Quest Aircraft has gotten the OK from the FAA to increase the maximum takeoff weight of its Kodiak aircraft from 6,750 pounds to 7,255 pounds, the company said this week. “The Kodiak was designed with and for mission and humanitarian aviation organizations to perform under extremely rigorous conditions in the most remote regions of the world,” said Quest CEO Paul Schaller. “The gross weight increase will enable them to carry more cargo and/or passengers so they can execute their operations even more effectively.” At the new max weight, the Kodiak can take off in under 1,000 feet and climb at over 1,300 fpm. The Kodiak, a single-engine turboprop utility airplane, comes with a three-panel G1000 avionics suite as standard equipment. It can operate off of floats and land on unimproved surfaces.
The Kodiak was FAA-certified in 2007. Buyers have used the airplane for personal travel, Part 135 operations, and government applications, as well as humanitarian efforts, the company said. Two Kodiak aircraft provided disaster relief in Haiti in recent months. The airplane was on display at Sun ‘n Fun last week next to a pallet piled impressively high with gear, representing a possible full load. Quest is headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho.
