Daher highlights expanding business aviation role of TBM and Kodiak at NBAA-BACE 2026

Daher Aircraft will present its TBM and Kodiak aircraft families at next week’s NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), showcasing how their combination of performance, efficiency and versatility meets the evolving needs of business aviation. As demand grows for direct, flexible travel solutions, the TBM and Kodiak provide operators and owners with aircraft capable of supporting a broad spectrum of missions. Their economic operation and ability to access a wide network of airports enable connectivity beyond traditional airline routes, creating new opportunities for charter services and business travel.

The TBM family of six-seat pressurized aircraft delivers high-speed performance while maintaining the flexibility required for a variety of corporate and charter operations. Daher Aircraft’s maintenance program further enhances the platform’s appeal by helping operators control maintenance expenses in both commercial and private-use environments.

Complementing the TBM, the Kodiak family of unpressurized 10-seat aircraft offers strengths particularly suited to passenger transport in challenging conditions. Its STOL  capability allows access to remote and difficult-to-reach airstrips, while its rugged design, forgiving low-speed characteristics and spacious cabin with excellent visibility and individual window seating make it well suited to a diverse range of missions.

At the NBAA-BACE Aircraft Connection static display at Henderson Executive Airport (booth AC-23), Daher Aircraft will feature its flagship TBM 980 and Kodiak 900 models. The company will also highlight customers across the United States, Mexico and Europe that are leveraging TBM and Kodiak aircraft for business aviation applications, including corporate transportation and charter operations.

TBM Operators Showcase the Benefits of Efficient Charter Travel

In the United States, Little Hawk Logistics has established a successful charter operation centred on TBM aircraft. Since launching TBM services in April 2014, the company has transported more than 7,000 passengers, logged over 1.6 million nautical miles and accumulated in excess of 8,000 block hours. Its aircraft have operated at more than 500 airports across the U.S., nearly 60% of which are not served by scheduled airline services.

Today, Little Hawk Logistics operates a fleet comprising two TBM 900s and one TBM 910. By leveraging the aircraft’s speed, efficiency and ability to access a wide range of airports, the company connects passengers with destinations that are often difficult to reach through conventional airline networks. Little Hawk Logistics owns the aircraft and functions as an air charter broker, while 45 North Flight serves as the direct air carrier and maintains operational control of all flights.

In France, Calade Air, based in Lyon, operates two TBM 960s through a Groupement d’Intérêt Économique (GIE), a shared-ownership structure that allows local business leaders to benefit from aircraft access through a fractional ownership model.

Having evolved from its original TBM 700, Calade Air’s members continue to take advantage of the TBM platform’s versatility and operating economics without the need for a larger business aircraft. Building on this experience, the company is developing a dedicated back-office system designed to support the expansion of the GIE model to other French cities, potentially enabling one or two TBMs to be based at airports serving communities of 100,000 to 200,000 residents.

Kodiak Charter Operations Extend Access Beyond Traditional Routes

In Mexico, Cancún-based Vuelatour employs the Kodiak 100 for a variety of charter missions, including business travel and sport-fishing excursions. Flights regularly accommodate up to eight passengers together with significant amounts of luggage and specialised equipment. The operator also conducts air-ambulance services at ports for cruise-ship passengers.

Vuelatour’s operations illustrate the Kodiak’s ability to provide commercial operators with the flexibility needed to serve destinations and operating environments that are often beyond the reach of conventional transportation solutions.