Daher handed over its first multi-mission Kodiak 100 with a Hartzell five-blade composite propeller to the North Carolina Forest Service’s aviation division. The turboprop single will be used as a “load aircraft,” carrying equipment and supplies to support aerial tanker wildfire suppression.
Daher said that the new five-blade, 96-inch-diameter propeller was designed with Hartzell’s lightweight Raptor propeller hub technology, improving performance and sustainability. Weighing 13 pounds less than the Kodiak 100’s current four-blade metal propeller, the five-blade unit reduces aircraft takeoff roll by 6 percent at maximum gross weight, is 6.6 dB quieter, and turns 200 rpm slower at maximum torque, at 2,000 rpm instead of 2,200 rpm. In addition, the new prop, with a nickel-cobalt leading edge and improved erosion protection, has a time-between-overhaul of 4,000 hours or six years, along with a six-year/4,000-hour warranty.
The company added that the propeller provides a ground clearance of 16.4 inches, preserving the Kodiak 100’s ability to operate from unprepared strips and amphibiously with floats. More than 320 Kodiak 100s have been delivered, with more than 90 of those in multi-mission operations.
“With its enormous useful load, off-airport capabilities, and simple and rugged design, the Kodiak 100 is ideal for a broad range of applications,” said Paul Carelli, director of Kodiak flight operations and special missions. “In addition to the performance improvement with Hartzell’s five-blade composite propeller, the aircraft is extremely quiet. This is significant for missions such as forestry and law enforcement, and also is very important when flying recreationally in backcountry environments.”
Daher is offering the five-blade propeller as an option on new-production Kodiak 100 Series IIIs or for retrofit via the Hartzell Top Prop program.