Cessna 310
 Cessna 310. Photo: Rami Mizrahi on Jetphotos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| Make | Cessna |
|---|---|
| Model | Cessna 310 |
| Type | Twin-engine cabin monoplane |
| Country |  United States
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| First flight | January 3, 1953 |
| Built | 1954–1980 |
| Number built | 5,449 (310), 577 (320) |
| Registered in the US | 1,564 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | one, four passengers |
| Engine | 2 × Continental O-470-B, 240 hp |
| Cruise speed | 205 mph (1956 model 310) |
| Range | 1,000 mi (1956 model 310) |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft (1956 model 310) |
| Max weight | 4,600 lb (1956 model 310)
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The Cessna 310 is a four- to six-seat, low-wing, twin-engine airplane built by Cessna from 1954 to 1980. It was Cessna's second production twin after the T-50, and the U.S. military flew it as the L-27, later U-3. More than 6,000 Cessna 310s and 320s were built.[1] In the U.S. there are 1,564 Cessna 310s with a valid registration.[2]
History
The 310 first flew on January 3, 1953, and deliveries began in late 1954. Its sleek lines came with new ideas such as exhaust "augmenter" tubes that added thrust and, in early models, all the fuel carried in wingtip tanks. In 1964 the exhaust was moved under the wing because the augmenter tubes were noisy. As usual for Cessna, a letter after the number marks each change.[1]
The first 310 had two carbureted 240 hp Continental O-470 engines and a maximum weight of 4,600 lb; 547 were built for the 1955 to 1957 model years. The military 310A, the Air Force L-27A, followed, with 161 built.[1]
In service
The 310 was a common charter airplane for the air taxi firms of the postwar general aviation boom. Compared with rivals such as the Piper PA-23, it offered speed, low operating costs and aftermarket kits such as Robertson STOL conversions that made it popular for bush flying, using short runways while carrying 2,000 lb or more.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1,564 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| 310R | 356 |
| 310Q | 272 |
| T310R | 140 |
| 310 | 101 |
| 310K | 73 |
| 310L | 61 |
| 310I | 60 |
| 310P | 59 |
| 310J | 56 |
| 310D | 55 |
| 310N | 55 |
| 310C | 53 |
| T310Q | 50 |
| 310B | 42 |
| 310G | 41 |
| 310F | 40 |
| 310H | 29 |
| 310A | 14 |
| 310E | 6 |
| T310 | 1 |
Specifications (1956 model 310)
| Item | 1956 model 310 |
|---|---|
| Crew | one |
| Passengers / capacity | four passengers |
| Length | 27 ft |
| Wingspan | 35 ft |
| Height | 10 ft 6 in |
| Wing area | 175 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 2,850 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 4,600 lb |
| Fuel | 100 USgal |
| Engine | 2 × Continental O-470-B, 240 hp (horizontally opposed piston engine) |
| Maximum speed | 220 mph |
| Cruise speed | 205 mph |
| Range | 1,000 mi |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,700 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Cessna 310N (UK registration G-YHPV, year of build 1968) at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. Photo: Arpingstone, Public domain -
Cessna 310. Photo: Original uploader was Ahunt at en.wikipedia, Public domain -
Cessna 310. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Cessna 310. Photo: YSSYguy at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Cessna 310. Photo: YSSYguy at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Cessna 310Q. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
1977 Cessna T310R. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Cessna 320 Skyknight OE-FBW from Austria at the 1966 Hanover Air Show. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0
_at_Illawarra_Regional_Airport.jpg)
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Cessna 310
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Wikipedia, "Cessna 310", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.