Story ID: 523
Blackhawk Completes 150th Caravan Engine Upgrade
By: Gregory Polek
Caption: Horsepower increase expands the Caravan’s scope of operations
Word Count: 277
Blackhawk Aerospace has completed its 150th Cessna Caravan engine upgrade. It offers two upgrade options for the turboprop single: the XP140 and the Vy conversions, which feature the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 and the PT6A-42A engine, respectively.
“This is a major milestone in our Caravan program’s success,” said Blackhawk president and CEO Jim Allmon. “For these workhorse airframes, more power is a necessity for mission capability, and we’re honored to provide solutions that breathe new life into the fleet.”
Caravan operations span a variety of mission profiles, including cargo, corporate, passenger, and military applications. In each case, Blackhawk’s upgrades deliver a significant increase in available horsepower, improving climb rates, raising safety margins, and affording access to more destinations including those in hot and high conditions or with unimproved runways.
Guyana-based Blackhawk operator Air Services, which provides scheduled and charter operations, medevac flights, and sightseeing tours, placed an order for its eleventh XP140 upgrade.
“The additional available horsepower is crucial for our operations,” said Air Services' Bhesham Persaud. “It allows us to take off, climb, and cruise at levels we couldn’t before, which expands our versatility to safely operate in every corner of Guyana.”
Separately, Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies (BAT) has just received the Garmin Platinum Dealer Award, which places it at the highest level of Garmin dealer classification. As a top dealer, BAT can offer upgrades such as the King Air G1000 NXi package.
Pollard Aircraft and BAT have also partnered to perform six Garmin G1000 Autoland and autothrottle upgrades on King Airs that Pollard sells.