“Commuter Air Technology’s 350ME retrofit fuel tanks for the Beech King Air 300 twin turboprop enables our customers to fly their King Air from coast to coast or internationally across the Atlantic without the need to refuel,” company president Darryl Wilkerson said on Monday at NBAA 2015. Commuter Air Technology (CAT, C13305 and Indoor Static 13) designed the fuel tank STC to be used in tandem with an operational gross weight increase STC that was certified in July 2015. Wilkerson expects the fuel tank STCs to be approved in the first quarter of next year.

The 350ME tanks add 280 gallons to the venerable King Air B300, giving it a 12-hour endurance and 2,760-nm range, a 15-percent improvement from current fuel augmentation solutions on the market. The wet cell anodized aluminum tanks extend aerodynamically over-wing from the engine nacelles. Mechanical fuel pumps move the fuel from the new tanks into the existing fuel system. Composite fairings preserve the King Air’s lines and keep the airflow smooth, however, the STC does include a required reduction in aircraft maximum Mach speed.

“The fuel tank STC is available for all King Air 300s with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 2 and Pro Line 21 avionics, and we’ll be adding other avionics systems next year,” said Wilkerson.

The tank upgrade is paired with CAT’s new STC for an operational gross weight increase. Ramp weight goes from around 15,000 pounds to 16,600 pounds, with a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 pounds and a maximum landing weight of 15,675 pounds.

Installed pricing for the operational weight increase is $450,000 USD. Retail pricing for the fuel tank STC is $500,000 USD. FBOs and dealers can negotiate discounts. Downtime for the installations is around eight weeks, according to Wilkerson.

The company is taking orders for the STC at NBAA 2015 at discounted rates.

“Paris is evidence that the world is not getting any safer and there is a high demand across the world for special mission aircraft to get these people who perpetrate these terrible acts,” said Wilkerson. “What happens in the Middle East it is not contained. We are primary players in the special missions mod market and we are working hard to keep up with the demand. We see it continue to grow.”