LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwire - Jan. 21, 2010) - Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) recently celebrated the delivery of its 500th PT6A turboprop engine to Blackhawk Modifications Inc. of Waco, Texas, a major player in the growing aircraft modifications market. P&WC is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
P&WC held a special ceremony at its engine manufacturing facility in Longueuil to honour Blackhawk and its 250th engine conversion customer, Dan Rogers, owner of Franklin, N.C.-based DuoTech Services, a company offering engineering laboratory, depot repair facility, and other technical services to military and civilian agencies. Blackhawk recently installed two new PT6A-135A engines on Rogers' Cheyenne II aircraft through the Blackhawk XP135A upgrade, offering better performance and efficiency and enhancing resale value.
Blackhawk, founded in 1999, specializes in replacing engines on five aircraft models with factory-new PT6A engines, including Raytheon King Air 90, Cessna 425 Conquest and Cheyenne turboprop aircraft.
"We are very impressed with Blackhawk's growth over the past 10 years and want to congratulate them on their success," said Michael Perodeau, Vice President, Corporate Aviation & Military Programs, P&WC. "They have grown their conversion business by offering operators of flying aircraft an option to improve the aircraft performance through more powerful PT6A turboprop engines."
Aircraft modifications are growing in popularity. Operators benefit from more power, faster climb and higher cruise speed, with minimal changes to the aircraft.
Pratt & Whitney Canada, based in Longueuil, Quebec, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines powering business, general aviation and regional aircraft and helicopters. The company also manufactures auxiliary power units and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., USA, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.
