Avcon Industries, a US manufacturer and systems integrator for special mission aircraft modifications, has announced an FAA STC for the National Science Foundation – University of Wyoming Environmental Research King Air 300 aircraft with a complex integration of structural and electrical modifications.

Avcon received FAA STC for the installation of the Avcon King air nose extension with sensor mounting provisions, wing tip or outboard hard points, also referred to as provisions for external stores, with significant sensor shapes, dual downward and dual upward camera ports, lower fuselage hardpoints with pylons for large external sensors, side-fuselage hardpoints for sensors and upper fuselage hardpoints for sensors on King Air 300 and 350 airplanes. The Avcon FAA STC allows for various combinations of sensor deployment. The STC expands the options of Avcon Industries products available for installation. The generic shapes mounted to the various hardpoints during flight testing give Avcon customers the opportunity to adapt Avcon products to specific mission requirements.

“First, congratulations to the University of Wyoming and the National Science Foundation for their commitment to research and in appreciation for selecting Avcon to work the special mission project. Avcon accepted the University of Wyoming next generation King Air research airplane project as a significant challenge. The modifications sought were integrated, complex and had multiple configurations. Approximately five years after starting the project, Avcon achieved the FAA STC,” comments Marcus Abendroth, president of Avcon Industries.

“From a business perspective, Avcon made a significant engineering commitment to the University of Wyoming King Air project. We believe our investment will yield a foundation of engineering for new product sales and development opportunities in the future,” adds Chris Reedy, president and CEO of Avcon's parent company, Butler National Corporation.

“We appreciate the relationship and commitment of the Avcon team to the University of Wyoming in integration and certification of our King Air research airplane. The scale of this project was huge, and this aircraft is unique amongst atmospheric research aircraft,” states Jeff French, professor and head of Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming. “The University of Wyoming and its partners are committed to innovative environmental research. The NSF UW research King Air is an essential platform to continue and expand the university's research mission and to serve national research needs. The special mission modified King Air brings tremendous flexibility and adaptability with the multitude of configurations made available with the FAA-certified aircraft.”