Cessna 310
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
that was produced by Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
between 1954 and 1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna put into production after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
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 Continental IO-470-D
Continental O-470
The Continental O-470 engine is a family of carbureted six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engines that was developed especially for use in light aircraft by Continental Motors. The family includes the E165, E185 and the E225 engines...
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
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
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 engines with Lycoming TIO-540 350 hp 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 5400 lb (2,449.4 kg). gross weight the aircraft had a weight to power ratio of 7.71 lb (3.5 kg). per horsepower. This resulted in a cruising speed of 260 knots (509.6 km/h) at 18000 feet (5,486.4 m) and a 3,000fpm rate of climb.
Commercial applications
The Cessna 310 was a common charter aircraft for the many air taxi firms that sprang up in the general aviationGeneral aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
boom that followed World War II. The advantages of the Cessna 310 over its contemporaries, such as the Piper PA-23, were its speed, operating costs and after market modifications such as the Robertson STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
kits which made it popular world wide for its bush flying characteristics. It could use short runways while at the same time carrying a large useful load of 2000 lb (907.2 kg). or more, at high speeds for a twin engine piston aircraft.
Military applications
In 1957, the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) selected the Cessna 310 for service as a light utility aircraft for transport and administrative support. The USAF purchased 160 unmodified 310A aircraft with the designation L-27A and unofficially nicknamed Blue Canoe, later changed to U-3A in 1962. An additional 36 upgraded 310 designated L-27B (later U-3B) were delivered in 1960-61; these aircraft were essentially military 310Fs and as such equipped with the more powerful 260 hp engines and can be identified by their extra cabin windows, longer nose and swept vertical fin. A USAF study after one year of operational service found the U-3A had direct operating costs of less than $12 an hour. Some USAF aircraft were later transferred to the US Army and US Navy and the type continued in US military service into the mid 1970s.
Variants
310:Production aircraft powered by two 240 hp Continental O-470-B engines, 547 built.310A:Military version of the 310 for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, 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 IO-470-D engines, increased take-off weight and minor changes, 259 built.
310E:Military version of the 310F, 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 5300 lb (2,404 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, 5500 lb (2,494.8 kg) take-off weight and 285 hp 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 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.
L-27A:United States military designation for the 310A, later changed to U-3A.
L-27B:United States military designation for the 310E/310M, later changed to U-3B.
U-3A:L-27A redesignated in 1963.
U-3B:L-27B redesignated in 1963.
Riley 65
- Cessna 310 to 310G by fitting two 240-260 hp (179–194 kW) Continental O-470Continental O-470The Continental O-470 engine is a family of carbureted six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engines that was developed especially for use in light aircraft by Continental Motors. The family includes the E165, E185 and the E225 engines...
D/-470M engines.
Riley 310R
Alternative designation for the 310C conversion by Riley.
Riley Super 310
- Conversion of Cessna 310/320 by fitting two 310 hp (231 kW) Continental TSIO-520Continental O-520-External links:...
-J/-N engines.
Riley Rocket
- Conversion of Cessna 310 by fitting two 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 engines and more fuel.
Riley Turbostream
- Conversion of Cessna 310I/-310Q by fitting two 310hp Lycoming TSIO-540-A2CLycoming O-540|-Specifications :-See also:-External links:...
engines.
Civil
The aircraft is popular with air charter companies and small feeder airlines, and is operated by private individuals and companies.Military operators
Countries known to have operated the U-3/310 include.- Colombian Air ForceColombian Air ForceThe Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
El Salvador- Armed Forces of HaitiArmed Forces of HaitiThe Armed Forces of Haiti, , consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy , Haitian Coast Guard, the Haitian Air Force, and some police forces . The Army was always the dominant service with the others serving primarily in a support role...
- Honduran Air ForceHonduran Air ForceThe Honduras Air Force is the air force of Honduras. As such it is the air power arm of the Honduras Armed Forces.-History:...
Indonesia
Madagascar
Paraguay
- Paraguayan Naval Aviation
- Paraguayan Army Aviation
Peru
Philippines
South Africa
Tanzania- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Uruguay
ZaireAccidents and incidents
- On October 28, 1959, a Cessna 310 carrying Cuban revolutionary Camilo CienfuegosCamilo CienfuegosCamilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán was a Cuban revolutionary born in Lawton, Havana. Raised in an anarchist family that had left Spain before the Spanish Civil War, he became a key figure of the Cuban Revolution, along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Juan Almeida Bosque, and Raúl Castro.-Political...
disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on a night flight from Camaguey to Havana. Neither the aircraft nor the body of Cienfuegos was ever found.
- On November 26, 1962, a VASPVASPViação Aérea São Paulo S/A, or VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in São Paulo, Brazil...
Saab Scandia 90A-1 registration PP-SRA en route from São Paulo-Congonhas to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont collided in the air over the Municipality of Paraibuna, State of São Paulo with a private Cessna 310 registration PT-BRQ en route from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont to São Paulo-Campo de MarteCampo de Marte AirportCampo de Marte Airport is the first airport built in São Paulo, Brazil, opened in 1919. It is named after Champ de Mars, in Paris, which in turn got its name from Campus Martius, in Rome....
. Both were flying on the same airwayAirway (aviation)In aviation, an airway is a designated route in the air. Airways are laid out between navigational aids such as VORs, NDBs and Intersections ....
in opposite directions and failed to have visual contact. The two aircraft crashed killing all 23 passengers and crew of the Saab and the four occupants of the Cessna.
- On July 19, 1967, a Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
operating as Piedmont Airlines Flight 22Piedmont Airlines Flight 22Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 was a Piedmont Airlines Boeing 727-22 on a scheduled airline flight in the United States from Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina to Roanoke Regional Airport in Roanoke, Virginia. Shortly after departure, the flight collided with a twin-engine Cessna...
collided with a Cessna 310 at Hendersonville, North CarolinaHendersonville, North CarolinaHendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
, USAUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, killing all 79 people on board both aircraft and three people on the ground.
, the NTSB has recorded 1712 incidents for Cessna 310s since 12 January 1964.