Daher Aircraft turboprops are expanding their presence in aerial wildfire suppression across North America, performing aerial supervision, air tanker coordination, and reconnaissance missions, according to company officials.
Government agencies and commercial operators increasingly utilize the Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 for logistics and aerial fire attack duties, company officials said. Concurrently, operators have deployed the pressurized TBM 960 as an airborne command-and-control platform to guide air tankers over active fire zones.
“Our Kodiak and TBM bring complementary strengths to aerial wildfire operations,” said Nicolas Chabbert, Daher Aircraft CEO. “The Kodiak combines ruggedness, excellent handling qualities, and multi-mission adaptability, while the TBM delivers the speed, efficiency, and versatility needed to cover distances quickly and respond to changing operational demands.”
Specialized Communications Integration
Daher has expanded internal modification capabilities at its Sandpoint, Idaho, facility to meet customer specifications. A recent integration involved a new Kodiak 100 Series III for the U.S. Forest Service, which received a Canyon AeroConnect digital communications control system connecting the pilot, copilot, and cabin operator console across multiple radio bands.
“This integration represented a significant step forward for our team in both complexity and the level of capability delivered,” said Paul Carelli, Daher Aircraft Senior Director of Multi Missions and Business Development – Americas. “The challenge goes well beyond installing individual pieces of equipment. The systems must work together reliably, the different crew positions must be able to communicate effectively, and the aircraft must meet the customer’s specific mission requirements.”
Growing Fleet Adoption
Daher also completed an integration on a Kodiak 900 for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to perform Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) coordination, fire attack, and personnel transport. In addition, Montana-based commercial operator Bridger Aerospace flies a fleet of four Kodiak 100s for detection and aerial supervision.
State forestry agencies in Washington and Florida also fly pairs of Kodiak 100s for wildfire patrols, with Florida units utilizing infrared cameras for hotspot mapping. The North Carolina Forest Service Aviation Division uses a Kodiak 100 for tanker support transport.
In Canada, Conair Group operates two modified TBM 960 aircraft as “birddog” platforms to direct tanker drops, capitalizing on the turboprop’s high cruise speed and low-speed flight stability.
For more information: Daher.com
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