Cessna Model 210 Centurion / Turbo-Centurion / Pressurized Centurion

1957

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Cessna Pressurized Centurion

Flown for the first time in January 1957, the Cessna Model 210 was the first of the company's high-wing range to feature retractable landing gear and swept vertical tail surfaces. The first production aircraft flew in December 1959 powered by a 194kW Continental IO-470-E engine, and since that time progressive improvements were made each year.

The 1961 model introduced two more cabin windows, additional headroom and an improved heating and ventilating system, and by 1963 an autopilot was offered as an option. In January 1965 the Model 210E Centurion had supplanted earlier versions and was powered by a 213kW Continental IO-520-A.

The Model 210F followed in 1966, and that year the first turbocharged model became available in the form of the T210F Turbo-System Centurion with a 213kW Continental TSIO-520C; the extra power conferred a useful increase in performance, particularly in altitude. A new wing, first flown on a T210 in June 1965, was later introduced on production aircraft, and eliminated the need for external bracing struts.

By 1970 Cessna had dropped its suffix letter system from model numbers and in that year introduced two new versions, the Centurion II and Turbo Centurion II which incorporated a factory-installed package of avionics and equipment as standard, these being produced alongside the Centurion and Turbo Centurion. By then the Centurions were of six-seat capacity and offered powerplant options of a 224kW Continental IO-520-L for the Centurion and a 213kW TSIO-520H for the Turbo Centurion.

In November 1977 a new pressurised version of the Model 210, the Pressurized Centurion, was announced. Generally similar to the standard Centurion, it differed by having a pressure cabin and a 231kW Continental TSIO-520-P which incorporated a high-capacity turbocharger to support the pressurisation system, and like the earlier models was available in standard and Pressurized Centurion II versions.

All six versions remained available until 1986 when sales slowed down and at the end of 1987 when production ceased, a total of 8,453 Model 210s and Centurions had rolled off the line together with 851 Pressurized Centurions.

Turbocharged Centurions established several world records in their class: including time-to-height records, a round the world speed record of 204km/h, and an altitude record of 12905m established as long ago as 13 May 1967.

Specification 
 MODELPressurized Centurion
 ENGINE1 x Continental TSIO-520-P flat-six turbocharged piston engine, 231kW
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan11.2 m37 ft 9 in
  Length8.5 m28 ft 11 in
  Height2.95 m10 ft 8 in
  Wing area16.26 m2175.02 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed357 km/h222 mph
  Cruise speed309 km/h192 mph
  Ceiling7010 m23000 ft
  Range1593 km990 miles

Comments
Len Paulsem, e-mail, 18.02.2017 06:25

Flew a 1979 210N (IO-520) from brand new to 1400 hrs. Great reliability. A delight to operate. 90 gal gas tank gave it long legs. Installed an AM /FM cassette sterio w / 6 headsets; made travelling even better.

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Bruce Walls, e-mail, 12.03.2016 21:34

I owned a T-210 from 1986-1991 then a P-210 from 1996 to the present (2016). I have landed in every US state, and much of Canada and the Caribbean. They are great planes with amazing ability and utility when they are not in the maintenance shop!

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Charlie smith, e-mail, 09.04.2012 14:47

Would like to know the cabin spruce, maintenance cost, fuel consumption, insurance costs and true specs. And of course cons of the plane, what are they bad for.
Thanks
Charlie

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Orville Rogers, e-mail, 15.03.2011 21:33

I owned a one third interest in a Centurian, enjoyed it very much. Earlier I was introduced to a turbo 210 in East Africa. I lived in Dar es Salaam for 13 months, flying missionaries, missionary kids (to school in Nairobi and back) mail and supplies for the Baptist Mission of Tanzania. I flew all over TZ and some of Kenya, loved serving the mission. I flew by Kilimanjaro many times a magnificent snow capped peak reaching 19,200' or so. I also climbed it, at the age of 65. The 210 performed beatifully, even out of some very rough airstrips. I liked it so much that when I came home I bought the 1 /3 interest in a normally aspirated one.

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John Kobbe, e-mail, 21.01.2011 19:45

My first aircraft was a 1948 Cessna( the first model) 170 N2535V,flew it up and down the west coast many times and to the east coast. My second aircraft is(I still have it) a 1960 cessna 210 (also the the first year model 210)#N6544X.For a non-turbo it does good at hi altitudes,used to quite often fly above 18,000 ft,no body seems to believe me,but one time at near gross weight we crossed the rockies at fl level 230(trying to stay above the weather)

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Angelo Bove, e-mail, 04.06.2010 20:45

I flew the 210 in bush operations in Amazon jungle.It's fantastic,very dependable.Carries a lot of things.A very great airplane.

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Scott Boyd, e-mail, 30.01.2010 04:16

I flew pretty much every version, including a original 60 model with an IO-520 engine. Most of my time was in T-210's, and T-206's. P-210's I flew were early models and were much more reliable then the earlier P-337 when it first came out. The owner would fly from Centennial airport to Stapleton, in Denver, and it would be in the shop for a week. Used to ride the airlines and fly it back to Denver every couple of weeks.

I also flew the 206, T-310, 340, 421, 414 before flying King Airs out of Denver.

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Les Freitag, e-mail, 12.01.2010 18:18

From 1979- 1982 I flew some 30 trips from central Fla. to Jamacia and Columbia in three 210's.It was a pleasure to fly as well as very trustworthy. Landing in short rough strips and taking off 500lbs overgross was not a problem.

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H.M. Prager, e-mail, 27.04.2009 16:38

one of the most beautiful single engine pressurised aircraft I have ever had the priveledge to fly back in the 1970s through to 1988 when I retired from general aviation. It set - in my opinion, the bench mark for a single flat six cylinder engined pressurised aircraft and no one has been able to match it. This does not include Turbine single engine aircraft

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