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Blackhawk Group has received FAA approval for its XP66D engine upgrade for the Daher TBM 700, which replaces the original 700-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 with the 850-shp PT6A-66D.
At Blackhawk’s Waco, Texas headquarters, the first installation is underway, and a second is scheduled at Blackhawk’s Avex Performance Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The certification TBM 700 is a 2004 C2 model that showcases all of the company’s capabilities with new Garmin avionics, custom paint, and a fresh interior.
With the 21% increase in power, the XP66D-upgraded TBM 700 can climb to FL310 in 22 minutes, shaving six minutes off the original model’s performance. Cruise speed is up by an average of 25 ktas, to 303 ktas.
“The approval and first installation of the XP66D engine upgrade represents a landmark achievement for Blackhawk and for TBM 700 operators worldwide,” said Edwin Black, president of Blackhawk’s proprietary upgrades division. “By combining our proven expertise in STC development with the unmatched TBM knowledge of our Avex Performance Centers, we’re delivering a truly transformative upgrade that maximizes the capability and value of the TBM 700.”
Meanwhile, Blackhawk is launching at NBAA-BACE a new STC program to add an electrically heated anti-ice boot on the Piper Meridian elevator horn gap. This is the same solution that Piper uses for the M600 and M700 turboprop singles and prevents ice from forming between the elevator horn and horizontal stabilizer.
“If left unchecked, ice accumulation in this area can restrict elevator movement, a condition that previously required pilots to periodically ‘shake the tail’ by moving the elevators,” according to Blackhawk. “This upgrade delivers a major safety benefit to legacy Meridian operators and brings the fleet in line with the modern ice-protection standards already available on newer Piper platforms.”
Under a recent partnership with Hartzell Propeller, the manufacturer’s Top Prop propellers will be available from Blackhawk and Avex Performance Centers. This also adds Blackhawk as a dealer for Hartzell’s Tanis Aircraft Products preheat systems.