Quest Aircraft Celebrates 10 Years Of Building Kodiak Single-Engine Turboprops

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Quest Aircraft’s Kodiak is an incredibly versatile plane that makes it popular for a wide variety of uses. (Photo courtesy of Quest Aircraft.)

In mid-December, Quest Aircraft celebrated the 10th anniversary of the first delivery of the company’s Kodiak 100. Seating up to 10 passengers and able to function as a float plane, the high-wing, single-engine turbine, short takeoff and landing (STOL) Kodiak aircraft is aimed at corporate fleet owners, air-taxi services, national parks, owner-operators, backcountry outfitters, air ambulance services, scientific surveyors, and other applications.

A Humanitarian Beginning

Based in Sandpoint, Idaho, at the Sandpoint Airport, Quest Aircraft had delivered 235 Kodiaks globally as of 2017’s end. More than 200 models are certified in 50 countries. Founded by Tom Hamilton and David Voetmann, Quest Aircraft originally set out to design and build the “ultimate humanitarian workhouse,” but the aircraft’s aluminum construction and payload abilities (an optional cargo pod is available, for example) made the Kodiak also suitable for amphibious and straight float operations, special missions, medevac purposes, skydiving, business travel, and owner-flown applications.

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Quest calls the Kodiak “the most advanced 10-seat short takeoff and landing turboprop,” and it’s not hard to see why. (Photo courtesy of Quest Aircraft.)

In a statement, Rob Wells, Quest Aircraft CEO, remarked that the Kodiak’s design was “born out of a passion to do good,” and it was that “passion and dedication that has brought us here today, celebrating 10 years since our first customer delivery,” he said. “I’m proud to celebrate alongside our employees, partners, and customers as we all look forward to many more years of growth and success.” Employing more than 300 people and operating in an expanded 27,000-foot facility, Quest Aircraft is now owned by Japan-based Setouchi Holdings, a former authorized Quest Aircraft dealer.

The Kodiak

Quest Aircraft bills the Kodiak as the “only sport utility vehicle with wings” and says it fills a niche between helicopters and business jets. Concerning the latter, the Kodiak is available in three interior packages, including a Summit executive package. The aircraft is certified for flight into known ice and can take off in less than 1,000 feet. The Kodiak supports a 7,255-pound max takeoff weight, 183-KTAS max speed, and a 1,132-nautical-mile (2,096-kilometer) extended range.

Source: Quest Aircraft