• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Kodiak Quest

P

prichfield

Registered User
Greetings Cub people,

I'm an Aviat A-1A Husky owner but please don't hold it against me. My question is, does anybody have any inside information on an airplane called the KodiakQuest? It's sort of a mini-Cessna Caravan, and is currently under development up in Sandpoint, ID.

Thanks,

Paul Richfield
Alexandria VA
 
The airplane is under design by Tom Hamilton, of Aerocet float fame, Glasair fame, etc.

It was primarily designed to be an airplane for the missionary community, worldwide, with a turbine engine, since they need kerosene queens, avgas is rarely available outside this country.

If every thing else Tom has built is any clue, this one should be good. It's going to be two aircraft, as I understand it, one about turbine beaver size, one about Caravan size, with a lot of common parts.

Mike V
 
I am the marketing man for the Kodiak. I am sorry but we are trying to keep this as quiet as possible until we have more concrete information we are currently building the prototype. Let me tell you it is a Caravan built around the heart of a Cub Driver.
 
EVANGEL

This was a special built missionary bush plane built in Orange City, Iowa.
Don't know what ever became of it.
Story from Bud Davissons "AIRBUM.COM"
http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepEvangel.html


Randy
 
Lots of them built for the missionary community. Most of them worn out now, with many thousands of hours on the clocks.

The new airplane Tom Hamilton is working on is a replacement, of sorts, but with a turbine, since jet fuel is a lot more common than avgas in most parts of the world.

MTV
 
A friend of mine has an Evangel, seems to me he keeps it in ANC. I remember him saying it is a sweet airplane. I think there is only one in the country. If memory serves me correct, there were only about 7 or 8 built. The same guy who built it is designing the Angel STOL pusher twin that you see coccasionally in magazines

Bill
 
funseventy said:
I am the marketing man for the Kodiak. I am sorry but we are trying to keep this as quiet as possible until we have more concrete information we are currently building the prototype. Let me tell you it is a Caravan built around the heart of a Cub Driver.[/quote}

Kelly

I understand your aircraft under development is a complex aircraft but if you are looking for imput from a back woods cub driver I would be happy to stop in and test drive it for you.

Cub_Driver
Click to expand...
 
Speaking of developing new airplanes, Some people from Aviat (the people who build that awfull "Husky") were picking up a damaged airplane at our airport recently. In conversation they indicated they are working on the development of a 4 place version of the Husky. They should have done that in the beginning in my opinion.

Don
 
don d said:
Speaking of developing new airplanes, Some people from Aviat (the people who build that awfull "Husky") were picking up a damaged airplane at our airport recently. In conversation they indicated they are working on the development of a 4 place version of the Husky. They should have done that in the beginning in my opinion.

Don
Click to expand...

180 hp Aeronca Sedan is a lot cheaper...
 
You're right, the sedan would be a lot cheaper, but what Aviat is building is a four to six seat, Cessna 206 + size machine, tailwheel, all metal, all CNC machined, designed for off airport. That ain't a sedan, by any means.

My understanding is that the plan is to build a four to six seat recip first, then equip it with a turbine, with 6 to 8 seats, etc. Lots of options when everything is computerized.

It'll be interesting to see how they do.

MTV
 
Another big single

http://www.aerofiles.com/fair-xc31.jpg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fairchild XC-31 [34-026] (USAF Museum)

C-31, (Model 95) 1934 = Freighter. 2-15pChwM rg; 750hp Wright R-1820-25; span: 84'0" {>75'0") length: 55'5" load: 5350# v: 155/136/52 range: 775 ceiling: 15,000'. 15 passengers or 3500# cargo. Appears on AAC inventory as Kreider-Reisner XC-31. Novel feature was cargo doors parallel with the ground to facilitate loading. POP: 1 XC-31 [34-026], tested at Wright Field with project number XC-941.

Thought I saw an article about this plane concerning the early days of Alaskan air transport. I think it was called the PILGRIM.
Randy
 
Re: Another big single

Randy said:
http://www.aerofiles.com/fair-xc31.jpg


Thought I saw an article about this plane concerning the early days of Alaskan air transport. I think it was called the PILGRIM.
Randy
Click to expand...

That is not a Pilgrim, although it does look similar to the pilgrim. They only made about 10 Pilgrims if I remember correct. They were made by Fairchild, so this may be a prototype. If memory serves me correct, all Pilgrims went into service with American Airlines, and then most were subsequently sold to Alaskan operators, including Wien, Gilliam, PAA and ALaska among others. THe only surviving one WAS at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in ANC, but I don't think it is anymore.

Bill
 
British Cub Bloke,

I had the opportunity to fly the Gippsland Aero AirVan a year and a half back. I was pretty impressed with the airplane. It has a massive cabin, seems built hell for stout, and flys really nice, with very gentle stall characteristics, and nice in the landing pattern.

The issue I'd be concerned about with that airplane is that they are operating at 4,000 pounds with only 300 hp. This is also an issue that I can foresee with the Aviat airplane that is in development. That's a lot of weight for 300 hp, but the problem is there just aren't any good reliable normally aspirated engines available that turn out around 350 to 400 hp.

I was told that Gippsland is considering installing a small turbine engine in the Air Van, which I think they'll have to do in any case, to make the plane attractive world wide. Just not enough avgas available in most countries.

I really liked the plane, though, very well built, and great loading flexibility.

MTV
 
mvivion said:
The issue I'd be concerned about with that airplane is that they are operating at 4,000 pounds with only 300 hp...
the problem is there just aren't any good reliable normally aspirated engines available that turn out around 350 to 400 hp.
Click to expand...

Mike,

I agree that is a lot of weight for 300 horses...hmmm think 207, now that is another airplane that could have definately benefited from a few extra horses. My question arises from your comment about the 350 to 400 horse engines.
Obviously the TSIO540-J2BD is a good engine, but it has the disadvantage (at least to me) of being turbo'd. On the other hand there is the IO720. It doesn't have that good a rep because people associate it with the Comanchee 400, which didn't work out all that well. However, subsequent installations in converted Areo Commanders and in Helio 800's were met with more success. I recall that the top end on a 720 is identical to the O360 top end...just twice the cylinders, and thus pretty good. Am I missing anything on the reliability of the 720? I don't personally have experience with them but the commander guys I talked to loved them. Obviously there is the cost issue on both the TSIO540-J2BD and the IO720, then there are the big heavy geared engines such as the GTSIO520s, etc. BUt when we are getting this big, we are sure getting heavy.
Brings us back to your turbine comment. Excellent idea. Too bad no one can afford a turbine. Would sure love to see a good low cost certified turbine.

Bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

dave
FAA Alaskan Flying Adventures Seminar
Replies
2
Views
2K
Torch
Torch
F
BLM hearing to close Arizona park to planes 3/17 deadline
Replies
7
Views
2K
stretch
S
mvivion
406 vs 121.5 ELT (from Another crash in AK thread)
2 3
Replies
88
Views
27K
StalledOut
S
B
NWA is trying to stick it to GA.
Replies
16
Views
8K
RedEye
RedEye
Iflylower
Wow, a letter from the LEE BOTTOM folks about the EAA and Oshkosh.....
Replies
20
Views
6K
stearmann4
stearmann4
Back
Top