Daher, Hartzell work to lower aircraft noise signatures
As more airports request noise reduction, Daher and Hartzell Propeller have been working to reduce the noise signature of the Kodiak 100 Series III aircraft with a five-blade Hartzell composite propeller.
The two companies announced that the constant-speed, full-feathering, reversible propeller will come standard on 2024 aircraft, will be an option for 2023 aircraft deliveries in June, and can be retrofitted on older aircraft through the Hartzell Top Prop program.
The hydraulically actuated 96-inch, five-blade propeller has a ground clearance of 16.4 inches and is a direct replacement for the four-blade Hartzell propeller installed on Kodiak 100s. Daher said the five-blade version reduces noise (measured in decibels) by 6.6 percent compared to the four-blade model. It is 6.3 dB quieter, and the aircraft’s overall noise signature is one decibel below the 78 dB(A) requirement set in Europe. The propeller is also 13 pounds lighter and turns at 2,000 rpm. That is 200 rpm slower than the metal four-blade propeller.
In other news related to the Kodiak line, Daher announced another retrofit option for the Kodiak 100—the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck. The kit should start shipping in the third quarter of 2023 and costs $62,995.
Daher also announced that SimCom will be the new training provider for Kodiak 900 and 100 aircraft. Training will start in April at SimCom’s Scottsdale, Arizona, training center, and feature a Frasca International fixed-base Kodiak simulator. Pilots can practice landing on unimproved backcountry strips in the simulator. In addition to simulator training, the program will also include in-flight training. The training agreement is an extension of Daher’s work with SimCom—the company has provided TBM training for 24 years.
