Blackhawk Expects STC for King Air 350 Engine Upgrade in May

Blackhawk Modifications (Booth 1119) has submitted its flight-test plan to the FAA for its King Air 350 XP67A engine upgrade program. FAA flight testing will begin once the agency green lights the plan and conclude in May, when the company expects to receive STC approval.

Under Blackhawk’s upgrade program, the King Air 350’s factory-standard 1,050-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A engines on the King Air 350 are replaced with a pair of more powerful, 1,200-shp PT6A-67As. The higher horsepower engine will also require a more robust propeller assembly, so Blackhawk has worked with MT Propeller to develop a migration path. If a King Air 350 already has five-blade composite propellers currently installed, MT will exchange the hubs and spinners to ensure compatibility with the PT6A-67A engines for a “small fee.” In addition, MT will reset the propeller warranty to two years.

Meanwhile, Blackhawk said that the performance of its flight-test XP67A King Air has exceeded expectations. In hot temperatures, the XP67A has demonstrated a climb from sea level to its FL350 service ceiling in 18 minutes, shaving off nearly 30 minutes from the stock engines. Typical cruise speeds are increased by up to 37 ktas, up to 340 ktas at maximum engine power limits.

Precertification orders are now being accepted for the XP67A with a $50,000 refundable deposit, which secures a delivery position and locks in a precertification pricing rebate. Blackhawk has also contracted with P&WC to offer the XP67A under the converter exchange program and requires the core PT6A-60A engines to be returned. Qualifying core engines will be issued credit at $70 per hour per engine for time remaining to the 3600 TBO.