Quest Kodiak
Summary
| Category | Transport aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| First flight | 16 October 2004 |
| Year of introduction | 2008 |
| Number produced | 300 units |
Description
Conceived in 1999, engineering design for the Daher Kodiak commenced with the establishment of Quest Aircraft. Designed as a utility aircraft prioritizing short-field capability and useful load, its intended operators included mission societies. The Kodiak's maiden flight occurred on October 16, 2004. It received type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration on May 31, 2007, and deliveries began in January 2008. In 2019, Quest Aircraft was acquired by French manufacturer Daher from Setouchi Holdings.
The Kodiak functions as a utility aircraft, characterized by short-field performance and a substantial useful load. STOL capability is achieved via a fixed, discontinuous leading edge on the outboard wing and is powered by a 750 hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine. Its aluminum fuselage structure is engineered for field repairs. Access features include a 54 in × 57 in cargo door, track-mounted and removable passenger seats, pilot access doors, and an aft clamshell door equipped with automatic steps for cargo loading or passenger boarding. Optional Aerocet carbon-fiber floats are available, offering a weight reduction compared to aluminum variants.
Deliveries commenced with the first aircraft delivered to launch customer Spirit Air in January 2008. By September 2013, production reached 100 units, with the 100th aircraft delivered to US operator Sunstate Aviation. Developed for mission societies, the type has been supplied to organizations including Mission Aviation Fellowship and JAARS. Under Quest Aircraft's Quest Mission Team (QMT) program, a proportion of aircraft (one of every 11 built) were offered to mission organizations at cost price. The 300th aircraft was delivered by December 2021, and the fleet has accumulated over 278,700 flight hours. As of November 2017, 220 Quest Kodiaks were operating globally in roles such as freight transport, skydiving support, and business aviation. SpiceJet of India has expressed intent to acquire 100 amphibious Kodiaks for operations from waterways and unimproved runways.
Main Variants:
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Kodiak 100: The base model, it received FAA certification on May 31, 2007.
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Kodiak 100 Series II: Introduced in May 2018, this model includes improvements such as a Garmin G1000NXi avionics suite, Flight Stream 510 tablet connection, an angle-of-attack indicator, and a digital standby instrument group.
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Kodiak 100 Series III: Launched in March 2021, this variant features a Garmin G1000 NXi instrument panel, GFC 700 autopilot, SurfaceWatch runway monitoring, a synthetic vision system, and an optional Garmin GWX 75 weather radar, with an "Executive Edition" VIP cabin also available.
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Kodiak 900: This stretched variant of the Kodiak 100 Series III, introduced in 2022, features a 3.9-foot longer fuselage and is powered by a 900-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140A engine.
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Air Claw: A surveillance modification by Northrop Grumman, equipped with a FLIR Systems Star Safire sensor and a Persistent Surveillance Systems Hawkeye wide area sensor.
Technical specifications
| Version: Kodiak |
|---|
Current operating countries
| Country | Units | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Angola | 3 | |
|
Thailand | 3 | |
|
United Arab Emirates | 1 | |
Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.