Daher Ramping Up TBM, Kodiak Production
Daher plans to increase aircraft production this year to more than
60 TBM turboprop singles and more than 25 Kodiak utility turboprops, according
to Nicolas Chabbert, the senior v-p of Daher’s aircraft division. Last year,
the aircraft manufacturer delivered 56 TBM 910s and 960s from its Tarbes,
France facility and 18 Kodiak 100s and 900s from its Sandpoint, Idaho plant.
Backlog is now about two years for both product lines, Chabbert noted.
The 40 percent increase in Kodiak shipments will be facilitated by
a recent reorganization of the Kodiak production layout in Sandpoint. Chabbert
said parallel assembly lines have been introduced, with mirrored Kodiak 100/900
assembly from Stages 3 through 6. These stages cover wing and horizontal
stabilizer mating, flight control integration and rigging, engine and avionics
installation, first flight, interior outfitting, and customer delivery.
The increased production capacity follows other improvements at
Sandpoint, including a $2.7 million, 9,000-sq-ft aircraft painting facility.
To date, 330 Kodiak 100s and Kodiak 900s have been delivered to
customers. The most recent Kodiak 900—the seventh to date—was handed over to a
private owner last month. Chabbert said Kodiak 900 production is now on a
cadence of one per month.
Meanwhile, Daher’s plans to augment TBM and Kodiak production at
its Stuart, Florida aerostructures facility continue to move forward.
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