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The Cessna 310 is an American four-to-six-seat, low-wing, twin-engine
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
produced by
Cessna Cessna () is an American brand of general aviation aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of the Cessna Aircraft Company, an American general aviation aircraft manufactu ...
between 1954 and 1980. It was the second twin-engine aircraft that Cessna put into production; the first was the Cessna T-50. It was used by the U.S. military as the L-27, after 1962, U-3. Over six thousand Cessna 310 and 320 aircraft were produced between 1954 and 1980.


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 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
turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
320 Skyknight was developed from the 310F. Equipped with TSIO-470-B engines and featuring an extra cabin window on each side, it 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 1961Type Certificate 3A10, p. 11. 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.Type Certificate 3A10, p. 19. Subsequent developments included the 310Q and turbocharged T310Q with a 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. Aircraft engineer Jack Riley produced two variants, The Riley Rocket 310 and the Riley Turbostream 310. Riley replaced the standard Continental engines with Lycoming TIO-540 engines. These turbocharged intercooled engines were installed with three-blade Hartzell propellers in a counter-rotating configuration to further increase performance and single-engine safety. At gross weight the aircraft had a weight to power ratio of per horsepower. This resulted in a cruising speed of at and a rate of climb.


Operational history


Commercial applications

The Cessna 310 was a common charter aircraft for the many air taxi firms that sprang up in the
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
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 aftermarket modifications, such as the Robertson
STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that can takeoff/land on short runways. Many STOL-designed aircraft can operate on airstrips with harsh conditions (such as high altitude or ice). STOL aircraft, including tho ...
kits that made it popular worldwide for its bush flying characteristics. It could use short runways, while at the same time carrying a large useful load of . or more, at speeds that were high for a twin engine piston aircraft.


Military applications

In 1957, the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(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'',Krivinyi, Nikolaus: ''World Military Aviation'', page 148. Arco Publishing Co., 1977. 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 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.Phillips, Edward H:''Wings of Cessna Model 120 to the Citation III'', Flying Books, 1986. The U-3 saw active service in a support role when the USAF deployed aircraft to South Vietnam during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, where they were used on courier flights between
air base An airbase (stylised air base in American English), sometimes referred to as a military airbase, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base, is an aerodrome or airport used as a mi ...
s. Some USAF aircraft were later transferred to the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy and the type continued in United States military service into the mid-1970s.


Notable private flights

On December 19, 1992, Cuban defector Major Orestes Lorenzo Pérez returned to Cuba in a 1961 Cessna 310 to retrieve his wife and two sons. Flying without lights, at low speed and very low altitude to avoid Cuban radar, Pérez picked up his family by landing on the coastal highway of
Varadero Varadero (), also referred to as ''Playa Azul'' (Blue Beach), is a resort town in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, and one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Varadero Beach is rated one of the world's best beaches in TripAdvisor's Travel ...
beach,
Matanzas Province Matanzas () is one of the provinces of Cuba. Major towns in the province include Cárdenas, Colón, Jovellanos and the capital of the same name, Matanzas. The resort town of Varadero is also located in this province. Among Cuban provinces, ...
, east of Havana and managed a successful safe return to
Marathon, Florida Marathon is a city in the middle of the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 9,689, up from 8,297 in 2010 United States ce ...
.


Variants

;310 :Initial production variant, powered by two Continental O-470-B or O-470-M engines with carburetors, with maximum takeoff weight of ; in production for 1955-1957 model years, 547 built. ;310A :Military version of the 310 for the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
, designated L-27A and later U-3A; with Continental O-470-M engines and maximum takeoff weight of ; 161 built. ;310B :Model produced in 1958, with new instrument panel,Simpson 1995, p. 126 O-470-M engines and maximum takeoff weight of ; 225 built. ;310C :Model produced in 1959, with Continental IO-470-D fuel-injected engines and maximum takeoff weight increased to ; and minor changes; 260 built. Unit cost $59,950 in 1959 ;310D :First model with swept vertical tail, other minor detail changes; 268 built for 1960 model year. ;310E :Military version of the 310F, designated the L-27B and later U-3B; with maximum takeoff weight of ; 36 built. ;310F :Model produced in 1961, with extra cabin window each side, pointed nose and other minor changes; maximum takeoff weight of ; 155 built. ;310G :First model with canted slimline tip tanks and optional six-seat cabin, with maximum takeoff weight increased to and detail changes, 156 built in 1962. ;310H :Model produced in 1963 with maximum takeoff weight increased to and enlarged cabin interior. 148 built. ;E310H :Version of 310H with the maximum takeoff weight of the 310G; combined total of 148 310H and E310H built. ;310I :First model with baggage compartments in rear of engine nacelles, Continental IO-470-U engines and minor detail changes; 200 built in 1964. ;310J :Model produced in 1965 with minor detailed changes and maximum takeoff weight of .Type Certificate 3A10, p. 15. ;310J-1 :Version of 310J type-certified in the Utility Category; with maximum takeoff weight increased to ; seating limited to four people instead of the 310J's six; and reduced baggage weight limit. ;E310J :Version of 310J with maximum takeoff weight reduced to ; combined total of 200 310J, 310J-1 and E310J built. ;310K :First model with optional three-blade propellers and long 'vista view' side windows; also increased maximum takeoff weight of with IO-470-V or IO-470-VO engines; 245 built in 1966. ;310L :First model with increased fuel capacity via fuel tanks inside wings and optional fuel tanks in engine nacelles, also single-piece windshield, redesigned landing gear, and minor changes;Taylor 1967, p. 238. 207 built in 1967. ;310M :Revised designation for the 310E. ;310N :Model produced in 1968, with revised instrument panel and provision for optional cargo door and fuel;Taylor 1968, p. 254. 198 built. ; :Model produced in 1969, with Continental IO-470-VO engines, ventral fin and a shorter nose gear leg.Taylor 1969, p. 301. ; :Version of 310P with turbocharged Continental TSIO-520-B or TSIO-520-BB engines producing and maximum takeoff weight of ; combined total of 240 310P and T310P built. ; :Last short-nose model, introduced in 1970, with maximum takeoff weight increased to and detailed changes, from the 401st aircraft fitted with a bulged rear cabin roof with rear view window. ;T310Q :Version of 310Q with turbocharged Continental TSIO-520-B or TSIO-520-BB engines and maximum takeoff weight increased to ; combined total of 871 310Q and T310Q built. ; :Last production model, introduced in the 1975 model year, with Continental IO-520-M or IO-520-MB engines; three-blade propellers as standard; lengthened nose containing a baggage compartment; and maximum takeoff weight. ;T310R :Version of 310R with turbocharged Continental TSIO-520-B or TSIO-520-BB engines; combined total of 1,332 310R and T310R 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 :First model with canted fuel tanks and minor changes; 47 built. ;320B Skyknight :First model with nacelle baggage lockers, minor changes; 62 built. ;320C Skyknight :Model with a longer cabin, optional seventh seat and minor changes; 73 built. ;320D Executive Skyknight :Model with reshaped rear windows and TSIO-520-B engines; 130 built. ;320E Executive Skyknight :Model with pointed nose, single piece windshield, modified landing gear, increased takeoff weight and minor changes; 110 built. ;320F Executive Skyknight :Model with minor changes compared to 320E; 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. ;Colemill Executive 600 :Conversion of models 310F to 310Q, replacing the engines with Lycoming TIO-540-J2BDs driving four-bladed propellers.Mitchell 1994, p. 305. ;Riley 65 :Conversion offered for models 310 to 310G, replacing the engines with two 240-260 hp (179–194 kW)
Continental O-470 The Continental O-470 engine is a family of carburetor, carbureted and fuel-injected flat six engine, six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engines that were developed especially for use in light aircraft by Teledyne Continen ...
Ds or -470Ms.Taylor 1966, p. 314. ; Riley Super 310 :Conversion of Cessna 310/320 by fitting two 310 hp (231 kW) Continental TSIO-520J or 520N engines.Taylor 1982, pp. 453–454. ;Riley Turbostream :Conversion of Cessna 310 by fitting two 350 hp Lycoming engines. ; Riley Rocket :Conversion of Cessna 310 by fitting two 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 engines and more fuel capacity. ; Riley Turbo-Rocket : Riley Rocket with each engine fitted with two Riley-manufactured
turbocharger In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into th ...
s. Cruise speed increased from to .Taylor 1967, p. 340.


Operators


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. ;Argentina *
Argentine Air Force The Argentine Air Force (, or simply ''FAA'') is the air force of Argentina and one of three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. In 2018, it had 13,837 military and 6,900 civilian personnel. FAA commander in chief is Brigadie ...
 — Cessna 310 and 320 models ;Bolivia ;Colombia *
Colombian Air Force The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, ) is the air force of the Republic of Colombia. The Colombian Aerospace Force is one of the three institutions of the Military Forces of Colombia charged, according to the 1991 Constitution, with working to exe ...
;Republic of the Congo ;France *
French Air and Space Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air F ...
 — 12 operatedAndrade 1982, p. 67. ;Haiti * Haiti Air Corps ;Indonesia *
Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...
Andrade 1982, p. 106. * Indonesian Army Aviation ;Iran ;Madagascar * Air Force of Madagascar — One 310RAndrade 1982, p. 151. ;Mexico * Mexican Naval AviationAndrade 1982, p. 157. ;Paraguay * Paraguayan Air Force ;Peru *
Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy (, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru, Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to from the Peruvian littoral. Additional missions include ...
Andrade 1982, p. 179. ;Philippines *
Philippine Air Force The Philippine Air Force (PAF) () is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Initially formed as part of the Philippine Army as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1935, the PAAC eventually saw combat ...
Andrade 1982, p. 180. ;Saudi Arabia ;Suriname * Suriname Air Force ;Tanzania * Tanzanian Air ForceAndrade 1982, p. 222. ;United States *
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
received 196 L-27A and L-27B (later redesignated U-3A and B).Taylor 1982, p. 347. *
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
received 25 ex-US Air Force L-27As (later U-3As) and at least 13 L-27Bs (later U-3B) from 1960.Harding 1990, pp. 85–86. ;Uruguay * Uruguayan Air Force (One 310R)Andrade 1982, p. 336. ;Venezuela *
Venezuelan Navy The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (), commonly known as the Venezuelan Navy, is the navy, naval branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. The Venezuelan Navy serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of Venezuela, i ...
Andrade 1982, p. 339. ;Zaire * Zaire Air ForceAndrade 1982, p. 342.


Accidents and incidents

* On October 28, 1959, a Cessna 310 carrying Cuban revolutionary
Camilo Cienfuegos Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán (; 6 February 1932 – 28 October 1959) was a Cuban revolutionary. One of the major figures of the Cuban Revolution, he was considered second only to Fidel Castro among the revolutionary leadership. The son of An ...
disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on a night flight from Camagüey to Havana. Neither the aircraft nor the body of Cienfuegos were ever found. * On November 26, 1962, a Saab Scandia 90A-1,
aircraft registration An aircraft registration is a code unique to a single aircraft, required by international convention to be marked on the exterior of every civil aircraft. The registration indicates the aircraft's country of registration, and functions much li ...
''PP-SRA'' of VASP on a scheduled domestic service in Brazil from São Paulo-Congonhas to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont collided in the air over Paraibuna, São Paulo, with a private Cessna 310 ''PT-BRQ'' en route from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont to São Paulo-Campo de Marte. Both were flying on the same
airway The respiratory tract is the subdivision of the respiratory system involved with the process of conducting air to the alveoli for the purposes of gas exchange in mammals. The respiratory tract is lined with respiratory epithelium as respiratory ...
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 727 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
operating as Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 collided with a Cessna 310 near
Hendersonville, North Carolina Hendersonville is a city in and the county seat of Henderson County, North Carolina, United States, located south of Asheville, North Carolina, Asheville. Like the county, the city is named for 19th-century North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Jus ...
, killing all 79 people on board the Boeing 727 and the three people in the Cessna. * On October 16, 1972, US Congressmen Nick Begich of Alaska, and
Hale Boggs Thomas Hale Boggs Sr. (February 15, 1914 – disappeared October 16, 1972; declared dead December 29, 1972) was an American Democratic Party politician and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the H ...
of Louisiana, disappeared over Alaska while flying in a 310C during a campaign trip. *On October 4, 1975, a chartered 310Q crashed on final approach to New Hanover County Airport while transporting wrestlers Bob Bruggers,
Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Flair's career spanned 50 years. He is ...
, Johnny Valentine and
Tim Woods George Burrell Woodin (July 28, 1934 – November 30, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Mr. Wrestling and Tim Woods. Collegiate wrestling career Woodin received a degree in agricultural engineering f ...
and promoter
David Crockett Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennessee in the United States Ho ...
to a
professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...
match in nearby
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
. Bruggers and Flair were seriously injured, while Valentine was paralyzed and the pilot subsequently died of his injuries. The aircraft was overloaded and its
center of gravity In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the barycenter or balance point) is the unique point at any given time where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. For ...
was beyond the aft limit; attempting to mitigate these problems, the pilot drained fuel before the flight, causing
fuel exhaustion In an internal combustion engine, fuel starvation is the failure of the fuel system to supply sufficient fuel to allow the engine to run properly, for example due to blockage, vapor lock, contamination by water, malfunction of the fuel pump or in ...
before the aircraft reached the runway. *On September 11, 1981, a T310P crashed into an upper wall of the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California, killing both aircraft occupants; the crash and a major ensuing fire caused severe damage to the building's roof, structural members, insulation, and about a third of the bleachers. The building was ultimately deemed beyond repair and was razed seven months later. * On June 29, 1989, concert organist Keith Chapman and his wife were killed when their 310Q piloted by Chapman crashed into the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains The Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Spanish language, Spanish for "Blood of Christ") are the southernmost mountain range, subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States. The mountai ...
of the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
while they were returning from a performance in California. , the US
National Transportation Safety Board The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and inci ...
has recorded 1,787 incidents for Cessna 310s since 12 January 1964. Of these, 436 were fatal.


Aircraft on display

*U-3A "Blue Canoe" ''58-2124'' is on display at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is ...
in Dayton, Ohio. The aircraft is one of several transferred from the USAF to the U.S. Army, and was flown to the museum in September 1984. *310 ''N6775X'', a 1955 model formerly flown by actor
Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...
, has been restored and placed as a gate guardian at Indiana County-Jimmy Stewart Airport in
Indiana, Pennsylvania Indiana is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 14,044 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Indiana, Pennsylvania micropolitan area, about northeast of Pittsburgh. ...
. The aircraft is mounted on a pedestal to act as a
weather vane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...
, and its propellers rotate with the wind.


Specifications (1956 model 310)


Notable appearances in media


See also


References

* *Andrade, John. ''Militair 1982''. London: Aviation Press Limited, 1982. * Bridgman, Leonard. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57''. New York: The McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1956. * * Harding, Stephen. ''U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1990. . * * Michell, Simon. ''Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994–95''. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1994. . * * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966. * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1967–68''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1967. * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1968–69''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1968. * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1969. * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. .


External links


U-3 description at GlobalSecurity.org
{{US utility aircraft 310 1950s United States civil utility aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1953 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear