Story ID: 004
Daher Showcases TBM and Kodiak Turboprops
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: Recent acquisition of Quest Aircraft gives French company a U.S. foothold
Word Count: 205
France-based single-engine turboprop manufacturer Daher is displaying this week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh its TBM 910 and 940 turboprop singles and a Kodiak 100 utility turboprop from Quest Aircraft of Sandpoint, Idaho. The Kodiak will officially join the French company’s fleet when its recent purchase of the U.S. firm closes later this year. The Kodiak’s “adventure island” setting aims to underscore the utility aircraft’s “go anywhere” unimproved field capabilities, complementing “the TBM family’s reputation for speed, style, and efficiency,” said Nicholas Chabbert, senior v-p of Daher Airplane Business Unit and CEO of Daher Aircraft. 

The acquisition “makes a lot of sense for our aircraft and aerostructures business,” said Daher CEO Didier Kayat, as the company seeks to increase its contract aircraft parts production and services businesses to equal its aircraft sales revenues and expand its U.S. footprint. 

Meanwhile, the EASA-certified flagship TBM 940, introduced in March, is still awaiting FAA certification. The process is “taking longer than expected,” Chabbert said, because the aircraft represents a new level of automation and systems sophistication for the category, and the agency wants the company to create the documentation template for all that follow. Approval is expected “very soon,” he said.