Page 12 - Twin and Turbine September 2017

Quest believes the Kodiak is ideal for a growing lifestyle market segment that is focused on travel/adventure. Given the airplane’s size and ability to get in and out of some of the most remote locations, the Kodiak is a strong candidate for high net worth buyers seeking the aerial equivalent of a luxury SUV.
“We commonly have folks walk up to us immediately impressed by the size and ramp appeal,” said Young. “Usually, they have heard or read about the Kodiak, but never have seen it up close.”
Bolstering that first impression is the Pratt & Whitney PT6A- 34 engine, which delivers 750 horsepower and boasts a 4,000 hour TBO. Prior to the Kodiak, the “dash 34” was used primarily in the agricultural market. Quest sought this specific version as it was (and still is) the most widely produced and proven of the PT6 series. Its relatively low operating costs (45 gph average fuel burn) and high rate of reliability are especially important in an aircraft intended to operate in and out of inhospitable terrain, where trained mechanics are rare and far between.
Mounted in front is a Hartzell 4-blade, 96-inch propeller. During the design phase of the Kodiak, one of the biggest criteria was for the propeller’s height to achieve at least a 15-inch ground clearance to avoid prop strikes and debris pickup on unimproved landing surfaces that aircraft with less clearance could experience. Quest engineers ultimately exceeded that number with the wheeled Kodiak, achieving a whopping 19-inch clearance. That extra height benefits the seaplane version as well, preventing contact with excessive water spray which can lead to prop erosion.
Contributing to the seaplane’s monstrous height is a pair of Aerocet 6650 amphibious f loats, the largest composite f loats
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available in the marketplace. Compared to traditional metal or aluminum models, carbon fiber floats are lighter, stronger and non-corrodible. And since the Kodiak was designed to accept floats from the start, no structural upgrades or aerodynamic adjustments are required to convert a land- version into its sea-faring cousin.
“The Kodiak is the fastest float seaplane in current production, with a cruise speed truing out at 162 knots,” said Brown. “And with the composite floats, you have the ability to go long periods of time without having to pump the floats like metal floats require. We haven’t pumped the floats in 10 days and we have been landing on water every day.”
It’s the extra storage capacity within the floats that soon caught my attention though. With six spacious storage lockers, four forward and two stern, pilots can load 150 lbs of equipment in each. An avid camper myself, I can imagine plenty of ways to take advantage of the additional cargo space.
Today, around 15 to 20 percent of the Kodiak fleet are mounted on floats, and that number is growing.
“Obviously, coastal areas in the Northwest and Northeast are heavy with seaplanes, but even flight schools in the Midwest are booked solid with seaplane instruction,” said Young. “So, something is definitely happening, and we are working diligently to get the Kodiak in front of that interest.”
September 2017