Blackhawk has submitted certification data to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for validation of its XP66D Engine+ upgrade for the Daher TBM 700 series aircraft.

The move is a step toward making the upgrade available to operators across Europe and other EASA-recognised regions. Once approved, operators will be able to use the same upgrade already available in the United States.

The XP66D Engine+ replaces the 700-shaft horsepower PT6A-64 engine with an 850-shaft horsepower PT6A-66D, increasing available horsepower by 21%. Flight testing has shown faster climb times and cruise speeds of up to 303 ktas.

Aircraft with the upgrade are already flying, with more installations underway as demand grows.

“Submitting our data package to EASA is an important milestone in expanding the reach of the XP66D upgrade,” says Edwin Black, president of The Blackhawk Group's proprietary upgrades division. “We are seeing strong interest from international operators, and this step brings us closer to delivering the same level of performance and value to customers across Europe.”

EASA validation is in progress, with further updates expected.