Blackhawk Modifications has had a strong year so far as the market for refurbished turboprops appears to be growing by leaps and bounds. Bob Kromer, Blackhawk’s senior vice president of marketing, sales and customer support, said an increasing number of owners are either considering an engine upgrade to improve performance or desire a full upgrade of engines, aerodynamic mods, avionics, paint and interior. A strong foreign market for refurbished aircraft and an increase in the availability of financing have also contributed to the growth.
“At Blackhawk, we see this reflected in a projected growth rate of new engine upgrades of 10 percent this year over 2013 and another 10 to 12 percent expected in 2015 over 2014,” Kromer said. “Growth rates like these seem rare in our industry today.”
