The MOST Impressive Airplane I’ve Ever Flown (Full Tour)

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this video. All opinions are my own.
The Kodiak 900 is the complete package... It will take off and land in under 1,500 feet, carries 10 people, has a cargo pod, and still cruises over 200 knots. Mark Brown joins us to provide an exterior and interior tour of this amazing airplane and discuss the similarities and differences from its little brother, the Kodiak 100.
Link to our full flight: • TOTAL UNICORN! The Bes...
Video Chapters:
0:00 - Unreal Stats
0:30 - Kodiak 900 vs. 100
0:52 - Fuselage
1:25 - Engine & Prop
2:56 - Cargo Pod
4:24 - Wheel Pants & Single Point Refueling
5:00 - Door Versatility
6:07 - Advanced Wing Design
7:00 - Interior
8:55 - Cockpit & Avionics
10:45 - Environmental
11:30 - Link to Our Full Flight
Link to full Kodiak 900 flight: • TOTAL UNICORN! The Bes...
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[@AirplaneAcademy]

Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I just launched an "Insiders" Newsletter where once a week I'm sharing an important lesson I've learned in aviation, links to my latest content so you don't miss out, and links to any other interesting or helpful content I've found. I'm also working on a HUGE project I can't announce yet but I'm going to be sharing more behind the scenes info with Insiders first - Subscribe (it's free) at: airplaneacademy.com/insiders

[@rnordquest]

This was a paper airplane when I first worked on the design. It was a wonderful time and we had great fun and camaraderie that first year as the company grew. I had never even heard of Priest River before. What memories!

[@AirplaneAcademy]

hey very cool!

[@InstaPete]

My friends are A&P’s who helped build the Kodiak 100 and have their signatures inside airframe 99 and 100 😁 It’s so cool to see the 900 take flight.

[@JohnVKaravitis]

Kodiak 100: $3 million Kodiak 900: $3.5 million

[@dandan8333]

Nice walk around... just the highest points. That's an aircraft to get excited about flying! Someone answered those dreams. Wow! Really appreciate it, so nice.

[@8-0-0-8-5]

I got to fly as a passenger on a few of the very earliest Kodiak 100's in Papua New Guinea. Those were revolutionary at the time because they were a dedicated utility / bush aircraft and really helped modernize the aging fleets of their operators (who had until then been holding on to a bunch of old 206's in lieu of suitable replacement types). Amazing to see how much further the Kodiak design could be pushed. Quest nailed it with the 100, and it's great to see Daher continue that tradition with the 900.

[@paulc38125]

The rule of thumb on aircraft horsepower: a lot is good, more is better, and too much is just about right!

[@TheJustinJ]

Definition of an internal combustion Engine: "A mechanical device producing insufficient power." ~ C.F. Taylor (the guy who wrote the book on engines).

[@stubryant9145]

True! ....in a world where cost per knot is no object. Good thing is once you pay for that HP, you can choose to throttle back to economy cruise if fuel cost bothers you. But whoever can pay cash for one of these magnificent birds can't afford a little more jet A?

[@Farweasel]

Ithink it was mae West who nailed that with *Too much of a good thing is Wonderful'* !

[@gumbykevbo]

No kill like overkill!

[@thudable]

Beautiful aircraft. Thanks for the vid.

[@eksemos]

Dude, you're the GOAT of all things Aviation 101!! So practical, clear and simple. You're a real inspiration to me as an aviation enthusiast..

[@eksemos]

@@whomitmayconcern😂 you're a funny guy. You have your opinion, I have mine. I simply wanted to congratulate the channel owner/moderator on a great online resource and a job well done. Nothing wrong with that. Perhaps that Aviation 101 you're alluding to is an amazing channel as well, but everyone is different and brings something special to this space. Don't be so dismissive of other people.. give them space to hold and share their own opinion. I appreciate your reference to Aviation 101 and I'd love to check it out, but maybe you could go about things in a kinder way in future so that you're winning over others by drawing their interest to other options online.

[@dennisk5180]

This aircraft is gorgeous as well as having excellent features.

[@olyolson2576]

Such a nice airplane. Wow, just amazing.

[@metahertzuk]

Found this vid while looking for information from your 900 flight video about the wing design allowing aileron control during stalls. Super interesting, great vids!

[@Tyshark]

Gorgeous plane!

[@cesararzola]

What a beautiful aircraft!

[@MuchLove181Forever]

Looking Good!

[@davidbrattain1446]

Looks like a winner to me!

[@user-ic3sj1nw5v]

Mark, you are awesome, I wish I could add this to the series Merchants Without Borders.

[@Kefoo_]

-- For a mere $3.5M+, it looks like a FIND! *_Thank you Airplane Academy!_*

[@PerryRobinson18]

Nice video 🔥

[@royalordinance]

Im in Love, thats Engineering!

[@mickemike2148]

Oooh! Nice!

[@DanT271]

Beautiful aircraft! Just my personal preference but I usually would not want to fly on singles but this appears to be a very safe and stable aircraft

[@Sarge0311]

Very nice airplane I like the rear cargo door can fit large items or air med aircraft

[@VictoryAviation]

A lot of times I feel like fresh/innovative features on new aircraft are damned near non existent. It sure seems like a lot of thought went into the design of this iteration. That’s pretty exciting!

[@InstaPete]

This plane is a beast!!! My friends fly the Kodiak 100 and have hit pot holes half the size of a tire in PNG and it handles it like a champ.

[@VictoryAviation]

@@InstaPete Like the Missionary Bush Pilot 😁

[@InstaPete]

@@VictoryAviation yes sir, my friend is in McNeal, AZ right now. He is rated to fly the Kodiak 100 and is currently getting his helicopter endorsement.

[@VictoryAviation]

@@InstaPete Oh nice! Helicopters are a completely different kind of flying lol

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

I was born and raised in the small town where these are built. I don't live there now, and was surprised decades back, to discover them.

[@california.connection]

Hi Charlie, just came across your channel. I'm in Dallas as well and my 8 year old son loves aviation, so I'm taking him on a Discovery flight out of Addison airport in a few weeks!

[@AirplaneAcademy]

Awesome! You will both love it. Addison is a great place to learn. It's a little expensive and congested but it's great training to get comfortable going in and out of a busy airport like that. Have so much fun!

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

Living in the U.K. and having family in Rural Ireland, I can see how this aircraft could make fun hops across the Irish Sea - I could easily see this aircraft being used to fly from London City Airport direct to the Scottish Islands or to the West of Ireland including the Aran Islands

[@russellwhitbread]

Problem is London City doesn't allow single engine aircraft.

[@CliffordTheCowboyCloser]

That's a cool plane

[@ckryegrass11]

Cessna kicking rocks right now. Pilatus is avoiding eye contact.

[@Eiaton]

Sweet

[@paulbickley658]

Nice, I like it... I doubt I could buy one right away...

[@charlesv3962]

Sick absolutely sick Kodiak, if was capable of owning a flying a airplane I’d love to just travel around the world and fly into remote locations and enjoy the experience and sights

[@daffidavit]

This would be a great personal aircraft. if I could afford an expensive airplane, I'd rather have this. Imaging the backwoods places you could take this.

[@TheJustinJ]

@@daffidavittherefore its not a great "personal aircraft" since it cant meet that definition.

[@daffidavit]

I would remove some of the seats. Maybe have a place for 4-6 passengers and enough gear to go camping in Alaska. I'd fly from the lower U.S. I'd also camp out in New England and go for the smaller airstrips. To me, that would be "personal". The problem would be getting jet fuel when you need it.

[@mattwoodford1820]

What's the minimum speed at FL150? Also what's the max weight it can carry with the seats removed?

[@wanderleyapparecidovieira2282]

Why it uses struts to hold the wings ? Afraid the wings fall down ?

[@Ryan-719]

I figured it would be pressurized

[@CaptMoo]

Love it since Quest days

[@genespell4340]

The survival rate would rise dramatically as long as the plane doesn't catch on fire.

[@AmericasChoice]

How secure are those seats if they can be removed so easily, just asking?

[@floatinflyinandfishing]

when i win the lottery this week I am buying one. MSFS sold me on it

[@shinew7185]

Hey! I thought it was my turn to win!!! Oh well, good luck to us both. 😃

[@jay-rus4437]

Kodiak 100 is one of my very favorite flight sim planes. Lol

[@KellyWebb065]

You should look at providing tool box/tool kit for fixing the basics.

[@kingofcastlechaos]

If something breaks, you just land and Ommpa-Loompas jump out of their office inside the pod and fix everything. Then they sing a song about why YOU broke it. (Willy Wonka reference)

[@youtubespanishfishingchann6575]

I'm in love ❤️ I want to fly one another one for my log book 📖

[@ryanhewett1663]

This is a plane I would love to learn to fly.

[@thekingsilverado3266]

The stall feature has been with a few very impressive new Gen RC airplanes my favorite after work toys. I had always been wondering who would get smart first and build this into a conventional traveler. There has been one or two bush planes with the feature but nothing with more than 4 seats that i know of. I am impressed with this bigger updated toy. The built in avo wing pod is also a really nice touch

[@cactusforever7198]

is it A/T or hand power

[@robertwarner5963]

I predict that the Kodiak 1000 will have a deeper cabin, deep enough to accommodate 2 or 3 LD3 cargo containers. LD3 are becoming the norm in the over-night courier business because they can be loaded faster than loose boxes.

[@djsnyder001]

A bit like the Cessna Caravan, with the exception that the circuit breaker panel is located at the center console . . .

[@Garagem28customs]

what a machine... i want it..

[@FreePilotTraining]

The PT6 is a cool engine because it actually faces backwards and the propeller is driven by the thrust it produces. Very cool

[@gibememoni]

it reminds me of the cessna caravan

[@spiro5327]

Looks like you will be trading the 182 very soon congratulations 🎊

[@Agislife1960]

If you incorporated some rock deflectors on the bottom back side of those wheel pants, you'd be ready for the Alaskan 135 market

[@waynesilva3129]

These planes will sell like hot cakes. Perfect for snorkeling in the South Pacific and camping in the Australian outback 😊. Sure, if you want to fly from San Diego to Maine take the TBM. However, this 900 would be much more fun over all.

[@realulli]

Hey, the 100 is the flying F250. The 900 is the flying Suburban. The TBM is the flying Model S. The Premier 1 is the flying S-Class... ;-)

[@captainbuck5969]

Can’t beat my plane.

[@0304rishi]

Please do a comparison between 900 and Grand caravan ex. Which is more value for money to own and operate.. ??

[@AirplaneAcademy]

It's a good question. Kind of comes down to the mission. The kodiak is more expensive but also has better short field performance. It also has both TKS (de-ice) and a radar pod, whereas the short caravan you have to choose one or the other. The Caravan EX has both and it's similar in speed to the Kodiak 100 (the EX might be a couple of knots faster) but the Kodiak 900 outruns all of them. The wing (and corresponding slow flight and stall performance) is a big differentiator for the Kodiak as well. There is a lot of overlap in the mission profile but some differences like these and others.

[@petrosspetrosgali]

There is no comparison. Grand Canyon airlines bought a few Kodiaks years ago, intending to build a fleet of them. They ended up being too unreliable and expensive so they got rid of them. They ended up building a fleet of what is now 5 208bs which are WAY better.

[@herbbates4713]

No pressurized, I guess it is made for short hops only, I thought turbans worked best at altitudes that need pressurizing to get the best out of them

[@ExtremeRecluse]

I wish Santa would put a set of keys under my tree next year.

[@BuzzMoves365]

Yeah, it’s cute.

[@mitseraffej5812]

You don’t have to use it all and often times it is good practice not to. I don’t have any bush flying experience but with jet airliners reduced thrust take off is the norm, all determined by TOW, field length and environmental conditions. Engine wear and tear being the reason for using reduced thrust / power and it would most likely pay dividends with this gorgeous airplane.

[@TinkXFD]

Can this airplane be used for skydiving operations?

[@ryandurr2811]

A few use the 100, it's not as good as the caravan.

[@cartmanrlsusall]

Put it on amphibious floats,for the perfect explorer

[@JohnEBurns]

What is the Top Cruising Speed and Distance it Can Fly on Tank of Fuel. Very Curious.

[@garyhardoby6303]

Around the 8:39 mark of this video there is a worm/caterpillar on the edge of this guys hoody he is wearing on the left of his head.

[@odyshopody9387]

Reminds me of a Cessna Caravan.

[@stubryant9145]

This is better suited to short rough fields than that big Cessna turbine.

[@calimark7448]

I want one... :-)

[@user-nr3ss5hk9s]

How much $

[@thecitizen49]

Never feel sorry for anyone that owns an airplane.

[@abelardoabascal628]

Hace algunos años empezó costando un millón de dólares y hoy cuesta tres millones …..están locos.

[@Dan_C604]

Price of everything has gone up like crazy, not only airplanes. There is nothing cheap nowadays except in the dollar store. It is what we have today in the world…. (Sorry, no Spanish…)

[@Tadrjbs]

$ = awesome, the more $$$$$$$, the more awesome.

[@six_twentythree]

Sooo when are you upgrading, Charlie? 😄

[@daviddilley538]

What’s the mission? Fit the aircraft to the mission. C208 with a -140 is more capable and cheaper, and only slightly slower….mission lengths?

[@drumrboynoid]

Itd be nice to see airbags put in planes. Atleast for the pilots.

[@kaleb9388]

Such a beautiful airplane. I just wish they weren't so expensive. It's crazy to me that a $3.5 million aircraft is attainable by enough people to sustain a company.

[@youdoyouplayer8529]

The panel could use some work.

[@charlesgraham9954]

my brothers in the Airforce and he invited me to a fighter jet simulator. i could take off and fly, but i never could land without crashing.. lol

[@NT4XT]

🦄 i think so, too.

[@trustenbaker8766]

And who are you that I should be impressed that your impressed?

[@diGritz1]

Someone watched the Air America movie one too many times. "0_o" Jokes aside this is pretty close to Pilatus PC-6 Porter if it were built today. From the review it sounds to be just as good.

[@Arturo-lapaz]

Pilatus Porter cruises at half speed ,almost exactly , The rep said that speed above 200 knots was the goal, at the same altitude to double the speed you must increase the horse power 8 times. But payload is the same and so are the runway requirements. Used to fly one over the vast dry lakes at 12000 feet elevation, in Bolivia ; Indicated airspeed was 80 knots, at that altitude the TAS is 96 knots, OAT - 9C. At 15000 same IAS, TAS right at 100 kt, OAT -15C

[@costinhadacosta8474]

Ouch ... Out of my league!

[@Well_Edumacated]

what do you expect? it's a copy of the Cessna Caravan with some changes.

[@uttoak]

Thanks but I’ll stick with the pc-12

[@Dan_C604]

But aren’t they very different? To me is like comparing apples with oranges. I am not too sure about the quality of this Kodiak, but let’s say it is good. Still, they are very different in design, mission and quality. Comparing something so different isn’t really worth it. Now, you can compare this model with a Cessna Caravan, then maybe you have some things to say. PC-12 is even hard to compare to a TBM! (And both may have more in common than with a Kodiak). Pilatus has an unparalleled design, quality, performance and capabilities that would be hard to put at some level with this one.

[@conradsenior5843]

not only that, it only burns 5 gals an hour???

[@arturasstatkus8613]

👍👍👍👍👍🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷

[@h2oski1200]

when are you giving one away, 100k subs?

[@technicalactivity]

Maintenance costs = 20k annual

[@maddogtank8425]

yes and the airplane is over a million dollars so what it's $20,000 do you really think the people who are flying an aircraft that takes hundreds of dollars per hour in fuel and millions of dollars is in Purchase cost give a f*** cuz I can tell you these people don't give a f***

[@VictoryAviation]

That’s really not bad at all for what it does. It leaves huge room for a profit margin.

[@technicalactivity]

@@VictoryAviation hopefully, if you can get away with flying it the least and reselling it before it’s too old.. at a certain threshold we are just comparing Lambos to Ferraris 😅

[@VictoryAviation]

@@technicalactivity I was just thinking that for the operators that need a plane of this size (Hawaii, Alaska, Malaysia, PNG, etc), that 20k is no big deal compared to annual profit. That’s only $385.00 dollars a week. It wouldn’t take much revenue to compensate for that cost. And it shouldn’t be very hard to pull reasonable revenue with such a capable aircraft, given that someone is an intelligent business owner.

[@garyhardoby6303]

Do I win a free plane or something for finding it??!!

[@AlexC-jz7qz]

Not bad at only $5.5M.

[@neilhaas]

🛩️🛩️🛩️🛩️🧑‍✈️❤😊🎉⚓🧭🧭

[@Cyberdactyl]

It should be impressive at $3,500,000

[@plantfeeder6677]

Looks like a Cessna Caravan. Lots of research into this plane? Ya worked with Caravans for years. Nothing they can't carry and can land anywhere. This is just a Lexus version of the great Toyota of the sky

[@kickinit8314]

Great Airplane, but… Although it was designed for bush operations, it really does not defeat any of the other turbine options. Hence why no commercial operator in Papua/PNG uses them other than MAF who get a deal… Pilatus PC-6 and Caravan reign supreme!!!

[@julesviolin]

How much? I'll have 2 !

[@Seadoo233]

3.5 million dollars per plane.

[@jimholloman4457]

Don't eat the Mic!

[@garyhardoby6303]

I know....free flight training for my grandchildren.

[@KeithSage]

It needs floats.

[@GreatDataVideos]

Great plane for an unpressurized plane. Turboprops perform best at altitude, but going on oxygen isn't fun.

[@WhitecholoTV]

It’s a turboprop. No pistons

[@GreatDataVideos]

@@WhitecholoTV Thanks for catching that. I meant turboprops.

[@WILLIAM1690WALES]

If you look at the Hawker Tempest with the Napier sabre engine how powerful they were, and by the way, while you were Blitzen and strife in the Nazis were striking you with all the force that they had

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

And how many gallons per hour? Looks like prettier Carvan with a cargo pod. I like it but will never afford it.

[@mothmagic1]

A Cessna Grand Caravan knock off

[@ditto1958]

I’ve often wondered if they’re similar other than the way they look?

[@petrovichbauer5105]

Who can afford a plane like this?

[@danderson1937]

Your salesman is like having sex with oneself.... uni fucking inspiring!

[@stevetucker9181]

I hate guys that can’t stop saying “Basically.” It’s so condescending.