Quest Aircraft continues to expand the reach of its Kodiak 100 turboprop single with the first delivery to a Scandinavian customer. A 10-seat Kodiak completed a 4,400-mile ferry trip to Fredrikstad in Southern Norway for new owner Anders Eckhoff, who will use it for travel in Europe.
The delivery follows last month’s announced agreement for Quest to provide Dimor Aerospace, the German-owned company that owns Waco Aircraft, with three Kodiaks that will be equipped for humanitarian aid operations along the Amazon in Brazil. Two of those turboprop singles will be fitted with Aerocet 6650 composite floats. Discussions with Dimor are ongoing for future aircraft, Quest said.
The Sandpoint, Idaho aircraft manufacturer first brought the utility aircraft to market in December 2007 to offer a rugged, turbine STOL option. Since then, Quest has obtained validations in more than 55 countries, and more than 270 aircraft are in operation for a range of public, private, business, and humanitarian applications.
While it expands its markets for the Kodiak, the company is poised to become part of Daher’s family. Daher in June announced plans to acquire Quest in a move that will give the French conglomerate a U.S. aircraft-manufacturing base. That deal is slated for completion by year-end.