Blackhawk 350: The Ultimate King Air

Blackhawk Modifications have built an enviable reputation taking excellent turboprops and making them even better. This is particularly evident in the spectacular gains they have achieved with the Beechcraft King Air range.

- By Guy Leitch

Blackhawk's XP-67A upgrade to the King Air 350 is claimed to make it the best performing King Air.

THE OLD ADAGE THAT

‘you can never have too much power’ is the core of Blackhawk’s modifications. But it’s not just a matter of swopping the standard engines for more modern higher-powered versions – you have to be able to use that power, and so the engine conversion includes new props which are quieter and more efficient.

Blackhawk established its reputation as the leading turboprop modifier by upgrading the King Air 200. It was then a natural outgrowth for it to expand its range of upgrades to include the top of the range King Air 300/350 series.

BETTER THAN NEW

The heart of an aircraft is its engines. The Blackhawk upgrade of the King Air 350/350ER features Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-XP67A engines (-67s), producing 1,050 shaft horsepower (shp) up to 25,000 feet.

AOPA reports that Blackhawk’s latest offering is a package for the King Air 350 and 350i that the company calls its XP67A Engine+ Upgrade. It swops out the stock Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60A (dash 60) engines for PT6A-67A (dash 67) power-plants—the same engines used in the Pilatus PC–12NG turboprop single.