Blackhawk Acquires STCs for King Air 90 Engine Upgrades

WACO, Texas, January 30, 2012 – Blackhawk, the aviation industry leader in performance improvement systems for a range of turboprop aircraft, has acquired Silverhawk Conversions’ Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the King Air C90/A series and E90 engine upgrades.

The STCs have been approved by the FAA, ANAC and EASA, and permit replacement of legacy engines in C90, C90A, and E90 aircraft with new PT6A-135A engines, or used PT6A-135 engines.

Blackhawk offers a range of engine upgrade programs for King Air, Caravan, Cheyenne and Conquest aircraft and is the world’s largest non-OEM buyer of new Pratt & Whitney (P&W) turboprop engines.

“Although we already own a similar STC, this strategic acquisition is an important step in maintaining our position as the number one provider of engine upgrades for the turboprop fleet and is in line with our vision of  continued growth in the market,” said Blackhawk CEO Jim Allmon. “Even though we are now the only engine upgrade provider for King Air 90 series aircraft, we plan to continue to offer reasonable cost and the high-value benefits that only a Blackhawk upgrade can deliver.”

In addition, “Current Silverhawk King Air owners will be able to enjoy unsurpassed Blackhawk support, and we look forward to bringing these aircraft operators into the Blackhawk family,” Allmon added.

After providing credits for time remaining on existing engines, Blackhawk exchanges them for factory-new P&W PT6A-135As. The upgraded King Air 90s realize increased true airspeed and improved single-engine performance, while enjoying a significantly lower time to climb and reduced operating and maintenance costs.

Blackhawk, founded in 1999 in Waco, Texas, is a recognized aviation leader in providing engine performance solutions to the turboprop fleet. With over 350 aircraft upgraded to date, the company has the world’s largest installed fleet of STC twin-engine turboprop engine upgrades.  A worldwide network of approved dealers and service support centers complements Blackhawk’s U.S. facilities.  For more information, go to http://www.blackhawk.aero/.