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LAS VEGAS—Daher Aircraft expects to complete its first TBM aircraft at its new final assembly facility in Stuart, Florida, around August 2027, CEO Nicolas Chabbert said during an Oct. 19 press conference at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition here.
The company is preparing to begin operations at the facility next year, with hiring underway and employees being sent to its existing TBM production site in Tarbes, France, for training.
Chabbert said production at the Florida site will increase gradually, with output determined by market demand. The new operation will supplement Daher’s existing TBM assembly line in France and Kodiak production facility in Sandpoint, Idaho. The company also plans to eventually assemble Kodiak aircraft in Stuart.
Daher also announced the delivery of its first Kodiak 900 to a European customer. The aircraft was handed over earlier this month to Swiss owners Roland and Claudia Primus, who intend to use it for recreational flying throughout Europe.
The couple is transitioning from a Cessna 182 and will base their Kodiak 900 at Bad Ragaz Aerodrome in Switzerland, which has a 1,624-ft. runway.
“The Kodiak opens a world of possibilities for owners who want their airplane to be part of an adventurous lifestyle,” Chabbert said in a statement.
Daher also highlighted growing commercial applications for its TBM and Kodiak aircraft, including charter operations and specialized government missions.
Little Hawk Logistics, a Virginia-based aircraft owner and charter broker, recently expanded into the western U.S. market with a TBM 910 based at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona. The aircraft joins two TBM 900s in the company’s fleet, with charter flights operated by 45 North Flight.
Eric Walden, founder and president of Little Hawk Logistics, said the company expects strong demand for short-haul charter flights connecting Scottsdale with destinations throughout the southwest.
“We’ll give it the winter flying season to prove that out,” Walden said, referring to the possibility of further fleet expansion.
Since launching operations in 2014, Little Hawk’s TBM fleet has accumulated more than 8,000 flight hours, carrying over 7,000 passengers and serving more than 500 U.S. airports. Approximately 60% of those airports lack scheduled airline service, according to the company.
Walden said the average charter flight carries two passengers, allowing the TBM to compete for trips that do not require the capacity of larger business aircraft.
Daher has also seen growing demand for the Kodiak in public-sector missions, including law enforcement, aerial surveillance and firefighting.
The company said New York State Police has acquired four Kodiaks, while Virginia State Police operates three. Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has also acquired a Kodiak 900 configured for firefighting missions, with plans to purchase another aircraft.
Daher is displaying the TBM 980 and Kodiak 900 at Henderson Executive Airport during NBAA-BACE, Oct. 20-22.
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