Hobbies And Interests
Rollout of the 310
The debut 310 model was delivered in 1954 with twin 240-horsepower carburetted Continental engines as standard equipment. Its cabin seated five; it weighed 2,659 pounds empty. With a 213 mph cruising speed, the original 310 had a range of 800 miles.
310 Variants: 310-A to 310-B
The Cessna 310's first variant was the 310-A, a military copy of the 310 designated U-3A by the Pentagon. The civilian 310-B that followed included alterations to the instrument panel and minor modifications to the standard 240-horsepower Continental engine, which was upgraded to the O-470-M.
310-C
The 1959 310-C brought the series' first major upgrade. Fuel-injected Continental engines, each developing 260 horsepower, were now standard. Larger windows were added to the cabin to increase visibility. Seating capacity expanded to six. Cruise speed was bumped to 222 mph and fuel capacity increased by 65 gallons, resulting in a total range of 1,082 miles.
310-D to 310-F
The 310-D came with the same mechanical configuration as the 310-C but introduced aerodynamic enhancements like a swept fin. This trademark design signature made post-1960 310 models easy to identify on sight. The 310-E is the military forerunner of the civilian 310-F, with no substantial alterations. Cessna's 310-F offered the same technical specifications as the 310-D but included design changes like the addition of two cabin windows and reshaping of the nose.
310-G to 310-J
The 310-G featured tip tanks with a reduced profile, increased cabin seating and higher take-off weight. The 310-H offered the same technical specifications as the 310-F and 310-G but with a slightly enlarged cabin. An upgrade to the Continental IO-470-U engine accompanied the 310-I. Baggage compartments were added to engine nacelles and other small cosmetic changes were made. Only minor design changes marked the transition to the Cessna 310-J.
310-K to 310-L
Technical specs for the 310-K show that Cessna transitioned to the Continental IO-470-V engine, still a 260-horsepower fuel-injected power-plant. Appearance changes include extended cabin side-windows. The 310-L that followed was essentially a 310-K with a single-piece windshield and increased fuel capacity.
310-M to 310-N
The 310-M was a redesign of the 310-E and restricted to military use. The 310-N came with a revised instrument panel and optional fuel tanks behind engine compartments. An IO-470-V-O engine was installed, still a 260-horsepower, fuel-injected Continental as in previous iterations.
310-P to 310-Q
Observing standard procedure in model nomenclature where the model number ends in the numeral 0, no Cessna 310 variant was produced bearing the alphabetical identifier O. The 310-P introduced a major engine upgrade with an optional 285-horsepower turbocharged Continental TSIO-520-B, increasing cruise speed to 231 mph and range to 1,322 miles. The 310-P also featured shortened nose wheel gear and ventral fin. Mechanically a reprise of the 310-P, the 310-Q slightly increased take-off weight to 5,300 pounds and changed conformation of the rear cabin roof and rear window.
310-R and End of Production
The final variant in the 310 series, the 310-R added three-bladed propellers. An enhanced power-plant -- the Continental TSIO-520-M -- upped the 310-R cruise speed to 231 mph and increased its range to 1,322 miles. Later refinements to the 310-R included a nose extension of almost three feet, conspicuously identifying models from the mid-1970's on. This modification accommodated up to 350 additional pounds of avionics or cargo in the nose. Production of the Cessna 310 ended in 1980.