The
Cessna 310
is an American six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined
monoplane that was produced by Cessna between 1954 and
1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna
put into production after World War II.
Development
The 310 first flew on January
3, 1953 with deliveries starting in late 1954. The sleek
modern lines of the new twin were backed up by
innovative features such as engine exhaust thrust
augmenter tubes and the storage of all fuel in tip tanks
in early models. In 1964, the engine exhaust was changed
to flow under the wing instead of the augmenter tubes,
which were considered to be noisy.
Typical of Cessna model
naming conventions, a letter was added after the model
number to identify changes to the original design over
the years. The first significant upgrade to the 310
series was the 310C in 1959, which introduced more
powerful 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-D engines.
In 1960 the 310D featured swept back vertical tail
surfaces. An extra cabin window was added with the 310F.
The
320 Skyknight
was developed from the 310F, which featured turbocharged
TSIO-470-B engines and a fourth cabin side-window. The
Skyknight was in production between 1961 and 1969 (the
320E was named the Executive Skyknight), when it was
replaced by the similar Turbo 310.
The 310G was certified in
1961 and introduced the
canted wingtip fuel tanks found on the majority of the
Cessna twin-engine product line, marketed as
'stabila-tip' tanks by Cessna because they were meant to
aid stability in flight. A single side window replaced
the rear two windows on the 310K (certified in late
1965), with optional three-blade propellers being
introduced as well. Subsequent developments
included the 310Q and turbocharged T310Q with redesigned
rear cabin featuring a skylight window, and the final
310R and T310R, identifiable by a lengthened nose
containing a baggage compartment. Production ended in
1980.
Over the years there were several
modifications to the 310 to improve performance. Noted
aircraft engineer Jack Riley produced two variants, The
Riley Rocket 310 and the Riley Turbostream 310. Only
seven of the latter modifications took place and the
Riley Turbostream is perhaps the highest performance
civilian piston light twin in existence. Riley replaced
the standard Continental 310 hp (230 kW) engines with
Lycoming TIO-540 350 hp (261 kW) engines. These
turbo-charged intercooled engines were installed with
three-blade Hartzell propellers in a counter-rotating
configuration to further increase performance and single
engine safety. At 5,400 lb (2,400 kg). gross weight the
aircraft had a weight to power ratio of 7.71 lb (3.50
kg). per horsepower. This resulted in a cruising speed
of 260 knots (480 km/h) at 18,000 feet (5,500 m) and a
3,000fpm rate of climb.
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SPECIFICATIONS:
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PERFORMANCE: |
Span:
35 ft 0 in (10.67 m) |
Maximum speed:
220 mph (354 km/h; 191 kn) |
Length:
27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) |
Cruising speed:
205 mph (178 kn; 330 km/h) |
Height:
10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) |
Range:
1,000 mi (869 nmi; 1,609 km) |
Empty Weight:
2,850 lb (1,293 kg) |
Service ceiling:
20,000 ft (6,096 m) |
Gross Weight:
4,600 lb (2,087 kg) |
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Crew:
Pilot plus four passengers |
Engines:
2 × Continental O-470-B
horizontally opposed
piston engines, 240 hp
(180 kW) each |
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SOURCE:
Wikipedia |
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Variants
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- 310
- Production aircraft powered by two
240 hp (180 kW) Continental O-470-B engines,
547 built.
- 310A
- Military version of the 310 for the
United States Air Force,
designated L-27A and later
U-3A, 160 built.
- 310B
- 310 with new instrument panel, O-470-M
engines and minor changes, 225 built.
- 310C
- 310B with 260 hp (190 kW) IO-470-D
engines, increased take-off weight and minor
changes, 259 built. Unit cost $59,950 in
1959
- 310D
- 310C with swept vertical tail and minor
detail changes, 268 built.
- 310E
- Military version of the 310F for the
United States Air Force,
designated the L-27B and later
U-3B, 36
built.
- 310F
- 310D with extra cabin window each side,
pointed nose, new tip tank shape and other
minor changes, 156 built.
- 310G
- 310F with slimline tip tanks, six-seat
cabin, an increased take-off weight and
detail changes, 156 built.
- 310H
- 310G with increased take-off weight and
enlarged cabin interior, 148 built.
- 310I
- 310H with IO-470-U engines, baggage
compartments in rear of engine nacelles and
minor detail changes, 200 built.
- 310J
- 310I with minor detailed changes, 200
built.
- 310K
- 310J with long 'vista view' side
windows, increased take-off weight and
IO-470-V engines, 245 built.
- 310L
- 310K with single-piece windshield,
re-designed undercarriage, increased fuel
capacity and minor changes, 207 built.
- 310M
- Revised designation for the 310E.
- 310N
- 310L with revised instrument panel,
optional fuel tanks in engine nacelles,
IO-470-V-O engines and minor changes, 198
built.
- 310P
- 310N with a shorter nose undercarriage
leg, ventral fin, and optional turbocharged
Continental TSIO-520-B engines, 240 built.
- 310Q
- 310P with take-off weight increased to
5,300 lb (2,400 kg) and detailed changes,
from the 401st aircraft fitted with a bulged
rear cabin roof with rear view window, 1160
built.
- 310R
- 310Q with three-bladed propellers,
lengthened nose with baggage compartment,
5,500 lb (2,500 kg) take-off weight and
285 hp (213 kW) IO-520-M engines, 1332
built.
- 310S
- Original designation for the Cessna 320.
- 320 Skyknight
- Enlarged version of the 310F with six
seats, larger cabin and two turbocharged
engines, 110 built.
- 320A Skyknight
- 320 with stabil-tip fuel tanks and minor
changes, 47 built.
- 320B Skyknight
- 320A with nacelle baggage lockers and
minor changes, 62 built.
- 320C Skyknight
- 320B with a longer cabin, optional
seventh seat and minor changes, 73 built.
- 320D Executive Skyknight
- 320C with reshaped rear windows and
285 hp (213 kW) TSIO-520-B engines, 130
built.
- 320E Executive Skyknight
- 320D with pointed nose, single piece
windshield, modified undercarriage,
increased take-off weight and minor changes,
110 built.
- 320F Executive Skyknight
- 320E with minor changes, 45 built.
- Riley 65
- Cessna 310 to 310G by fitting two
240-260 hp (179–194 kW) Continental
O-470D/-470M engines.
- Riley Super 310
- Conversion of Cessna 310/320 by fitting
two 310 hp (231 kW) Continental
TSIO-520-J/-N engines.
- Riley Rocket
- Conversion of Cessna 310 by fitting two
290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 engines
and more fuel.
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