BeechTalk - BT - Caravan or Kodiak Quest as a personal airplane

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:09

I know a couple Caravan pilots and most of them agree it's almost too big of an aircraft for personal use.

For my two cents the KODIAK is the perfect sized aircraft off site operations, it's the J3 cub of the turbine world in my book.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:14

Darrin and Patrick, yup that's the way I'm leaning. It's does most of the things I need, and it does them well. If you know of anyone selling one (not listed

) let me know.........

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:16

Username Protected wrote:

If you know of anyone selling one (not listed

) let me know.........

There are 90 registered in the US. Start making phone calls.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... K&PageNo=1

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:22

Username Protected wrote:

If you know of anyone selling one (not listed

) let me know.........

There are 90 registered in the US. Start making phone calls.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... K&PageNo=1

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:25

Michael, when you come up to MN to buy this one stop by on the way home I want to fly it with you!

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 316881.htm

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 15:30

She's a beaut, and I really like that "classic" Kodiak factory paint scheme...

Username Protected wrote:

Michael, when you come up to MN to buy this one stop by on the way home I want to fly it with you!

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 316881.htm

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 17:40

Whatever you, get a cargo pod. The pod swallows luggage and allows you to put it anywhere you need to for cg. In the Caravan, the pod is definitely worth the 7-9 knots you lose.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2014, 20:02

Username Protected wrote:

Michael, when you come up to MN to buy this one stop by on the way home I want to fly it with you!

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 316881.htm

Hey, I have dibs on the flight back down here! :box:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Dec 2014, 17:04

Username Protected wrote:

Michael, when you come up to MN to buy this one stop by on the way home I want to fly it with you!

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 316881.htm

Hey, I have dibs on the flight back down here! :box:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 09:42

I have flown the Caravan in the past, but not as much as some here, and I just demoed the Kodiak. I would agree that for an individual the Kodiak is better proportioned and has a great power to weight ratio. Kodiak is also making a lot of improvements as they go. Single point fueling (huge in my mind). Couple of floats are certified. Several interiors, etc. The thing that is so nice about the Kodiak is doing short field work doesn't require great skill. It is easy to fly slow, land slow, and of course you have a PT-6 to help you stop.

Not a lot/any used Kodiak's on the market, the owner buys them back so its hard to predict resale.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 10:09

I watch Kodiak test fly their planes out of my airport all the time, and it is ridiculous what these guys can make those planes do. I'm TELLING you I bet they're landing with a 10 MPH headwind at about 20 MPH. It's just crazy watching them, I asked one the other day on the radio; "how fast were you going when you just landed?" & he says "about 34 MPH".
I don't know much of anything else about them, but landing & takeoff, they're like a Maule; truly amazing. :pilot:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 11:06

If you are looking at SETP's for off field flying you also need to consider the PAC 750XL it's an ugly beast but will haul the mail! Here is a video of it in action. Just a point of reference I have personally been into ALL of these runways in a Cessna 206. With fellow BT'er Jock McKay....

Jay

[youtube]http://youtu.be/ckNlsQGjfrc[/youtube]

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 13:20

You can PM Drew Coates. He has a client that is (was) flying a Caravan for personal transportation.

I spoke to Ron a few years ago at a BT fly-in and the only thing I remember him saying was he felt a little guilty for dragging around 10 empty seats on 98% of his flights.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 14:51

Username Protected wrote:

I have flown the Caravan in the past, but not as much as some here, and I just demoed the Kodiak. I would agree that for an individual the Kodiak is better proportioned and has a great power to weight ratio. Kodiak is also making a lot of improvements as they go. Single point fueling (huge in my mind). Couple of floats are certified. Several interiors, etc. The thing that is so nice about the Kodiak is doing short field work doesn't require great skill. It is easy to fly slow, land slow, and of course you have a PT-6 to help you stop.

Not a lot/any used Kodiak's on the market, the owner buys them back so its hard to predict resale.

When you say owner, you mean Quest? Is that why so many of them are registered to Quest?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2014, 14:59

Username Protected wrote:

I have flown the Caravan in the past, but not as much as some here, and I just demoed the Kodiak. I would agree that for an individual the Kodiak is better proportioned and has a great power to weight ratio. Kodiak is also making a lot of improvements as they go. Single point fueling (huge in my mind). Couple of floats are certified. Several interiors, etc. The thing that is so nice about the Kodiak is doing short field work doesn't require great skill. It is easy to fly slow, land slow, and of course you have a PT-6 to help you stop.

Not a lot/any used Kodiak's on the market, the owner buys them back so its hard to predict resale.

When you say owner, you mean Quest? Is that why so many of them are registered to Quest?