XP61
Engine+ Upgrade
King Air 200 Series

17%
Increased Climb Rate

3,600 hrs1
Hours of P&WC Enhanced Engine Warranty

305+ ktas
Maximum Cruise Speed

23 hrs
Time Saved Each Year

FL260
Full Torque to Altitude

$45,000
Annual Operating Cost Savings
1P&WC Enhanced New-Engine Warranty 2,500 hours/5 years with prorated coverage to the 3,600 hour TBO
Turn your King Air into a cost-effective power player
Enjoy both a big cabin and impressive cruise speeds with a Blackhawk XP61 Engine+ Upgrade for your King Air 200. The upgrade exchanges the original PT6A-41/42 engines with Pratt & Whitney Canada’s newer generation PT6A-61 engines – delivering more torque and horsepower at higher altitudes for faster climb rates, faster cruise speeds, and shorter times to destination.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH
ALL THAT POWER?
You’ll get a lot more horsepower with brand-new PT6A-61 engines. But it’s what you do with that power that makes all the difference.
- Better safety margins
- Fly faster
- Improved climb
- Access more airports

The XP61 Engine+ Upgrade is the most cost-effective solution for King Air 200-series operators who seek improved performance, return on investment, and a better flying experience. Operators will also appreciate more torque and horsepower at higher altitudes, plus higher rates of climb, faster cruise speeds, and shorter times to destination. Operator John Rudolph called his upgrade a “fantastic investment” in an airplane that “jumps off the runway.”
The real power of an XP61 Engine+ Upgrade is in its ability to save time on important missions.
Investment & Value
All this performance and value starts with an initial investment, minus the cost of your next overhaul. Other financial factors to consider include:
- Lower operating costs
- Pratt & Whitney core engine credits up to $60 per hour per engine for every hour remaining to the factory TBO
- Strongest resale value of any engine upgrade on the market
- Nearly every Blackhawk-powered aircraft sold within 500 hours of the upgrade recovered close to or more than the combined investment of the airframe and engines
- 3,600 Hour TBO with escalation available for fleet operators
- Save time on each mission giving you more time to be productive
Advantages
- Increased true airspeed and rate of climb
- Increased single-engine service ceiling
- Decreased time and fuel to climb
- Reduced operating and maintenance costs
- Improved resale value
What’s Included
- Two Factory-New Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A-61 Engines (Exchange)
- P&WC enhanced new engine warranty 2,500 hours/5 years with prorated coverage to the 3,600-hour TBO
- Installation kit and drawings
- STC paperwork and instructions for continued airworthiness
- Flight manual supplement
- P&WC engine logbook and Blackhawk logbook case
- Blackhawk cycle book and aircraft decals
- P&WC PT6 line maintenance entitlement training
- Two-year subscription for P&WC engine maintenance/parts manuals
- Blackhawk lifetime customer support guarantee
- Pratt & Whitney Canada Customer Training from FlightSafety International
- Optional: Hawkeye digilog smart gauges
FAQS
Blackhawk does not perform installations. Although the installation is basically an engine change and can be done by any Pratt & Whitney Canada certified facility, we have found that you will save time and money if the upgrade is performed by any of our approved installation facilities worldwide. These facilities have the experience to complete the upgrade faster and with the higher exacting quality you demand.
Blackhawk orders all engines a year in advance. We can usually deliver within 30-60 days or sooner. Call for timing on the next set of available engines.
Yes. We work with several banks that offer very competitive rates.
To date, nearly every Blackhawk powered aircraft that has been resold within 500 hours of the upgrade has sold close to or higher than the combined investment of the airframe and engines. Resale value of Blackhawk powered aircraft remains strong in all markets. Many dealers are even speculating on Blackhawk powered aircraft.
In addition to worldwide product support and product branding, Blackhawk XP Engine+ Upgrades offer the following benefits:
- Listings in Jetnet, AMSTAT, Aircraft Bluebook, and Vref
- Worldwide market acceptance with the largest installed fleet of upgraded corporate size turboprop aircraft in the world
- Full customer support department with on-staff technical support technician, customer service representative, and worldwide distribution and service center network
- The Blackhawk Owner’s Group
- The strongest resale value of any engine upgrade on the market
- Approval by the FAA (United States), EASA (Europe), DGAC (Brazil)
Yes. In fact, many charter companies prefer operating aircraft upgraded with a Blackhawk XP Engine+ Upgrade because they are able to operate out of shorter, higher, and hotter runways.
Since the upgrade price already reflects the value of the cores, you can keep your core engine if you are willing to pay Pratt & Whitney Canada for the core. Prices will depend on core engine times.
Pratt & Whitney Canada (PW&C) offers an engine credit for every hour remaining to the factory TBO. To qualify, the core engine must have enough cycles on the life-limited components to make TBO and all records supporting the component times and cycles must be present and submitted. Waiting until TBO risks the possibility of a core engine problem, resulting in additional core charges from PW&C. Also, prices from P&WC increase every year, so waiting two or three years would mean a higher investment without any of the time-remaining credit.
Blackhawk offers transformative performance without the risks of buying new: Will you be able to sell your aircraft for the value you expect? Will there be unexpected costs to acquire your new aircraft? Will there be unexpected issues not uncovered by the pre-buy? Upgrading with Blackhawk eliminates uncertainty and the transactional costs of buying another aircraft while transforming the performance and utility of the aircraft you know best.
Why wait to start enjoying the many benefits of an upgrade? Save money on every mission you fly, increase the capability of your aircraft, and take advantage of generous core credits for time remaining. Over half of Blackhawk’s customers upgrade with more than 500 hours remaining.
Yes, the fuel burn is greater at equal altitude. However, taking advantage of the increased climb performance and higher cruise speeds significantly narrows or eliminates the increase in fuel consumption. Also, utilizing the increased climb and cruise performance will reduce block times and deliver a significant reduction in overall operating costs. Typically, any increase in fuel cost will be offset by a larger reduction in direct operating costs. We’ve done the math, it pays to fly faster!
Yes, you’ll spend more on an upgrade than an overhaul, but you’ll have so much more to show for it: increased earning ability, better resale value, enhanced safety, reduced operating costs and a better flying experience.
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Testimonials
from real XP61 owners & operators
Even though it’s an 1989 model, I’ll put it up against a brand new King Air 250 model as far as speed, performance, and carrying capability because of the excellent shape we’ve been able to keep it in.
Time is muscle in our industry. Every minute that passes after someone suffers a heart attack, stroke, or waits for a transplant can significantly impact their quality of life. Having two King Air B200s with the Blackhawk XP61 Engine+ Upgrade get our patients to a high-level service provider in a lot less time. We are thankful for innovative companies like Blackhawk who help us expand our business model, lower our costs, and reduce risks for our patients.
I must say that the engine upgrade makes the King Air a real pleasure to fly and operate. 305 -310 KTAS is easily achievable and the only red line approached is the barber’s pole!
Controllers gave me a compliment on my climb out of BTR. I was out of 7,000 feet when I reversed course crossing back abeam the airport after only a short climb out on runway heading. Houston Center asked what kind of King Air 200 could climb like that. I have received similar questions recently from Washington Center climbing out of EWN and SLC center climbing out RKS. I am sure you hear this kind of stuff all the time. It’s definitely a climbing machine. No big deal handling the sea level stuff, but for high-altitude airports, hot or cold, it’s night and day from the 41s.
Who wouldn’t want brand new, higher performing engines?
Our Blackhawk PT6A-61s have been a fantastic investment! The plane jumps off the runway, climbs straight up and settles in around 300 knots in normal cruise. We save time on each flight with power to spare. The 61s are a perfect fit for the King Air B200.
The performance improvement in climb and cruise is dramatic. We conduct the whole enroute cruise phase of our flights 10 knots below the barber pole, TAS 310. We are very pleased with the 61s!
I have accumulated thousands of hours in various King Air models and this airplane with the 61s performs just like a King Air 300.
We are very proud to be the first commercial operator in Europe with this fabulous new airplane. The King Air has always been a great aircraft; the Blackhawk is now the perfect European executive transport.
The upgrade is incredible! We saved over an hour round trip from South Dakota to D.C. We zipped right up to FL330 with ice vanes deployed for most of the climb. These new engines will really carry the mail. There is no way we could have done that with the 42s. These new engines are amazing.
Airplane is running great. At FL250 one day I actually saw 311 on the true airspeed indicator, and it was still climbing slowly. I had to power back as I was right on the barber pole.
On the flight back [from Germany], we had an initial climb rate in excess of 2,500 feet per minute. We departed from EDMS, field elevation of 1,051 feet, and climbed to FL280 in around 16 minutes, 30 seconds. It was an ISA day on the ground, and ISA – 2°C at FL280. We had a TAS of 293 knots, on a fuel burn of around 315 pph per side. Even [with] a headwind of over 60 knots at some stages, we still managed to complete the 600 nm flight in just under 2 hours 30 minutes, including the usual ATC vectoring around London. All in all, I am very impressed with the [upgrade]!
Upgrade Today
Schedule a free call with one of Blackhawk’s performance upgrade experts to learn how you can significantly boost your King Air’s performance, speed, safety and return on investment.