Quest Aircraft continues strong growth
(Photo courtesy QUEST AIRCRAFT) A SKY TREK Kodiak soars through the skies. The company took delivery of another of the Quest Aircraft company planes earlier this month. The plane was the 200th built by Sandpoint-based Quest Aircraft.
SANDPOINT — Quest Aircraft Company delivered a record 36 Kodiaks in 2016, including the 200th aircraft in December. Deliveries have risen steadily since 2012, as worldwide demand for the Kodiak has grown. The 200th Kodiak celebration was held on Jan. 17 at the Sandpoint headquarters, with company employees in attendance.
“2016 was Quest’s strongest year to-date,” said new CEO Rob Wells. “The company saw increased production levels and deliveries, as the demand for a versatile aircraft like the Kodiak grows. In addition, the increasing demand for Kodiaks required a 25-percent expansion of the production facility, a project that was completed in September. This essential investment will allow us to efficiently support production growth in the coming years.”
The delivery of the 200th Kodiak was to SKY TREK, the membership-based private travel service that signed a large fleet order with Quest in November. The keys to the aircraft were officially handed over to SKY TREK at the Jan. 17 celebration, which also served to honor retiring CEO Sam Hill.
Other significant milestones in 2016 include the completion of a 5,000-square-foot research and development facility. Quest also received several additional certifications for the Kodiak, bringing the total to 33 countries at year end.
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 take-off weight of 7,255 pounds and climb at over 1,300 feet per minute.
Quest Aircraft Company is the manufacturer of the Kodiak, a 10-place single engine turboprop airplane, designed for STOL use and operations on floats. Headquartered in Sandpoint, the company was established in 2001 and began deliveries of the Kodiak in December 2007.
Information: questaircraft.com