Daher delivers 400th Kodiak

Approximately 15% of the in-service Kodiak 100s are equipped with floats, according to Daher.

Daher Aircraft has delivered the 400th Kodiak. The milestone aircraft was a Kodiak 100 Series III delivered to a Canadian customer from Daher’s production facility in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Nicolas Chabbert, Daher Aircraft’s CEO said: “The 400th Kodiak represents an important achievement for an airplane that has expanded far beyond its original purpose of supporting the humanitarian sector. From the beginning, safety has been fundamental to the Kodiak’s design with its superior handling characteristics – complemented by its outstanding short-field performance, excellent operating efficiency and mission adaptability.”

Since acquiring the Kodiak programme in 2019, Daher says it has developed the aircraft family by broadening the product line, introducing design improvements and enhancing the production capabilities. “Our success with these efforts is reflected in the marketplace,” Chabbert added. “Today, more than half of all Kodiak aircraft in service have been sold under the Daher brand.”

Kodiak also benefits from its integration into the Daher Care customer service organisation – which also supports more than 1,300 TBMs, as well as the 3,000 legacy airplanes built by Daher’s predecessor companies.

The Kodiak family is comprised of the Kodiak 100 Series III – introduced by Daher Aircraft in 2021, and the larger, faster Kodiak 900 – unveiled in 2022.

The Kodiak fleet has accumulated more than 520,000 flight hours since entering service in 2008. North America is the largest market for the family, followed by Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America and Africa, said Daher.

Serving an expanding range of operators

Humanitarian and relief operations continue to reflect the Kodiak’s original mission, but under Daher’s management, the Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 have gained significant momentum in the multi-mission market. This has included acquisitions by government and law enforcement agencies, conservation entities and other operators. In response to this demand, Daher is stepping up its in-house integration capability for mission equipment to provide a more comprehensive offering for customers.

Kodiak aircraft are also flown by tour operators and for-hire service providers, with users in regions that include North America and Asia-Pacific. Businesses and private owner pilots also represent an active part of the Kodiak community.