Additional Enhancements and Initiatives in Progress
October 21, 2014, Orlando, FL…..Quest Aircraft Company continues to move forward with enhancements and upgrades for the KODIAK. The company unveiled several product enhancements this year, and work is well underway on other optional equipment for the KODIAK.
“We continue to enhance the KODIAK as well as offer new options based on our own market knowledge and the feedback our customers provide,” said Sam Hill, Quest Aircraft CEO. “Two of our major enhancements this year involved certification of a new interior and new avionics equipment, which have been well received by the marketplace. The enhancements we’ve made in 2014 are providing KODIAK operators with even more reliability and versatility.”
In September, Quest received FAA approval for the integration of the Garmin GFC 700 Automatic Fight Control System (AFCS) in the KODIAK. Deliveries of KODIAKs equipped with the Garmin GFC 700 will begin in the middle of the 4th quarter.
Quest also received FAA certification of the new Summit Executive interior. The top-of-the-line five-place interior features club seating, two fold-out tables and two easy-access storage cabinets. Deliveries of KODIAKs with the Summit are underway. Customers now have three interior choices to choose from and two color schemes. Both the Summit and the Garmin Autopilot can be retrofitted in existing KODIAKs.
“We also just received FAA approval for a TKS Tank installation in the KODIAK cargo pod, which moves the TKS tank out of the cockpit area,” Hill continued. “This optional TKS tank installation frees up cabin space, which we know is important to some of our customers.”
“The first flight of the KODIAK was in October 2004 and in the 10 years since, we have made major strides in the marketplace,” added Steve Zinda, Quest’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We had a solid year in 2013 and sales continue to be strong in 2014. Much of our success comes from listening to our customer base and continuing to offer a product that can perform a wide variety of missions. We have worked, and continue to work, to provide performance and features upgrades that appeal to a broad range of users.”
Earlier this year, Quest Increased the landing weight of the KODIAK to 7,255 lbs and received approval to install dual-use USB ports in the cockpit and cabin. Other optional enhancements nearing completion are a single-point refueling system and certification of the Aerocet floats. The carbon fiber composite floats are manufactured by Aerocet Floats. Wipaire also produces floats for the KODIAK.
KODIAKs are in operation around the world in key market segments including personal use, Part 135 operations, government and humanitarian organizations. The KODIAK is certified in 17 countries, with several additional certifications imminent.
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. A 3-panel Garmin G1000 integrated avionics suite including Synthetic Vision Technology is standard equipment on the KODIAK.
Quest Aircraft Company, headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho, is the manufacturer of the KODIAK, a 10-place single engine turboprop airplane, designed for STOL use and float capability. Since beginning customer deliveries in late 2007, the KODIAK has been deployed around the world in a variety of applications. For more information, please visit www.questaircraft.com.
Media Contact: Julie Stone ▪ Office: (912) 898-8673 ▪ Mobile: (912) 398-0498