Daher Kodiak
Aircraft Description
The Daher Kodiak (formerly Quest Kodiak) is an American utility aircraft designed by and originally manufactured by Quest Aircraft in Sandpoint, Idaho. Manufacturing was taken over by Daher in 2019 after its purchase of Quest Aircraft. The high-wing, unpressurized, single-engined turboprop has a fixed tricycle landing gear and is suitable for STOL operations from unimproved airfields. Design began in 1999, it made its maiden flight on October 16, 2004, and was certified on 31 May 2007 before first delivery in January 2008. By 2021, 300 were delivered.
The utility aircraft can accommodate 10 people. It features short-field capability and good useful load. Its STOL performance comes from a fixed, discontinuous leading edge on the outboard wing and the 750 hp (559 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine.
Passenger seats are track-mounted and removable, it has access doors for the pilots and the aft clamshell door, with automatic steps, allows cargo loading or eight passengers boarding.
The Kodiak's aluminum fuselage can be repaired in the field and offers a 54 in × 57 in (137 cm × 145 cm) cargo door. Optional Aerocet carbon-fiber floats can be fitted and weigh 700 lb (320 kg) with wheels or 400 lb (180 kg) without wheels, the carbon-fiber floats are 380 lb (170 kg) lighter than aluminum floats while cruising 8 kn (15 km/h) faster and are more watertight. The Aerocet floats can be operated in 18–20 in (46–51 cm) waves. The Kodiak Series II is more refined and has upgraded door and wing root seals to reduce wind leaks and exhaust odors. The model's upgraded Garmin G1000NXi avionics are similar to the original G1000 with three 10 in (250 mm) screens, but is more responsive and offers more PFD insets, including a mini moving map, which can display traffic, terrain, waypoints and weather.
The Kodiak is bigger than the DHC-2 Beaver, but smaller than the DHC-3 Otter or Cessna Caravan. It has more power than the older de Havillands and takes off in less distance than the Caravan.
