The first production Kodiak utility aircraft fitted with a Timberline interior is on show at Oshkosh. Manufacturers Quest has just delivered the fifth Kodiak to a customer.
That customer marked another milestone for the Idaho company as the delivery coincided with the the receipt of type certification (TC) for parachute jump operations. The standard airworthiness certificate is a first for an aircraft delivered new from the factory to the end user.
The customer was the Rhine Army Parachute Association (RAPA), whose pulots flew Kodiak to their home base in Bad Lippspringe, Germany. RAPA is a service charity of the British Army and provides military training, sport training for both military personnel and civilians and parachuting/skydiving exercises and competitions.
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When RAPA approached us about the KODIAK we looked at various options for delivering an aircraft modified for jump operations,” said Paul Schaller, Quest president and CEO. “Based on input from RAPA and other potential customers, as well as what we had learned about the airframe during the FAA certification process, we decided to develop and certify the jump package ourselves so we could deliver a certified Kodiak directly to the customer.”
British Major Paul Moore, Commandant of the Joint Services Jump Center and assigned to RAPA, worked with Quest during the certification process and was the first to take the initial test jumps after certification. “Everything went very, very smoothly,” said Moore. “We are exceedingly pleased with the equipment and modifications that Quest made. The aircraft will serve our needs very well.”
Moore said that RAPA had looked at several different aircraft to replace its aging fleet and decided on the Kodiak because of its “high utility and versatility.” Quest designed and installed a roll-down door which allows for easy egress and is also closable from the pilot’s seat. Other installed equipment includes a wing-mounted camera, a 14-inch photographer step, wind deflector, jump lights, and internal and external grab rails that run the full length of the door.
At the heart of Kodiak’s development was a need for a modern bush aircraft that can meet the demands of humanitarian aviation. Several missionary organizations were early investors in the project.
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, and is capable of working off floats without structural upgrades and has the ability to land on unimproved surfaces. It can take off in under 700 feet at full gross takeoff weight of 6,750 lbs and climb at over 1,500 feet per minute. A 3-panel Garmin G1000 integrated avionics suite is standard.
The interior on show here for the first time is the Timberline which is configured for both business or personal use, Alternatives are the Summit which features executive-style club seating and corporate style cabinetry or the Tundra basic interior.
Source: Flight Daily News
