57 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

I doubt the Kodiak is used much for GA.  It is almost invariable used in commercial ops of some sort.

with the airconditioning and deluxe leather interior, together with its ability to land most strips it has found a market which would be considered GA.

5 hours ago, harrry said:

with the airconditioning and deluxe leather interior, together with its ability to land most strips it has found a market which would be considered GA.

Well assuming GA means privately owned and usually owner operated aircraft used for personal recreational purposes, there may be the odd one that fits the definition, but by the same token there are 747s that are probably GA in that sense.

The Kodiak was designed and built as a missionary aircraft and when Quest first released it they sold it to missionary organisations at cost price.  It still fills that role all around the world.

The aircraft may well have appeal to mining magnates etc as a corporate turboprop but with a 2nd hand price around $2,000,000 plus and estimated running costs up around $700 per hour I cannot see a lot of people using it for GA weekend family trips away. 

https://www.aircraftcostcalculator.com/AircraftOperatingCosts/478/Quest+Kodiak

8 hours ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

I doubt the Kodiak is used much for GA.  It is almost invariable used in commercial ops of some sort.

Glenn. It is not however a FL300+ tubeliner and is more than capable into and out of quite small fields.

8 hours ago, fppilot said:

Glenn. It is not however a FL300+ tubeliner and is more than capable into and out of quite small fields.

GA is defined by use not aircraft size.

I suppose it depends on your definition of "General Aviation".  The FFA defines it as anything that is not operated by a commercial carrier or military which would mean any Kodiak not operated by an airline or the military is a GA Plane.  According to the FAA definition most Kodiak operations are GA.

More commonly though operations are "GA" if they are not commercial.  Corporate jets for example are GA by the FAA definition but often seem to be regarded as commercial operations not GA.

However presumably commercial operations that are not subject to the restrictions and regulations pertaining to commercial carriers are GA operations. The interesting question is whether missionary operations, that often involve moving passengers and freight for a nominal fee, are a GA operation. According to the FAA they probably are GA.

Regardless no aircraft is "GA" in and of itself. It depends how it is used. An ultralight used for Military operations is not GA. On the other hand a Boeing 737 operated as a private jet is, by FAA definition, definitely conducting GA operations and operates under GA rules.

 

 

Edited March 8, 20224 yr by Glenn Fitzpatrick