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Monday, August 30, 2010...The military arguably operates the most capable purpose-built aircraft in the world and, apparently, they think the KODIAK might fit right in.
KODIAK's capability suits many interests. We are currently exploring how the KODIAK might fit the United States military's needs for light mobility as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. Without modification, KODIAK is ready for heavy hauling, fast long range flying, and short, unwelcoming fields. The news is that it apparently does those things well enough to be considered by forces capable of acquiring the best equipment in the world.
The story started early this year, when we responded to an invitation from the military to show off the KODIAK's short field takeoff and landing capabilities for a Special Forces group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. We were invited back a few months later and apparently word had gotten around. What we intended as a quick return out and back to Fort Bragg became an eight day tour for America's forces.
Initially interest was pretty specific. Special Forces wanted to see the aircraft's short takeoff capability...as did the Air Force. But then the Army got wind of things. They decided they needed to see takeoffs and landings too...but they also wanted to test the aircraft's suitability for deploying paratroopers and drop boxes while testing a new drop box design. And so it was that our trip to North Carolina culminated with a KODIAK on loan for military exercises over Texas and New Mexico near Fort Bliss...
...where a full load of US Army soldiers prepped test boxes...
...and tossed cargo out of the aircraft... 
...while we flew in and out of a strip freshly bulldozed into the New Mexican desert.
With KODIAK, there isn't a better way to spend time than a day on dirt and the guys in camo, who made it possible, seemed to be having as much fun as we were. Thanks to all of you. We had a great time.
Now, we're under no illusions that this means we'll be shipping hundreds of KODIAKs to the U.S. armed forces. But we are humbled that our airplane's capabilities apparently put it on the radar, and in the company of, the very best aircraft in the world.
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Friday, July 30, 2010…This morning we headed over to the Federal Pavilion for a press conference with the United States Department of Interior. As you can imagine, we gathered a rather diverse group as the crowd started to form.
AirVenture is full of photo opps and today’s will stay up on our wall for a very long time. Below, from left to right, we have Paul Schaller (President and CEO of Quest Aircraft), Paul Schmidt (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Director for Migratory Birds), Charlie Wiplinger (Executive Vice President of Wipaire, Inc.), and Fred Roetker (long time U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pilot-biologist). (Note: also shown in the headline photo above is Aaron Sauer (Chair International Federal Partnership).)
With great pleasure Paul Schaller handed over the keys, representing 9 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) KODIAKs with newly installed Wipline 7000 floats, to Paul Schmidt.
Paul Schmidt wasted no time in turning those keys over to Fred Roetker saying, “Having the KODIAKs will provide a safer aircraft for our most precious resource, our pilots like Fred, to exercise their experienced skills.”
And those keys will likely stay with Fred for a very long time. He has worked for the department for over 26 years as a pilot-biologist and has logged 8,000+ hours flying for the Division of Migratory Bird Management. "Aviation has been a vital tool to wildlife management, especially in remote areas," explained Fred in a recent interview.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is tasked with tracking wildlife across the continent of North America. Every spring and summer for the past 50 years, highly trained and skilled teams of pilot-biologists have taken to the skies to survey North America's waterfowl breeding grounds. In order to get the job done they need to cover a lot of ground, flying more than 80,000 miles, crisscrossing the continent on missions that involve low-leveling flying into areas with no weather reporting stations, and climates and geographies that range from the high arctic regions of Alaska and Northern Canada through the United States and into Mexico and Central America. This reach is made possible through the cooperative effort of all these countries. And, as you might imagine, it means flying for weeks on end in some of the most unforgiving landscapes on the planet.
FWS operates approximately 60 aircraft, half of which are based in Alaska. But, "this aircraft", said Fred, "represents the Next 50 Years for the Department.” And he speaks from experience. Fred estimates he has logged 400+ hours in the KODIAK already. "The KODIAK has performed well," said Roetker. "The aircraft's range is a key factor." In spring and summer, FWS flies missions as far north as the Arctic Ocean. "It allows us to carry more people and equipment and with the features provided by the Garmin 1000 panel, such as advanced GPS, and information on terrain, traffic and fuel status, it significantly increases safety."
Fred, from all of us at Quest, we’d like to say thank you for your tireless dedication and the commitment of all those who work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preserve invaluable natural resources for present and future generations.
Of the 9 float equipped KODIAKs delivered, 4 will be going to Alaska and 5 will be based out of the lower 48. Now that these KODIAKs are headed out into service, we can’t wait to get reports from the field..
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Audio:
Paul Schaller
President and CEO
Quest Aircraft
What AirVenture Means To Us
Sunday, August 2, 2009…We awoke this morning to the sounds of a long line of airplanes making their departure from Oshkosh. Driving over to the AirVenture grounds we noticed the true aviation diehards…those camped out under the wings of their planes and parked in massive RV lots…were just starting to pack up for their trek home.
Unlike yesterday where the Oshkosh grounds were covered with families strolling around…
…today's atmosphere is much quieter.
The airshow finale should be excellent but I’m guessing we will have to miss it as we pack up camp and prepare for the trek home.
We sure have enjoyed our week here and the people we met and visited with. Thank you again for stopping in, exploring the KODIAK, and talking with us. It’s been another great year for AirVenture.
See you next time,
Lynn Thomas
Sales Director
Quest Aircraft
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Sunday, August 2, 2009…For a recap of EAA AirVenture 2009 by Quest President and CEO Paul Schaller check out QUEST NEWS >>
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Saturday, August 1, 2009…For today's post "In the Presence of Heroes" by Quest Co-Visionary Dave Voetmann check out the Quest MISSION LOG >>.
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Friday, July 31, 2009…After a couple days of overcast and rain, today's weather was a delightful and welcome change. Sunny, dry, and cool…a perfect day for an airshow.
Today we got reacquainted with a number of our customers and depositors. We also made many new friends and had numerous FLY4LIFErs drop by throughout the day. FLY4LIFE has been an amazing success this year and these folks share a contagious enthusiasm. They’ve really welcomed us in and made us all feel like part of a global family and a much larger purpose! To all those who stopped by today…it was great to see you and get a chance to talk.
In the afternoon, after several amazing fly-bys, the Airbus A380 made its final departure from Oshkosh. As you can imagine this left quite a hole. The A380 ruled AeroShell Square all week long…but neither EAA AirVenture nor the United States Air Force aim to disappoint. When the USAF C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globe Master landed and rolled into static display they left the crowd with eyes wide and mouths open. 
Unbelievable!!!!
Still the highlight of my day was the privilege of presenting a painting by artist Sharon Rajnus to EAA president, Tom Poberezny.
For Quest, this painting of Nate Saint’s legendary Piper PA-14 in formation with our KODIAK is an honor in itself and it was presented with our deep appreciation to EAA in recognition of their decision to honor mission and humanitarian aviators through the FLY4LIFE program at AirVenture.
Every year Oshkosh leaves us with distinct memories that we carry home from the show. This year I expect those memories will center on FLY4LIFE and Sharon Rajnus's "Moments in Mission Aviation" paintings. These experiences have really re-emphasized Quest's roots and our commitment to the Mission Field.
Yet again, another great day at Oshkosh! We’re looking forward to tomorrow's adventures! The show’s not over yet.
Stay tuned,
Lynn Thomas
Sales Director
Quest Aircraft
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Thursday, July 30, 2009…For today's post "Aviators Join Together for the Common Good" by Quest Co-Visionary Dave Voetmann check out the Quest MISSION LOG >>.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009…What a difference a day makes. While yesterday we enjoyed mild temperatures and a wonderful cool breeze…today the weather has turned rather cold and rainy. A rainy day at Oshkosh certainly changes the dynamics around here. Yesterday the grounds were absolutely covered with people out to experience everything AirVenture has to offer. Today the crowds are a little sparser and the number of visits a little lighter.
Coming from the Pacific Northwest we felt right at home. You can’t let sparse crowds spoil a good rain! So we hunkered down in the Camp Quest tent and took the opportunity to spend a little more quality time with the guests who did brave the precipitation. It turned out to be a really enjoyable day for us.
Several customers who are eagerly awaiting their own KODIAKs dropped by to let us know they had seen the all the KODIAKs on display this year and share just how good these airplanes looked. This provided a great opportunity to share good news from the factory floor…as of last week production has ramped up another notch. This is great news for customers. Every time our production schedule ratchets up…these folks get closer to seeing their own KODIAKs here in Oshkosh.
As the day wound down and the Quest crew gathered to swap stories we were struck again by something we’ve always known…nothing encourages great discussions like sitting in a tent and listening to the rain. If only we had a fire pit and some s’mores! We really enjoyed talking with folks about a whole host of KODIAK applications ranging from serial imaging to island hopping to freight hauling and skydiving. So, to all those who spent time with us today…thanks for stopping by! We enjoyed your visit.
At the end of our day we all headed over to the EAA Museum where Quest was pleased to participate in the unveiling of a series of pictures depicting great moments in mission aviation. Paul Schaller (Quest Aircraft President and CEO) had the honor of introducing the series painter Sharon Rajnus. If you haven’t gotten over to the Museum it’s a great place to spend some time and the trip would be worth it just for this new art.
All in all today was a great day. Maybe tomorrow the rain will clear and we’ll get to see even more of you.
Until then,
Lynn Thomas
Sales Director
Quest Aircraft
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009…This was our second day at Oshkosh…and what an incredible day it turned out to be. Low humidity, high 70's and a cool breeze set the scene for thousands of airplane enthusiasts exploring AirVenture 2009.
As you can see the Quest crew are almost as easy to spot as our bright red KODIAK. The eye catching color really paid off and we had a great day talking to folks from all over the globe. As we shared the features and benefits of the airplane to those we met we were amazed at just how quickly people discover that the KODIAK fits right in with their operations and their lifestyle needs.
Our metallic purple KODIAK also seemed to draw quite a bit of attention throughout the day.
Here is another angle we snapped during a brief lull in traffic.
AirVenture is pretty hard to beat in terms of sheer variety of aircraft and it offers rare opportunities to be a part of aviation history…like yesterday’s arrival of WhiteKnightTwo and today’s North American premier of the Airbus A380. The A380 made several fly-bys over the grounds before landing and moving into static display.
This mammoth aircraft has 3 decks, sleeping suites, and seating for 525. With a length of 240 ft and a height of 79 ft (that’s a 6 story building) the A380 is the biggest jetliner in the world. It certainly dwarfs everything else in AeroShell Square. You really have to move back and take another look to get it all in.
The day finished off with Oshkosh's traditional airshow wowing the crowds with aerobatic maneuvers and the heritage flight of 3 generations of warbirds.
After a good night sleep we’ll be back out at the show tomorrow.
Hope to see you then,
Lynn Thomas
Sales Director
Quest Aircraft
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Monday, July 27, 2009…After much anticipation and hard work from our Quest family in Sandpoint, we were excited to arrive at Oshkosh and see so many KODIAKs here at the show. There are 4 others on site in addition to the 2 we flew out from the factory. Just walking from the Main Gate down through AeroShell Square it seemed like there were KODIAK sightings everywhere.
In addition to the Spokane Turbine Center (STC) aircraft (pictured above) the US Fish & Wildlife Service brought their new aircraft to AirVenture this year. I imagine they are enjoying the numerous KODIAK sightings as much as we are.
And, JAARS has a KODIAK in their booth.
Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) also has a KODIAK on site.
And, of course, we have the 2 aircraft we flew out.
Just think, it was only 4 years ago that the prototype KODIAK made its debut at Oshkosh. My how times change!
We’ve seen a lot of people and we’ve made a lot of friends over the last 4 years. Suppliers, customers, and the communities that support mission organizations have come to expect to see our smiling faces and of course our airplane. It was great to meet up with old friends, supporters, and a crowd of KODIAK enthusiasts from around the world as the day progressed. We’ve really enjoyed catching up with you all both in the booth and as we’ve explored the show. If you’re out here this year stop by and say hi. We’d love to swap stories.
Of course today was opening day and it started out a perfect day for an air show! A cool breeze, light humidity and plenty of eager airplane lovers waiting at the gates. One major highlight was the arrival of the WhiteKnightTwo. How incredible to witness history in the making.
The day wrapped up on a wet note, however, as a severe thunderstorm rolled through, canceling the afternoon air show. All in all, it was a great kickoff and we look forward to the rest of the week.
Hope to see you tomorrow,
Lynn Thomas
Sales Director
Quest Aircraft
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Audio:
Paul Schaller
President and CEO
Quest Aircraft
What AirVenture 2009 Means To Us
For more information visit: www.airventure.org and www.Fly4Life.org
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