June 23, 2015, Sandpoint, ID….Quest Aircraft Company is pleased to announce that it has received type certification for the KODIAK from the Civil Aviation Authority of Namibia, Africa, and also from the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC). The latter includes the 11 countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
“We continue to strategically expand our presence internationally, which includes working on additional aircraft type certifications in key markets,” said Steve Zinda, Vice President of Sales for China, Middle East, Europe and Africa. “The KODIAK’s versatility, reliability and performance capabilities make it well-suited for a variety of missions and we expect to see both these markets continue to grow.”
There are currently seven KODIAKs in operation on the African continent. The most recent of which was delivered to Scenic Air, a well-respected sightseeing and passenger transport operator that is based in Eros, Windhoek, Namibia. Scenic Air was instrumental in working with Quest and the Directorate of Civil Aviation to obtain the certification.
“I would like to thank Scenic Air for being the first KODIAK operator in Namibia and for their help with the Namibian certification process,” Zinda continued. “Their KODIAK, which entered service in October 2014, sees a lot of flight activity and we appreciate Scenic’s relationship with our company. We look forward to seeing additional KODIAKs in Namibia and elsewhere in Africa soon.
“There has been considerable interest in the KODIAK from the Russian and CIS market. Now that we have certification in hand, our sales efforts in the area will definitely be enhanced,” Zinda concluded.
Quest has seen strong market acceptance in key market segments around the world, including personal use, Part 135 operations, government, and humanitarian organizations.
The KODIAK is certified in 29 countries around the world, with 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.
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.
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Media Contact: Julie Stone
Office: (912) 898-8673 ▪ Mobile: (912) 398-0498 ▪ jstone@questaircraft.com