Hawker Beechcraft’s Global Customer Support (GCS) division announced at LABACE 2012 that it is taking orders and scheduling Blackhawk engine upgrades at the show for Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21-equipped King Air 200s.
The installation will replace the original Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 or -42 engines with factory-new PT6A-52 engines, complete with a new-engine warranty—2,500 hours/5 years coverage on primary parts.
The -52 engine, which powers the current-production King Air 250, boosts maximum cruise speeds to up to 310 knots, while normal cruise speeds touch 300 knots. The improved performance is the result of incorporating a more capable and larger compressor section derivative of the King Air 300's PT6A-60A engine.
Blackhawk, based in Waco, Texas, expects certification of the XP52 engine upgrade on Pro Line 21-equipped airplanes in the fourth quarter.
