Hawker Beechcraft Taking Blackhawk Upgrade Orders

Hawker Beechcraft’s Global Customer Support (GCS) division announced at LABACE 2012 that it is taking orders and scheduling Blackhawk engine upgrades at the show for Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21-equipped King Air 200s.

The installation will replace the original Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 or -42 engines with factory-new PT6A-52 engines, complete with a new-engine warranty—2,500 hours/5 years coverage on primary parts.

The -52 engine, which powers the current-production King Air 250, boosts maximum cruise speeds to up to 310 knots, while normal cruise speeds touch 300 knots. The improved performance is the result of incorporating a more capable and larger compressor section derivative of the King Air 300's PT6A-60A engine.

Blackhawk, based in Waco, Texas, expects certification of the XP52 engine upgrade on Pro Line 21-equipped airplanes in the fourth quarter.