I had to know if the speed claims were true, so I hopped aboard a King Air 350 equipped with Blackhawk's Pratt & Whitney -67A engines on a scorching hot day in Florida. We cranked up the power and aimed for the skies. In just 12 minutes, we reached FL280, a full 30 minutes faster than stock engines! Here is my firsthand account:
Testing the Speed Claims
In my previous article, I shared the technical specs from Blackhawk's website about the King Air 350 engine upgrade with Pratt's -67A engines and MT 5-bladed propellers. The highlights include:
60% increase in climb rate
40 KTAS faster, reaching over 330 KTAS max cruise speed
New Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A flat-rated 1050 SHP engines with a 3600-hour warranty
New 5-blade quiet composite propellers
16% lower annual operating costs, saving both time and money
These are impressive stats, but I needed to experience the upgrade myself. So, I joined a flight to see if the King Air 350 with Blackhawk's XP67A modification lived up to the hype.
If you didn't catch the full article last time, you can read ithere.
The Flight Details
Date: June 12, 2024
Route: Panama City (KECP) to Midland, TX (KMAF)
Climb: 60ft MSL to FL280, no leveling, no stepping
Temperatures: ISA +18 on the ground, ISA +14 at FL280
Time to Altitude: 12 minutes
Vertical Speed: 2000 to 3000 fpm until nearing FL280 with ITTs around 820
Cruise Speed: 330-340 KT TAS at FL280
The most thrilling part was capturing the climb on video. Starting from sea-level runaway on a hot Florida day and full of fuel, we shot up to FL280 in just 12 minutes, then hit 331 KTAS cruise speed - 30 to 40 KTAS faster than stock. We reached cruise altitude without stepping, 25 to 30 minutes faster than usual. It was an incredible experience! You can watch the short version of the video here:
See what others have to say...
"At Triton Airways, we are flying out planes 600-800 hours a year in a fleet of Citations and King Airs. We wanted and needed to offer our clients a platform where they would get the altitude and speed of a jet but with the utility of the proven King Air. Our recent addition of the King Air 350 with the Blackhawk 67A engines made that possible. Quick to altitude and jet speeds at cruise all with the payload and cabin of the 350. It's a perfect fit for our fleet."
Stephen E. Barker, President and Chief Pilot, Triton Airways
"My job as an acquisition agent is to put a smile on my client's face. NOTHING puts a smile on their face like a big ol' King Air going 330+ kts. You can read everything in the world about these engines but until you take to the runway and feel the acceleration when it launches, you can't possibly appreciate how awesome it is! The airplane climbs straight to altitude and accelerates to speeds you never thought you'd see in a King Air... if that doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will!"
Chip McClure, Founder/ CEO, Jet Acquisitions
"Putting these engines on the 350 is a real game changer. Straight to the low 30s in about 17 minutes and usable power all day long at 30 to 35. It's also a much better weather plane. I can now react better and have the ability to climb above the weather rather than diverting 100 miles out of the way and losing time, and money. Plus, all that performance and I can still land it pretty much anywhere in 3000 feet. It's clear to me that after ATC once asked me to "verify type" since my speed was so high, that Blackhawk has really put the Super back in Super King Air."
Paul Armstrong, Founder Owner and Chief Pilot, Air King Aviation
How Fast Can You Really Go?!
I had to know if the speed claims were true, so I hopped aboard a King Air 350 equipped with Blackhawk's Pratt & Whitney -67A engines on a scorching hot day in Florida. We cranked up the power and aimed for the skies. In just 12 minutes, we reached FL280, a full 30 minutes faster than stock engines! Here is my firsthand account:
Testing the Speed Claims
In my previous article, I shared the technical specs from Blackhawk's website about the King Air 350 engine upgrade with Pratt's -67A engines and MT 5-bladed propellers. The highlights include:
These are impressive stats, but I needed to experience the upgrade myself. So, I joined a flight to see if the King Air 350 with Blackhawk's XP67A modification lived up to the hype.
If you didn't catch the full article last time, you can read it here.
The Flight Details
The most thrilling part was capturing the climb on video. Starting from sea-level runaway on a hot Florida day and full of fuel, we shot up to FL280 in just 12 minutes, then hit 331 KTAS cruise speed - 30 to 40 KTAS faster than stock. We reached cruise altitude without stepping, 25 to 30 minutes faster than usual. It was an incredible experience! You can watch the short version of the video here:
See what others have to say...
"At Triton Airways, we are flying out planes 600-800 hours a year in a fleet of Citations and King Airs. We wanted and needed to offer our clients a platform where they would get the altitude and speed of a jet but with the utility of the proven King Air. Our recent addition of the King Air 350 with the Blackhawk 67A engines made that possible. Quick to altitude and jet speeds at cruise all with the payload and cabin of the 350. It's a perfect fit for our fleet."
Stephen E. Barker, President and Chief Pilot, Triton Airways
"My job as an acquisition agent is to put a smile on my client's face. NOTHING puts a smile on their face like a big ol' King Air going 330+ kts. You can read everything in the world about these engines but until you take to the runway and feel the acceleration when it launches, you can't possibly appreciate how awesome it is! The airplane climbs straight to altitude and accelerates to speeds you never thought you'd see in a King Air... if that doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will!"
Chip McClure, Founder/ CEO, Jet Acquisitions
"Putting these engines on the 350 is a real game changer. Straight to the low 30s in about 17 minutes and usable power all day long at 30 to 35. It's also a much better weather plane. I can now react better and have the ability to climb above the weather rather than diverting 100 miles out of the way and losing time, and money. Plus, all that performance and I can still land it pretty much anywhere in 3000 feet. It's clear to me that after ATC once asked me to "verify type" since my speed was so high, that Blackhawk has really put the Super back in Super King Air."
Paul Armstrong, Founder Owner and Chief Pilot, Air King Aviation