The Blackhawk Group, best known for upgrading turboprops with new, more powerful engines, has launched an Engine Exchange program for Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engines. Instead of sending an engine out for overhaul and waiting, owners swap their timed-out engine for one that’s already been overhauled, at a fixed price, with credit for the old engine. Blackhawk says installation can take as little as two to three days, against an industry average of more than 180 days for a traditional PT6A overhaul. The program launched on September 24, 2026.
The PT6A powers many of general aviation’s most common turboprops, including the King Air, Pilatus PC-12, TBM, and Cessna Caravan.
How the Exchange Works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Owner’s engine reaches overhaul time or needs major work |
| 2 | Blackhawk supplies a PT6A that’s already been overhauled through Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Designated Overhaul Facility network |
| 3 | The replacement is installed at a Blackhawk Performance Center |
| 4 | The owner trades in the old engine (the “core”) and receives a credit toward the price |
Because the replacement is the same engine type the airplane was certified with, no supplemental type certificate (STC) is needed. Blackhawk says the program avoids rental engines, repeated engine swaps, and waiting for parts.
To keep the program stocked, Blackhawk is buying PT6A cores and parts on the open market. Its website lists available engines, including PT6A-67B and PT6A-60A models, with serial numbers, cycle counts, and availability dates. Some are available now, and others are scheduled into early 2027.
Three Options for Owners
The exchange is one of three engine programs Blackhawk now offers:
| Program | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Engine+ Upgrade | A new, higher-horsepower engine replaces the old one | Owners who want more speed, payload, and resale value |
| Engine Exchange | A pre-overhauled engine of the same type, swapped for the old core | Owners who want the shortest downtime and a fixed cost |
| Overhaul Management | Blackhawk oversees the overhaul of the owner’s own engine | Owners who want to keep their original engine serial numbers |
Upgrades are what Blackhawk built its name on. The exchange adds an option for owners who don’t need more power and just want their airplane back in service quickly.
Why Overhauls Take So Long Right Now
Six months for an engine overhaul is a long time for an airplane to sit. Charter operators lose revenue, and private owners lose the use of an expensive asset.
The delay comes from the same supply chain problems hitting the whole industry: parts on backorder, crowded overhaul shops, and shortages of skilled technicians. Airlines face the same pressure on a larger scale. Cirium’s latest forecast says aircraft supply will stay constrained through the rest of the 2020s, and IATA lists maintenance capacity as a key bottleneck.
An exchange program gets around that by doing the slow part ahead of time. The overhaul still takes months, just not on your airplane’s schedule.
“Many operators cannot afford the distraction, uncertainty, and downtime associated with overhauling an engine today,” said Dale Morrow, vice president of Blackhawk’s Engine Exchange.
What Owners Should Ask
Blackhawk hasn’t published prices, warranty terms, or how it values cores, so those are the questions to ask before committing:
- What’s the fixed price, and how much credit will my core get? Core credits usually depend on the core’s condition. Ask what deductions apply if your engine has damage or missing parts.
- What’s the warranty on the exchange engine?
- What’s the history of the engine I’d receive? Ask for its time and cycles since overhaul and total time, and compare them with your current engine.
- When is an engine actually available? The two-to-three-day figure is installation time once an engine is ready. Some listed engines aren’t available until early 2027, so book early.
- Where will it be installed? Installation happens at Blackhawk Performance Centers, so factor in the ferry flight.
For context, other providers sell fixed-price PT6A programs too. GlobalAir notes StandardAero’s flat-rate PT6A-21 program starts at $319,000.
A Note on Engine Records
Exchange engines are common in the piston world as well. Lycoming and Continental both offer factory exchange engines.
One distinction matters for owners in either category: under 14 CFR 91.421, only the manufacturer, or a shop it approves, can rebuild an engine and give it a new maintenance record showing zero total time. An engine overhauled by a repair shop keeps its total time history. Its time since overhaul resets, but its past stays on the record. That’s normal, but understand what you’re getting and how it may affect resale value.
It’s also why Blackhawk offers Overhaul Management for owners who want to keep the original engine serial numbers matched to their airplane.
The Bottom Line
The Blackhawk Group’s PT6A Engine Exchange swaps a timed-out turboprop engine for a pre-overhauled one at a fixed price, cutting downtime from an industry average of more than six months to as little as a few days. It’s a practical answer to an overhaul system slowed by parts shortages and crowded shops. Owners should get the price, core credit, warranty, and engine history in writing, and check availability early, since some exchange engines aren’t free until 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blackhawk Engine Exchange? It’s a program launched on September 24, 2026, that lets PT6A turboprop owners replace a timed-out engine with one already overhauled through Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Designated Overhaul Facility network. Owners pay a fixed price and receive credit for their old engine core. Installation happens at Blackhawk Performance Centers.
How much downtime does an engine exchange save? Blackhawk says installation can take as little as two to three days, compared with an industry average of more than 180 days for a traditional PT6A overhaul. Availability of the replacement engine matters: some listed engines are available immediately, and others are scheduled into early 2027.
Which aircraft use the PT6A? The PT6A powers many common turboprops, including the Beechcraft King Air, Pilatus PC-12, Daher TBM, and Cessna Caravan. Blackhawk’s site currently lists PT6A-67B and PT6A-60A engines for exchange.
How much does a PT6A engine exchange cost? Blackhawk hasn’t published prices. It says engines are sold at a fixed price with credit for the exchanged core. For comparison, StandardAero’s flat-rate PT6A-21 program starts at $319,000.
What’s the difference between an overhauled and a rebuilt engine? Under 14 CFR 91.421, only the manufacturer or a facility it approves can rebuild an engine and issue a new maintenance record with zero total time. An overhauled engine keeps its total time history, while its time since overhaul resets. Both are airworthy, but the records differ, which can affect resale value.
Sources:
- AVM Magazine — Blackhawk Launches Engine Exchange, Expanding PT6A Engine Options to Customers (September 24, 2026)
- GlobalAir — Blackhawk Launches PT6A Engine Exchange, Cutting Overhaul Time to Days (October 9, 2026)
- AOPA (sponsored content) — The Blackhawk Group Rewrites Engine Maintenance Playbook (October 9, 2026)
- eCFR — 14 CFR § 91.421, Rebuilt Engine Maintenance Records
- Cirium — Fleet Forecast Projects 43,000 Aircraft Deliveries, 2026–2045
