Long-Distance Fuel Option Enters Service with First Home Builders of "RV-10ER"

Sky Designs' new RV-10ER Extended Range fuel tank kit is already airborne, only a few months after beginning shipments in the summer of 2022. 

The first pilot to use the kit was Richard Connell of Sydney, Australia. His RV-10 build, assisted by local builder assist company Synergy Air South, took to the skies in June of 2022. Enjoying the RV-10, Connell noted with excitement that the ER tanks would add considerable range and endurance and soon nabbed some of the first units sent out into the wild.

"The primary mission is to be able to fly out to the in-laws and return without refueling. It's a 300NM trip from Sydney to their ranch, which has its own grass airstrip. In the 15 years I’ve been doing that trip in the RV-7, I’ve been caught out by no fuel on the way back with headwinds or at the destination quite a few times. It just gets too close for comfort. An extra hour of endurance would completely solve this problem. Two hours is even better!"

The standard RV-10 sports a 50-gallon capacity in total, with the extended tanks bringing the total up to 68 US gallons. That's an improvement from 25 gal to 34 gal in each wing, with only 2 more wing rib bays used further out along the wings. Overall, the tanks only add 4.5 pounds of empty weight, adding extra capability for a very modest weight penalty. 

FMI: www.skydesigns.aero