Thu, Jul 25, 2013
Pilots Find Aircraft To Be 'Stable' On Land And Water
Initial flight trials of a Quest Kodiak on Aerocet model 6650 composite amphibious floats have been completed by the company. Aerocet has reached a substantial milestone towards certification of their floats that are designed specifically for the Kodiak, which is manufactured by Quest Aircraft in Sandpoint, Idaho. Flight testing by multiple pilots has proven the floats to be very stable on and off the water.
“We have found no bad habits and are comfortable with all handling,” says Tom Hamilton, owner of Aerocet. “I personally have tried several bad operating techniques on the water with benign results. This is just what we were looking for. So far, in the aerodynamic testing, the stability of the plane is very close to the baseline performance without floats simply by application of stock dual ventral fins. Very stable in the air."
Matt Sigfrinius, General Manager for Aerocet, said that the floats are significantly lighter with the use of carbon fiber, giving owners more useful load. They incorporate the Aerocet patented oil bath wheels on both the main and nose wheels virtually eliminating bearing maintenance. Each float has three very large lockers for baggage. Sigfrinius said two big benefits of the composite construction are no leaking (due to rivet free hull construction) and reduced maintenance costs as the hulls do not suffer corrosion issues.
The prototype floats were installed on the Kodiak by Ace Aviation of Renton, WA. Initial feedback from the FBO indicates that the Aerocet float kit is “incredible how it comes together, an uncomplicated and clean installation." The Kodiak being utilized in the flight program is leased from Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) who is a strong supporter of Aerocet. MAF uses aircraft, sometimes equipped with Aerocet floats or cargo pods, for mission and philanthropy work in areas that are typically remote and hard to reach.
The MAF Kodiak and Aerocet amphibious floats will be on display this year at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.
(Image provided by Aerocet)
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