The Kodiak was purpose-built in consultation with mission organizations (supported this year at AirVenture through EAA’s Fly4Life program) to provide a remote area a reliable long-range, short-field, heavy hauler for backcountry operations and this year is beginning to making good on its promise. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) took delivery of a Quest Aircraft turbine- powered Kodiak earlier this year to meet its need for a larger-payload Cessna 206 replacement that runs on jet fuel for operations in remote areas around the world. The MAF announced at AirVenture Oshkosh it plans to ensure “the reliability and cost efficiency of missionary flights” by replacing 20 of its Cessna 206 aircraft with nine-seat PT6A-powered Kodiaks, or larger Cessna Caravans. As a clean-sheet design built specifically for the wide-ranging environments posed by mission operations, the Kodiak is an aircraft that can take off in under 700 feet at a full gross weight of 6,750 pounds while offering pilots a 1,500-fpm climb rate. It also comes standard with a full three-panel Garmin G1000 integrated avionics suite available with weather and synthetic vision, and can cruise at 179 KTAS at 12,000 feet for more than 1,000 nautical miles with reserves.
Founded in 1945, MAF operates a fleet of 130 bush aircraft in 55 counties. The organization uses the aircraft to transport medical personnel, missionaries, medicine, relief supplies, and to support medical evaluations. Quest Aircraft, has turned out nearly 20 Kodiaks and says it’s ramping up production toward a goal of four per month, this year.
