and paved airstrips, and its 45-ft (13.7-m) wingspan allows it to take on narrow airstrips as well.
Daher designed the turboprop’s interior for maximum flexibility, with all-new Summit+ multidirectional passenger seats that can be removed as needed without tools to make room for cargo or other configurations using convenient quick-release handles. Double-club, passenger with luggage, club with forward seating, cargo, special-operation, and special-mission configurations are possible. The carpeted interior also offers individual oxygen at all seat locations, LED lighting, a dual-zone touchscreen environmental control system, and more. The unpressurized cabin features a new color palette and sound damping that results in one of the segment’s quietest experiences, Daher says.
Improvements Abound
Daher added two more passenger windows to the airframe to brighten the interior and added flaptrack covers on the wing and wheel fairings to the landing gear for reduced drag. The internal airflow was also improved, and the rear main cargo door completely redesigned. Furthermore, Daher built in additional steps and a handhold to make entering, exiting, and payload handling easier.
Daher notes that these and other changes and additions will prove beneficial in applications such as cargo and small-package freighting, skydive operations, short-haul commercial flights, firefighting, law enforcement, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), and air ambulance/MEDEVAC. For example, it says in critical missions, the plane’s nine-plus-hour loiter time, slow-flight-handling characteristics, and 210 KTAS sprint/cruise capability will prove advantageous.
The Kodiak 900 Up Close
The Kodiak 900 includes a 900-shaft horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A engine optimized for rugged, demanding conditions, and a new Hartzell constant-speed, full-feathering, hydraulically actuated five-blade propeller. The plane is also equipped with Garmin’s G1000 NXi avionics suite with GFC 700 autopilot, dual Garmin GMA 1360 audio panels, Garmin Synthetic Vision, and more. Maximum flight range is 1,129 nautical miles (2,090 kilometers), and its maximum takeoff weight is 8,000 lbs (3,629 kg). Cargo volume sans passenger seats is 309 cubic ft (8.75 cubic meters).
Find Your Next Daher Aircraft
Controller.com offers a number of new and used Daher aircraft for sale, including Kodiak turboprops.
Calculate Aircraft Costs Over Time
To determine how much specific aircraft will cost your organization over time, and to compare the operating costs of multiple types of aircraft, visit Aircraft Cost Calculator.
Source: Daher