Blackhawk Modifications announced it is now offering a major engine upgrade for older, pre-Garmin G1000-equipped Cessna Caravans. The company will replace the stock, 600- and 675-shaft horsepower Pratt&Whitney PT6A-114 and 114A engines with 867-shp PT6A-140 powerplants. That’s a 44-percent horsepower increase, Blackhawk said.
Blackhawk calls its new mod the “XP140.” The PT6A-140 is the currently installed engine in new Grand Caravan EX models.
“The system allows operators to retain many components from their original -114/-114A engines while boosting performance at the same time,” said Jim Allmon, Blackhawk’s president and CEO.
Worldwide certification is under way, and deliveries of the new FAA-certified mod have begun in the United States, with float manufacturer Wipaire taking the first two order slots. Wipaire Owner Bob Wiplinger said, “The Caravan has needed a seamless engine upgrade like the PT6A-140 for a long time. Blackhawk’s hot rod engine upgrade delivers impressive results for operators who are considering our Wipline floats. When I climbed to 2,000 feet above the ground by the end of a 4,000-foot runway, I was convinced that this engine is just what the Caravan needs.”
Wipaire expanded its float certification to indicate compatibility of the XP140 with Wipline 8000 or 8750 floats on the short-body Caravan, and with 8750 floats on the Grand Caravan.
Thomas A. Horne
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