Friday, January 25, 2008…Here is another one of those days we've been anticipating since the KODIAK was a sketch on a napkin…our first delivery aircraft met its new owners.
It's another huge turning point for us. How quickly, it seems, that we've arrived at the convergence of development and early production goals. And fittingly with first delivery -- to our first commercial customers-- this road to progress has taken us full circle.
Honestly, we didn't always know where our first aircraft would end up...in this business there are so many factors that can influence a first delivery. But in the end KODIAK N838SA landed where it should, with JoAnn Wolters and Dan Schroeder owners of Spirit Air based in Salmon, Idaho. JoAnn and Dan have been with us since the beginning. They were the very first commercial customers to believe in Quest and KODIAK enough to put ink on a check. They signed their deposit papers right here on our ping pong table...now that space is packed with offices.
Seeing them again today was a reminder of how far this journey has taken us.
It's easy to get caught up in the business of business, and we weren't entirely prepared for the emotion of this first delivery. As we talked our way out to the airplane and turned the corner to see the first delivery leading the production line, all of a sudden there was a silence mid sentence. JoAnn and Dan had stopped in their tracks. Suddenly the business of airplane manufacturing became something much more personal. It may be the sterile efficient nature of the production floor that hides it so well, and gave such stark contrast, but in their faces we saw the real fruits of our labor.
Thank you JoAnn and Dan for sticking with us from the start and for sharing with us,through your joy, such a personal reminder of why we started all this.We're glad we could deliver, as promised.