Cessna 310R

The Cessna 310 first flew in 1953 and entered production in 1954. It was Cessna's first twin and the first US light twin with retractable gear and a flush riveted skin. The original 310 ran for 17 years through variants A through Q, building reputation as a fast, sleek, capable twin. The big tip tanks were a signature design feature, putting fuel out at the wingtips to reduce wing-bending loads and giving the airplane its characteristic silhouette.

The 310R arrived in 1975 as a major update. Cessna stretched the fuselage 36 inches, added a third cabin window per side, and improved the panel layout. The R kept the proven Continental IO-520-MB engines at 285 horsepower per side. Production continued through 1980, with about 1,180 310Rs built. The turbocharged T310R (with TSIO-520-B engines) was produced in parallel for buyers who wanted high-altitude performance, though it brought additional maintenance burden and exhaust-system ADs that made many T310Rs eventually get converted back to normally-aspirated configuration via STC.

Cessna stopped 310 production in 1980 to focus on the 340 (pressurized) and 414/421 (cabin-class twins). The 310 line was effectively replaced by the smaller Skylane RG for owner-operators who didn't need a twin. The 310R has survived as a used-market option because it delivers real twin-engine capability at a price point well below the Baron 58 or the modern Seneca V.

The 310R cruises at about 200 KTAS at 75% power, putting it on par with a Baron 58 and slightly faster than a Seneca V. Long-range cruise at 65% drops to about 185 KTAS on 25 to 28 gph total. The aerodynamic refinement of the Cessna 310 design (flush skin, tip tanks reducing induced drag) is real. The airplane moves well for its horsepower.

Single-engine performance is the 310R's weak point relative to peers. The airplane will hold about 220 to 250 fpm single-engine at sea level standard conditions and gross weight. That's noticeably less than a Baron 58's 270 fpm or a Seneca V's 240 fpm with smaller engines. Tip-tank fuel imbalance also gives the airplane a Dutch-roll tendency that gets worse in turbulence and worse still in low-time twin pilots' hands. Useful load is about 1,650 pounds. Full fuel (164 gallons usable on the 310R) leaves about 660 pounds for people and bags.

The Continental IO-520-MB on the 310R is a six-cylinder, fuel-injected, direct-drive piston engine with a 1,700-hour TBO per Continental Service Information Letter SIL 98-9E. It runs on 100LL. Field overhauls at Gann Aviation, Western Skyways, or other reputable shops run $50,000 to $60,000 per engine in 2026 prices. The IO-520-MB has been generally reliable through the Twin Cessna fleet but does share some of the same case-cracking history as other IO-520 variants. A pre-buy must include thorough case inspection.

The T310R's TSIO-520-B turbocharged engines have a 1,400-hour TBO (1,600 hours for serial numbers 1006000 and later) per SIL 98-9E. Overhauls run $55,000 to $75,000 per engine due to turbocharger work. Operating temperatures and management discipline matter more on the turbo. Many T310R operators have voluntarily de-turboed via STC to eliminate the exhaust-AD compliance burden and reduce maintenance cost.

Oil consumption on a healthy IO-520-MB runs about 0.4 to 0.6 quarts per hour per engine. Cylinder work at top-overhaul intervals (around 1,000 to 1,200 hours on hard-flown engines) runs $3,500 to $5,000 per cylinder. Both engines have six cylinders. A bad pre-buy can put a buyer into $20,000 to $40,000 of unscheduled cylinder work in the first year of ownership.

Plan on $350 to $520 per flight hour at 150 hours a year of utilization, all-in. The 310R is somewhere between the Baron 58 and the Seneca V on per-hour cost. The big variables are engine condition at purchase (which determines whether you're paying immediate top-overhaul costs or amortizing them across remaining TBO) and the fuel system condition (more on that below).

Fuel and oil run about $175 to $215 per hour at 30 gph and $5.50 to $7 fuel. Engine overhaul reserve is $60 to $80 per hour for two IO-520-MB engines at $50,000 to $60,000 each over 1,700-hour TBO. Prop overhaul reserve is about $5 to $8 per hour for two McCauley 3-blade props at $5,000 to $9,000 each (the 310R uses larger 3-blade props than most piston twins). Airframe maintenance reserve is $50 to $80 per hour, higher than a Baron 58 because the 310R's fuel system and aging airframe demand more attention.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026 runs $80,000 to $130,000 for a 310R with mid-time engines, steam-gauge panel, and basic equipment. Late-model 310Rs with fresh engines, modern Garmin avionics, and clean airframe history run $130,000 to $175,000. Turbo T310Rs with original turbo systems can be bought cheaper than NA 310Rs because operators fear the exhaust AD compliance and operating cost.

Twin Cessna Flyer (TCF) is the essential type-club resource. Annual dues are about $80 and the technical articles, member forum, and pre-buy guidance routinely save more in avoided headaches than the dues cost. TCF also publishes a comprehensive pre-buy checklist specifically for the Cessna 310, which any prospective buyer should review.