Quest Aircraft
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Tom Hamilton, David Voetmann |
| Headquarters | Sandpoint , United States |
Key people | Paul Schaller (CEO 2004–2011), Sam Hill (CEO 2012–2017), Robert H. Wells (CEO from 2017) |
| Products | Quest Kodiak (single-engine STOL aircraft) |
Number of employees | 340 (2009), 155 (2010) |
| Parent | Daher (from 2019) |
The Quest Aircraft Company was a United States-based aircraft manufacturer located in Sandpoint, Idaho. Established in 2001 with the objective of creating aircraft suited for humanitarian purposes, the company’s only model was the Kodiak, a single-engine plane designed for short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations.
In February 2015, ownership of Quest transferred to Setouchi Holdings, a Japanese firm that had previously served as its distributor. Later, in 2019, the business was acquired by the French industrial conglomerate Daher.
History
The origins of Quest trace back to 1998 when Tom Hamilton and David Voetmann founded the Idaho Air Group to develop an aircraft specifically intended for demanding humanitarian aviation tasks. After securing necessary financing, Quest Aircraft officially began operations in 2001 with a team of 14 employees. By 2002, the company had set up a dedicated facility to build its initial prototype, which eventually led to the creation of the Quest Kodiak.
Paul Schaller took on the role of CEO in 2004, and by 2009, the workforce had expanded to 340 employees. However, in 2010, the company underwent downsizing that reduced staff numbers to 155. The following year saw new capital investment and changes in leadership, with Schaller moving into a consulting position.
From 2012 until January 2017, Sam Hill served as CEO, bringing prior experience from Embraer and Honda Aircraft Company. In February 2015, Quest became part of Setouchi Holdings through acquisition.
By mid-2016, Quest had enlarged its headquarters to include a dedicated research and development hangar. Robert H. Wells was appointed CEO in January 2017; his background included executive roles at Tag Aviation, Beechcraft, and Landmark Aviation.
On June 13, 2019, Daher announced it had purchased Quest from Setouchi Holdings. The acquisition was finalized on October 1, 2019, after which Quest was rebranded as Kodiak Aircraft and fully integrated into Daher’s operations.
Products
See also
References
- Marsh, Alton K. AOPA Pilot 2006