Avcon Industries has obtained FAA supplemental type certificate approval, STC SA04581CH, of nose extension and extra-large whale pod modifications in the King Air B300 aircraft.

The two modifications provide approximately 80 cubic feet of additional space in the fuselage-mounted pod, which can accommodate sensors/cameras/radars with a swept volume of up to 57 inches diameter. The Avcon extended nose allows installation of an up to 20 inch camera or EO/IR sensor.

"The whale pod is uniquely designed by the Avcon aerospace engineers to minimise drag and maximise available space for King Air operators," says Butler president and CEO Chris Reedy. "Similarly, the Avcon King Air nose extension creates new usable space for many different applications. I strongly encourage operators to view the two new products on our website."

"From an operator and airplane handling perspective, I have several hours flight testing the whale pod with the extended nose. Avcon has succeeded with optimising its shape for aerodynamic performance. The addition of the nose extension with the whale pod installed on the King Air 350 handles nicely," adds Avcon president and company test pilot Marcus Abendroth.

The standard Avcon whale pod has a catalogue price of $325,000, the Avcon King Air nose extension has a starting price of $425,000.

"Avcon continues to enhance and grow the utility of airplanes for special missions, among other commercial operations. It has many additional options that enhance the utilisation of its extended nose and whale pod for the King Air B300," says director of sales Aric Peters. "The lift mechanism for both is designed for generic functionality, to include retraction and extension of lights, cameras, mapping devices and sensors, and other items used for special mission operations. The whale pod is also capable of incorporating a drop hatch and camera port configurations."