Blackhawk Aerospace has started FAA certification flight testing for its new Pilatus PC-12 XP67P Engine+ upgrade programme. Blackhawk's upgrade replaces the stock Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engine with a higher-powered and more efficient PT6A-67P model. The supplemental type certificate approval is expected early in 2023 with EASA certification shortly thereafter.

The XP67P engine technology utilises improved metallurgy, which allows a higher internal turbine temperature (ITT) limitation of 850°C compared to the stock -67B's 800°C limitation for takeoff. More impressively, maximum continuous ITT for climb and cruise is 760°C for the -67B and 820°C for the XP67P. Furthemore, the PT6A-67P is a 1,200 shaft horsepower (SHP) engine that produces 142 more thermodynamic horsepower than the stock -67B. The combination of the higher ITT and increased thermodynamic horsepower produced by the XP67P engine enables operators to utilise full torque to more efficient cruising altitudes. On an ISA day, the stock -67B starts losing power at 15,000 feet, whereas the XP67P can maintain full power to FL250.

“Blackhawk is excited to kick off certification testing for the XP67P programme and bring the conversion one step closer to reality for PC-12 operators,” says Jim Allmon, Blackhawk's president and CEO. “This is a new market for us that fits naturally into our existing roster of aircraft, and we look forward to delivering this upgrade to Pilatus operators soon.”

The PC-12 is a very popular aircraft with over 1,700 in operation, making it the second largest single-engine turboprop market behind the Cessna Caravan. With more than 600 of the PC-12s eligible for the XP67P upgrade, many of the aircraft in the addressable market are at, or close to, an overhaul event. This is the optimum opportunity to upgrade to a new engine, bringing these early model aircraft up to PC-12 NG factory standards. Further, operators will receive favourable core engine credit of $95 per hour for time remaining to the factory TBO, if upgrading before overhaul.

Blackhawk's STC will include a factory-new P&WC PT6A-67P engine and will be approved with the existing Hartzell four-blade aluminum propeller to minimise the retail cost. Blackhawk plans to certify additional propeller options in the future to provide operators modularity in the upgrade package and is offering pre-certification discount.