Blackhawk Modifications celebrated Eclipse Day on Monday with the announcement that it had earned FAA STC approval for its modification package that puts new, more powerful Pratt & Whitney PT6-67A turboprop engines on existing King Air 350s.
Blackhawk president Jim Allmon said the certification process included 172 flight hours over the course of 132 flights, a process that Blackhawk completed in just over a year.
The performance improvement in the plane is nothing short of remarkable. The XP67A can climb to its ceiling of 35,000 feet in just 18 minutes and boasts a top speed of 340 knots at 28,000 feet. While the airplane isn’t as fast as most entry-level jets, it’s still a 340-knot twin that can haul twice the load of many light jets and do so with a cabin that’s nearly as large as some midsize jets.
The market is apparently noticing, too. Blackhawk reports that it has nearly a dozen orders for the mod package, some of those from operators who fly in mountainous terrain.
For detailed information on the mod program, visit Blackhawk’s XP67A website.
