OSHKOSH, Wisc. – July 30, 2013 – Blackhawk Modifications, the global leader in the design, development and installation of performance improvement systems for single- and twin-engine turboprop aircraft, has delivered its second XP42A Grand Caravan 208B upgrade to Trans Guyana Airways.
A charter and scheduled airline based in Ogle, East Coast Demerara, Guyana, Trans Guyana Airways ordered its first Grand Caravan XP42A upgrade in August 2012. The air carrier flies five Grand Caravans and three other twin-engine turboprop aircraft.
Blackhawk’s XP42A upgrade, which has achieved certification from the U.S. FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency, replaces the Grand Caravan’s 675-shaft-horsepower (shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A with a new PT6A-42A engine with a continuous power rating of 850 shp. Combined with a factory-new, 100-inch-diameter Hartzell propeller with four wide-chord blades and other elements, the XP42A upgrade enables Grand Caravan operators to double their aircraft’s rate of climb while using less fuel, achieve a 4 percent increase in takeoff weight and gain a more than 15 percent improvement in cruise speed.
Those and other performance gains allow Grand Caravans upgraded with the XP42A modifications to utilize shorter runways, carry more passengers and cargo and generate increased revenue while achieving improved safety margins.
“The greater performance offered by our XP42A upgrade is particularly beneficial for Grand Caravan operators in South America, where the fleet is large and the operating environments can be demanding,” said Jim Allmon, Blackhawk President and CEO. “The Blackhawk team is pleased to support Trans Guyana Airways as it expands the capabilities of these important aircraft.”
Blackhawk is displaying its XP42A upgrades for the Grand Caravan 208B and Caravan 208A and its other products and services for turboprop-powered aircraft during EAA’s Airventure 2013 here through August 4. Blackhawk’s exhibit is at Booth Number 358/359.
In addition to the new engine and propeller, the XP42A upgrade includes a new, autoclave-cured carbon-fiber composite cowling and high-efficiency inlet duct produced by Blackhawk Composites; one four-point engine mount-ring assembly and all new engine mount isolators; a new, 40 percent larger oil cooler, and a new engine hose kit. It also includes new Blackhawk Hawkeye DigiLog engine gauges and two new exhaust stacks, as well as a flight manual supplement with full, flight-test certified performance, maintenance and repair manuals and full technical support for life of the airplane. The PT6A-42A has a 3,600 hour time between overhauls with a qualified trend monitoring program; that can be increased to 5,000 for qualified operators.
Blackhawk Modifications, Inc., 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 and is the largest buyer of new Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop engines in the world. A worldwide network of approved dealers and service support centers complements Blackhawk’s U.S. facilities.
For more information, visit www.blackhawk.aero.
