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Kodiak Certification: The FAA Grants an Unrestricted Production Certificate

Audio:
Paul Schaller
President and CEO Quest Aircraft

The FAA Grants Quest an Unrestricted Production Certificate

(Duration2:23min)

Tuesday, September 15, 2009…Today the FAA officially presented us with a Production Certificate for the KODIAK.
The Seattle Manufacturing Inspection District Office (MIDO) has deemed our production practices to conform with our shared intent of producing each KODIAK to the exact tolerances we demand. This crucial milestone is the result of many years of hard work. We started Quest Aircraft Company intending to build a production certified aircraft. Since day one everyone in the company has been pulling together to conquer the mountain of systems and processes by which we earn the right to issue standard airworthiness certificates for the aircraft that roll off our production line.
While this significant logistical achievement doesn't much change the path we've been on since the company began, it does streamline our journey as a company and offer a new liberty to move full speed ahead. With 22aircraft out the door to customers and a production line that's currently putting out about three aircraft each month we've had the FAA's blessing to produce and sell certified aircraft for some time.The change now is that instead of the FAA being a direct partner in the certification of each one of those aircraft, they're moving on to a supervisory role -- auditing the build processes we've defined together and making sure we are always in compliance with standards and production methods we've set. Basically, they've handed us the keys and OK'd us to fly solo as all certified aircraft do, under their watchful eye. We're grateful to the FAA for their assistance on the trail to this point and are excited to forge trail ahead with their blessing.
In this audio segment Paul Schaller, President and CEO of Quest Aircraft,shares a little bit of background and what this means.