Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

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Daher’s new operation in São Paulo will help it double sales of its TBM series and Kodiak turboprop singles in Brazil, according to Daher Aircraft CEO Nicolas Chabbert. The company currently sells about three airplanes a year in Brazil and expects this number to climb to six or seven.
“The TBM in this market makes total sense,” Chabbert said. “There is a huge country to cover, and the cost of operation, specifically of a jet, is making it a little bit complicated. The use of turboprops is something that is across Latin America very popular, and the TBM is no exception.
“If we look at the Kodiak, we already have airplanes that are flying [in the Amazonia region]. These aircraft are used for airlift for populations that are remote and need help. We believe that it's an airplane that is going to work well with this environment in Brazil.”
The Brazil office is helmed by Paulo Cesar Olenscki, executive director, along with Rodrigo Cendon as customer relations director.
“The 10-seat Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900…are perfectly tailored for the Brazilian market, offering modern, rugged, comfortable, and simple-to-fly platforms that are flexible and sustainable,” according to the company, “while featuring easy convertibility to accommodate passengers, cargo, and mission systems. The large pallet-sized door facilitates the loading/unloading of passengers, stretchers, and cargo.”
Meanwhile, Daher recently approved the design of its TBM and Kodiak manufacturing facility in Stuart, Florida. “We’ve selected the company that is going to build that,” Chabbert said, “and in the next few weeks, construction is going to get started.” Operations at that facility are set to begin in January 2027.
“The presence of Daher in America is very important,” he said. “As you know, we're growing. This is a 40,000-people group today, and 10% of our employees are in the U.S. Our intention is truly to continue growing in the U.S.”
To ensure product support for the growing number of customers, Daher has added to its global support network for the TBM and Kodiak. Silver Sky Aviation in Wasilla, Alaska, is now a Kodiak service center. On the TBM side, North Carolina’s Victory Lane Aviation and Bloomington, Illinois-based Synergy Flight Center are recent additions.
“Expanding our customer support network and reinforcing its capacity are strategic priorities as TBM and Kodiak fleets continue to grow,” Chabbert said. “By partnering with experienced service providers, we’re strengthening our ability to support U.S. operators where and when they need it.”
During a recent collaboration with the Recreational Aviation Foundation, Daher flew a Kodiak 100 to backcountry airstrips in the Pacific Northwest to support a U.S. Forest Service effort. The flights were staged from Moose Creek Ranger Station airstrip (1U1) and flew to Cayuse&nbsp;Creek (C64), Dixie (A05), Fish Lake (S92), Magee (S77), Orogrande (75C), and Wilson Bar (C48). These locations are critical access points for the Forest Service when it comes to firefighting, forest health monitoring, search and rescue, and recreational oversight.
These flights underscored the utility of the Kodiak as a multi-mission aircraft. “There's a lot of applications that we're seeing with this aircraft,” Chabbert said.

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In this article

Kodiak 100/900 Series

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