Tremendous growth earns Quest honors

SANDPOINT — Quest Aircraft Company was awarded the annual "Business of the Year" award from the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation as a result of their tremendous job growth during the past year.

In the past 12 months, Quest employment has grown by 82 percent, making it the fastest growing company in Bonner County over this period.

Quest is the manufacturer of a new 10-seat, single engine turboprop utility airplane known as the KODIAK. The aircraft is built around a commitment to modern short takeoff and landing design, rugged construction, turbine power, and high useful load.

Mark Williams, executive director of the BCEDC said, "Very few people expect a rural county like Bonner County to have such high technology manufacturing as Quest employs. I have been told that there are only three companies in the entire western United States that are capable of building such a sophisticated airplane and it is truly amazing to have one of them here. They are doing a phenomenal job of engineering the plane while managing meteoric grovwth."

Williams continued, "Quest's growth is representative of our robust manufacturing sector. Since 2000, employment by Bonner County manufacturers has risen 21 percent, while manufacturing employment in the U.S. has fallen by 16 percent. This is especially significant to our economy since manufacturing wages are the highest in the county — 33 percent higher than the average wage."

"It is seldom that a company is fortunate enough to find a growing community for its headquarters that meets all the company's and employees' needs," said Paul Schaller, president and CEO of Quest. "Bonner County has been such a community and we look forward to growing together to build on this relationship. As we begin delivery of KODIAK aircraft in 2007, we will continue to expand our employment here.

"Our employees have found a wonderful quality of life and many ways to contribute to the people and the progress of our community," Schaller concluded. "Bonner County is an excellent location for Quest."

The origins of Quest began in 1998 with the start of Idaho Air Group — the product of co-visionaries Tom Hamilton and Dave Voetmann, who recognized the need for a modern backcountry aircraft designed to meet the extraordinary demands of humanitarian aviation.

In 2000, with the first private funds raised, Quest hired the company's first engineer. The company quickly gained momentum and the first concept parts were being cut by the end of the year. The company was officially launched in 2001 and by that summer employed a staff of 14. On October 16, 2002, their new 27,000 square foot facility was officially dedicated and the team moved the production work to its current home at the Sandpoint Municipal Airport. Two years later to the day, the KODIAK took to the skies for its first flight. Since then, the KODIAK has logged more than 500 hours of flight time as the aircraft moves closer to FAA certification which is expected by the end of this year.

In October 2005, the company completed a 57,000-square-foot expansion to its facility that will house the KODIAK production line. Construction of the first production aircraft is well underway and the aircraft is scheduled to roll off the line within weeks. The company continues to grow in terms of personnel as well, with 100 skilled employees now at the Sandpoint facility.