Daher Kodiak 100 vs Pilatus PC-12
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
i
iDaher Kodiak 100
The Kodiak 100 is a purpose-built STOL utility turboprop designed from a clean sheet to replace aging de Havilland Beavers and Cessna Caravans in demanding bush and mission operations. Tom Hamilton (founder of Stoddard-Hamilton/Glasair) and David Voetmann launched the project under Idaho Air Group in 1999, forming Quest Aircraft Company in 2001. The Kodiak first flew in October 2004 and earned FAA Part 23 certification in May 2007, with the first delivery to Spirit Air in January 2008. Setouchi Holdings bought Quest in 2015, and French aerospace group Daher acquired the program in October 2019, folding it alongside the TBM line as Daher's second turboprop product family.
- +Best-in-class STOL performance: 934 ft takeoff, 765 ft landing at gross weight
- +Proven PT6A-34 engine with universal support network and condition-based TBO extensions
- +Flat-floor cargo cabin: 3,123 lb useful load, 53×49 inch door, flexible 10-seat or all-cargo configuration
- !Acquisition cost (~$2.8M new) and operating budget ($150k–$220k annually for 200 hr/year) limit owner-flyer market
- !No pressurization; 25,000 ft max altitude and 174 KTAS cruise lag pressurized competitors on cross-country missions
- !Heavy phase inspections and engine work (hot-section $180k–$230k, overhaul ~$319k) require specialized shops; limited mechanic availability outside Pacific Northwest and Alaska
Pilatus PC-12
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine pressurized turboprop built in Stans, Switzerland, and is the benchmark owner-flown turbine in general aviation. Announced at NBAA 1989, it received Swiss certification on March 30, 1994, and FAA certification on July 15, 1994. With more than 2,000 airframes delivered (the 1,000th in June 2010), it is the best-selling pressurized single-engine turboprop in history. It combines a 330-cubic-foot King Air-class cabin, a signature aft cargo door, a 10,450 lb MTOW, single-pilot certification, and a PT6A up front. Owner-flown business operators, Part 135 charters (PlaneSense, Surf Air, Tradewind), fractionals, cargo feeders, EMS, skydiving operators, and military ISR users (U-28A) all fly it. It is frequently called "the Suburban of the sky" for its combination of payload, range, unimproved-field capability, and cabin versatility. Cross-reference Daher TBM 700/850/900/910/930/940/960 for the speed-focused alternative, Cessna 208 Caravan and Daher Kodiak 100 for unpressurized utility turbines, and Beechcraft King Air B200 for the twin-engine peer.
- +King Air–class cabin with aft cargo door; single-pilot certified turboprop
- +1,765 nm range (4 pax); 290 KTAS cruise at FL220; pressurized to 30,000 ft
- +Factory-authorized service network (30+ centers in North America); 24–48 hr parts availability
- !PT6A hot-section inspection mandatory at 1,750 hr ($85K–150K); TBO cycle compliance non-negotiable
- !$900–1,300/hr direct operating cost; $750K–$1.1M annual budget for typical 350–400 hr owner
- !Requires Pilatus-authorized service center for major work; independent A&Ps limited to line maintenance
Comparing a specific airplane you found for sale?
Get a Tail # Report on that tail number →