December 14, Sandpoint, Idaho - This December marks the tenth anniversary of the first Kodiak 100 delivery for Quest Aircraft, the Idaho-based manufacturer of the 10-seat turbine STOL aircraft. Over the course of the past ten years, the Kodiak has earned a reputation as a highly rugged and technologically advanced single-engine turboprop. By the end of this year, 235 Kodiaks will have been delivered to customers worldwide.
The Kodiak has made considerable advances during the past decade, thanks to a consistent outflow of upgrades and enhancements to each new model year. The mission of the aircraft has evolved as well. Originally designed to be the ultimate humanitarian workhouse, the unique combination of robust construction and remarkable payload capability has resulted in many additional applications for the Kodiak, including float (amphibious and straight) operations, special missions, medevac, skydive and more. The owner-flown segment continues to gain momentum as well, particularly in the North American marketplace.
Company CEO Rob Wells remarked, “The Kodiak design was born out of a passion to do good in the world, and better within our own industry. It is that passion and dedication that has brought us here today, celebrating ten years since our first customer delivery. I’m proud to celebrate alongside our employees, partners and customers as we all look forward to many more years of growth and success.”
Over the past decade, Quest Aircraft has grown to employ over 300 workers, and has expanded their facility by 27,000 square feet. Quest honored the achievement during their annual employee Christmas party event on December 13th at their headquarters in Sandpoint, Idaho.
About the Kodiak
The Kodiak’s rugged aluminum construction combines superior STOL performance and high useful load. It offers proven turbine reliability with the Pratt & Whitney PT6 turbine engine, has the ability to land and take off from unimproved surfaces and is capable of working off floats without structural upgrades. The Kodiak can take off in under 1,000 feet at full gross takeoff weight of 7,255 lbs and climb at over 1,300 feet per minute. Three interior packages are available along with a wide range of factory-installed options.
About Quest Aircraft Company
The Quest Aircraft Company is dedicated to providing access to more people and more places by building the most rugged, reliable, turbine STOL aircraft in the business. For the past decade, the 10-seat Kodiak 100 has proven its versatility in a wide range of public, private, business and humanitarian applications. Additionally, Quest’s continuously growing dealer and global support network provides customer assurance that their missions will be accomplished. The Kodiak is proudly built in Sandpoint Idaho, with a fleet of over 200 aircraft certified in over 50 countries around the globe. For additional information on Quest and the Kodiak, please visit questaircraft.com.
