WACO, Texas, July 20, 2012 – Blackhawk soon will dedicate a new engineering and production facility at its headquarters in Waco, Texas, to support its growing market leadership in performance improvements for single- and twin-engine turboprop aircraft around the globe.
The new addition adds 5,000 square feet to Blackhawk’s 13,000 square-foot headquarters building at Waco Regional Airport (KACT). It will accommodate 11 recently hired employees and provides more space for engineering design and testing, sheet metal and component fabrication, maintenance, a larger inventory area, tool storage and administrative offices. Blackhawk also is adding an aircraft sales department that will complement marketing for engine upgrade packages.
“This is an important and necessary growth step,” said Blackhawk President and CEO Jim Allmon. “Our product line and customer base is expanding rapidly.” Allmon added that Blackhawk is also looking forward to a dedication ceremony in late August to thank the Waco Chamber of Commerce and local government officials for their support of the expansion.
In addition to its proven upgrades for many of the most popular turboprop aircraft flying today, Blackhawk soon expects to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification by year’s end approving its XP42A upgrade for the Cessna 208 Caravan. The new STC will follow up the highly successful XP42A package for Cessna 208B approved last year. In addition, the company expects approval for a new Engine Trend Monitoring (ETM) system and is working on several other projects.
The new facility will open about a month after Blackhawk returns from the EAA AirVenture 2012 show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 23–29. Prospective customers may visit the Blackhawk exhibit, Booths 2117 and 2118, in Aisle B, Exhibit Hangar B, during the show. In addition to featured upgrades, visitors may pick up a Buyer’s Guide that describes the performance, safety and economic advantages of the XP42A upgrade for the Cessna 208B Caravan.
Blackhawk, founded in 1999 in Waco, Texas, is a recognized aviation leader in providing engine performance solutions to the turboprop fleet. The company has the largest installed fleet of STC twin-engine turboprop engine upgrades, making Blackhawk the largest non-OEM buyer of new Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines in the world. A worldwide network of approved dealers and service support centers complements Blackhawk’s U.S. facilities. For more information, see www.blackhawk.aero.
