As Europe’s general aviation manufacturers brace for the impact of the U.S.’s 20% tariffs on aircraft and parts, France-based Daher on Wednesday made the case for sustaining transatlantic cooperation in the face of the disruptive policy. Referring to Daher Aircraft’s production facilities in Idaho and Florida, CEO Nicolas Chabbert told press conference attendees at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany that it is boosting its investment in the U.S. and creating further jobs there.

“We believe we are creating long-term value in America with around a 50:50 mix between Europe and the U.S. [in terms of production],” Chabbert commented.

At its Stuart site on Florida’s Atlantic coast, Daher is now executing plans to establish the company’s third assembly line. This will supplement the output of its TBM aircraft at its main site in Tarbes, France, as well as Kodiak 100s and 900s that it makes in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Last week, Chabbert said at the Sun ‘n Fun show in Florida that the investment in Stuart isn’t being made to placate U.S. President Donald Trump and avoid tariffs. At Aero Friedrichshafen, he told AIN that if the European Union subsequently retaliates with tariffs on U.S.-made aircraft and parts, Daher would not see that as an opportunity to boost market share outside the U.S. at the expense of rivals such as Textron.

Call for Transatlantic Unity

“Time is of the essence for all of us in this situation, and as an industry we need to stay united,” Chabbert commented. “No one can get out of this without being hurt, and isolation is not the answer, so we’re glad that a common voice is being heard through GAMA [General Aviation Manufacturers Association].”

Updating reporters on Daher’s plans to launch a “more electric” aircraft in 2027, Chabbert said prospective customers have told the manufacturer they need a product that can match the performance of existing aircraft, with a range of at least 700 nm. Initially, he indicated that the new airplane might have slightly higher operating costs than today’s aircraft.

Daher is conducting much of its technology development work at its Fly’in Tech Center in Tarbes. The company said it has made significant progress based on learnings from the recently completed EcoPulse program conducted with partners Airbus and Safran.

At the Aero Friedrichshafen show in southern Germany this week, Daher is promoting the latest upgrades to the Kodiak 100 and 900. These include the Garmin NXi software to unlock the PlaneSync connectivity and new MD302 and MD32 stand-by instruments, as well as the Avionics One package including GWX 8000 StormOptix weather radar.