Tom Hamilton, the aircraft developer behind the Kodiak single-engine turboprop and the Glasair and GlaStar kitplanes, is developing a new backcountry aircraft for operators seeking an affordable replacement for aging turboprops.
His company, Reach Aviation, plans to offer the eight- to nine-seat AC-6 with turbine and diesel power options. Reach is targeting a $2.25 million price for the turboprop version, aimed at missionary groups, small commercial operators and private owners.
Hamilton founded Reach in 2017 in Priest River, Idaho. The company is led by CEO Samuel Spear, a mechanical engineer who joined Reach early in its development and has worked with missionary aviation organizations including JAARS and Mission Aviation Training Academy. Hamilton serves as Founder and Board Director.
Reach sees an opportunity between older utility aircraft, such as the de Havilland Beaver and Cessna 206, and more expensive turbine-powered replacements such as the Kodiak, now produced by Daher. The company says corrosion, structural fatigue and limited parts availability for older aircraft are making aging fleets harder to maintain, particularly for operators serving in remote countries.
The AC-6 has a steel-tube fuselage frame covered by removable composite panels. Mechanics can remove the panels to inspect and repair fuel lines, flight controls and other systems.
The windshield is also designed for quick removal, providing access behind the instrument panel. Reach says these features should reduce the work involved in inspections and repairs and help keep aircraft available for service.
The cabin has eight feet of usable space behind the pilots and is intended to accommodate passenger seats, cargo or medical transport equipment. Reach’s design overview specifies a 42-inch cargo door, an optional door on the opposite side and an optional external cargo pod. Float attachment points are planned for every airframe.
The company plans to pursue initial certification with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine. A second version would use a new 12-cylinder diesel from Ascent Engine Technologies. Both would burn Jet-A fuel.
Reach describes the AC-6 as the intended launch aircraft for Ascent’s engine, which it lists in the 600-650 hp range.
Hamilton has brought a utility aircraft through certification before. He founded Quest Aircraft in Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1999 to develop the 10-seat Kodiak, which received FAA certification in 2007. His earlier ventures included Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft and composite-float manufacturer Aerocet.
Reach said it is seeking investment partners to advance the AC-6. Its published design overview does not provide a certification or customer-delivery timetable, and the company continues to describe the aircraft as in development.