Blackhawk Modifications Delivers First XP42A Cessna 208A, Displays Upgraded Caravan At Airventure

Blackhawk Modifications Delivers First XP42A Cessna 208A, Displays Upgraded Caravan At Airventure

OSHKOSH,  Wisc. – July  28,  2013 – Blackhawk  Modifications,  Inc.  has  completed  the  first  XP42A  upgrade of  a  Cessna  Caravan  208A,  delivering  the  higher performing  aircraft  to  Skydive  Hawaii,  and  is  displaying a  208A  with  that  upgrade  at  EAA’s  Airventure  2013  (Booth  358/359)  this  week.

Based in  Waialua,  Hawaii,  Skydive  Hawaii  is  using  the  upgraded,  14 passenger  “Short”  Caravan  for  high altitude,  low opening  (HALO)  jump  flights.  The  XP42A  upgrade  replaced  the  208A’s  675 shaft horsepower  (shp)  Pratt  &  Whitney  Canada PT6A­‐114A with  a  new  PT6A­‐42A engine  with  a  continuous power  rating  of  850  shp.

“With  the  XP42A  modification,  our  208A is  the  fastest  civilian  skydiving  aircraft  in  Hawaii, said  Skydive Hawaii’s  founder  and  president,  Frank  Hinshaw,  who  last  year  also  purchased  Blackhawk’s  XP42A upgrade  for  the  company’s  Grand  Caravan  208B.  “This  Blackhawk  Caravan  upgrade  is  great.”

Hinshaw  said  the  upgraded  208A can  climb  at  more  than  1,300  feet  per  minute  at  full  skydiving  capacity all  the  way  to a  HALO altitude of  20,000  feet  and  get  there  in 20  minutes or  less  while  burning  less  fuel.

The  added  performance  means  Skydive  Hawaii  can  carry  more  HALO  passengers  each  day  and  do  so more  economically,  which  can  boost  sales  and  revenue.

“The  XP42A  upgrade  demonstrates  Blackhawk’s  commitment  to  providing engine  performance  solutions to  operators  of turboprop aircraft,”  said  President  and  CEO  Jim  Allmon.  “Just  as  it  is  doing  for  Skydive Hawaii,  this  proven  upgrade  will  deliver  significant  performance  and  economic  benefits  for  the  Caravan 208A  fleet.”

In  June, Blackhawk  gained  FAA  Supplemental  Type  Certificate  (STC)  approval  for  the  Caravan  208A upgrade.  In  addition  to  the  new  engine,  the  208A  upgrade  includes a factory new, 100‐inch  diameter Hartzell  propeller with  four wide‐chord blades  and  a  new,  autoclave‐cured  carbon­‐fiber  composite cowling  and  high­‐efficiency  inlet  duct  produced  by Blackhawk  Composites.

The  XP42A  upgrade  also  includes  one  four‐point  engine  mount­‐ring  assembly  and  all  new  engine  mount isolators;  a  new,  40  percent  larger  oil  cooler;  a  new engine  hose  kit;  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. Contact: Lisa  Sifuentes BDN  Aerospace  Marketing 505  S.  Val  Vista,  Suite  1 Mesa, AZ 85204 (480) 924‐0690 lisa@bdnaerospace.com