As the only authorised dealer in Africa for the US-based Quest Aircraft Company, NAC Aircraft recently sent Deon Wentzel, one of its sales team members, to the Supplier Quest Kodiak Meeting that took place in Orlando, Florida.

Quest Aircraft Company launched its first aircraft, the Kodiak 100, in 2007 and quickly garnered the attention of the aviation community for its modern, safe and extremely durable plane. The company’s popularity and reputation has continued to grow and a topic of this year’s meeting was the significant inroads that it has managed to make into the utility aircraft market. Quest cites a 5% year-on-year increase in market share, which it attributes to an increased effort in improving the sales and service experience for new and existing customers.

The supplier also discussed its recent launch of the Kodiak 100 Series II, which it believes will help reinforce the Kodiak’s presence in the utility aircraft space. The Kodiak 100 Series II stays true to the company’s original vision; an aircraft able to lift 3 500 pounds of useful load off the runway in less than a 1 000 feet and cruise at 180 kts. Benefitting from a decade of incremental performance improvements, the Kodiak 100 Series II now also places extra emphasis on safety and includes upgrades to the avionics.

NAC believes that the Kodiak aircraft’s capability and performance is an extremely suitable solution for African operational environments, providing versatility and safety with infinite configurations.

The Kodiak can seat up to 10 in a high-wing, unpressurized, single-engine aircraft. It is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine of 750 hp (559 kW). It features a strong, high fixed tricycle undercarriage; wing braces; short take-off and landing (STOL) capability; and can use paved, unimproved, water, or snow runways. Inside, the Kodiak features the new high speed Garmin NXi avionics with full envelope, protection as standard, and an angle of attack (AOA) indicator.

Endlessly versatile, the Kodiak 100 is equally capable carrying cargo, people (in basic or executive accommodation) or a combination thereof. For land-based versions, an aerodynamically efficient cargo pod offers additional storage while only reducing cruise speed by about two knots.

The most significant feature of the Kodiak, however, is its wing. Although it looks like a single cuffed wing, it can be described as having two separate wings – one inboard and one outboard – and it is this configuration that gives the Kodiak its incredible performance.

Or, as Deon Wentzel sums it up, “The Kodiak is a go anywhere, do anything aircraft that is perfect for Africa.”