World's Odd Corners Welcome Modified King Airs

Commuter Air Technology's CATPASS 250, a performance-improved King Air, is turning up in out-of-the-way places. Canadian charter carrier Air Nunavut has taken delivery of its second aircraft, which will join its predecessor in connecting the airline's base at Iqaluit with sundry other geography-bee stumpers in Canada's Nunavut Province.

The company (Booth 1460) is not permitted to identify another new customer, which has engaged Israel Aircraft Industries' Elta division to equip its CATPASS 250 with electronic surveillance equipment. It will be used for surveillance, counter-terrorist and counter-narcotics missions.

CATPASS 250 is a group of improvements packaged in a single "wrap-around STC" and includes a modified, ceramic-lined exhaust-introduced five years ago-that extracts gas more smoothly from the engine, reducing back pressure and boosting speed by as much as 11 knots. Commuter Air Technology is working on new STCs, which would permit these exhausts to be fitted to 550-plus more King Air 200s and the 2,000-strong King Air C90 fleet.

By Bill Sweetman