Daher Supports Recreational Aviation Foundation’s Goal of Creating and Preserving Backcountry Airstrips for Recreational Use
Daher’s Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 are known as the “ultimate getaway vehicles,” with the capability of opening backcountry airfields for outdoor adventures, as well as helping agencies and organizations that protect the environment.
With this spirit, Daher has actively backed the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) for many years, and the company stepped up its support in 2023 by providing a Kodiak 900 to assist U.S. Forest Service (USFS) personnel in accessing two isolated grass strips in the mountains of southeastern Idaho.
Pilots and employees from Daher’s Kodiak Aircraft Company joined with the USFS for the airlift of building materials and support equipment to two remote U.S. Forest Service grass airports: Moose Creek (1U1) and Shearer (2U5), utilizing the prototype of Daher’s new Kodiak 900.
These strips are very difficult to reach, with high mountains and the nearest roads being more than 19 miles away – normally requiring pack animals for resupply of any kind. In the past, USFS rangers were based at these locations, but years of budget constraints created challenges for this government agency in maintaining and supporting the sites.
Using the Kodiak 900’s superior cabin size and excellent cargo-carrying capability, the USFS was able to accomplish maintenance for these airstrips and their structures, along with other support duties.
“Only the Kodiak aircraft family brings the advantages of a spacious cabin together with facilitated cargo access, a significant payload capability and short takeoff/landing (STOL) capabilities to operate from these isolated, unimproved U.S. Forest Service airstrips,” explained Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division. “At Daher, we value our relationship with the volunteer-focused Recreational Aviation Foundation through our shared vision of conserving and maintaining backcountry airports in the U.S.”
The 20-year-old RAF is a nonprofit organization founded by a group of pilots to preserve America’s backcountry strips and ensure their availability for the benefit of the aviation community and others.
To highlight Daher’s support for the Recreational Aviation Foundation, the company is exhibiting a Kodiak 100 at the EAA AirVenture fly-in – complete with RAF logos.
This aircraft is fitted with the new Hartzell Propeller’s five-blade composite propeller, which is integrated with the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine. The new propeller configuration was tailored by Hartzell for its application on the Kodiak 100 and incorporates the company’s lightweight Raptor hub technology. With the 96-inch-diameter propeller’s ground clearance of 19 inches, the Kodiak 100 retains its ability to operate from unprepared strips.
• Daher is present at EAA AirVenture, exhibiting at Booth 387-392 in the main aircraft display area.
