Press Release

Issued by Blackhawk Aerospace Upgrades.

April 18, 2018

Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. is pleased to announce the company has expanded the EASA approval of the Cessna Caravan XP140 Engine+ upgrade to include the MT five-blade composite propeller and the AeroAcoustics kit. The approval of this pairing allows European Caravan operators to take advantage of the tremendous performance enhancements offered by these three packages, all while meeting the European noise requirements.

The Blackhawk XP140 Engine+ upgrade provides a 37% increase in climb rate, a 22% decrease in take-off distance, and decreased starting temperatures by 100°C. The XP140 was also recently granted a time between overhaul (TBO) extension of 400 hours, bringing the base TBO to 4000 hours, which reduces operating and maintenance costs for owners.

The MT five-blade composite propeller and AeroAcoustics kit further enhance utility by reducing noise, foreign object damage (FOD), and increasing gross weight capabilities. Paired with the factory-new XP140, the combined results of this package elevate the Cessna Caravan to better-than-new standards.

The first Caravan upgraded with this performance package belongs to Skydive ENPC, the first parachutist club in The Netherlands. The installation, performed by Mastenbroek Aeroskill, took only 10 days with the assistance of Don Moore from Blackhawk.

“The PT6A-114A was nearing its extended overhaul limit including a large amount of component replacements,” said Frank van Ierssel, Skydive ENPC’s chief pilot. “Together with Mastenbroek Aeroskill, we found that the Blackhawk XP140 upgrade kit was a very suitable replacement that would allow us to get our skydivers to the needed altitude even faster. Mastenbroek Aeroskill really did an excellent job, and the whole conversion was completed in only 10 days, which is superb!”

“We are pleased to offer this performance enhancement package to the European Caravan market,” said Jim Allmon, president and CEO at Blackhawk. “These upgrades greatly enhance the utility of these hard-working aircraft and transform them into true power players. Our mission is to elevate your mission, and we believe the XP140, MT five-blade propeller and AeroAcoustics kit combination delivers unrivaled performance.”

For more information on the XP140 Engine+ upgrade or to secure your delivery position, stop by the Blackhawk booth #A3-407 at AERO Friedrichshafen.