C-210/P-210

Another nice thing about older planes is that they are certified under, I believe, CAR3. Less FAA BS. There is no such thing as a maximum legal altitude. I have been to 23,000' moderate load in my non-turbo Cessna 210D which can be life saving if there are ice bearing clouds at 22,000'. Not bad for a plane that cost me $12,500.
 
I have owned a 1975 210L for over 10 years and have about 2000 hours in it.
It is a great family plane for travel. We use it to travel up and down the east coast and eastern states. It's a good plane for that. Most of what's in this thread covers it well, but if you have specific questions I'm happy to help.

I took one of the middle row seats out for a dog crate, and that gives it a very large comfortable cabin space. All the seats face forward, unlike the A36 which is of course also a great plane. The 2 back seats are small, more suitable for 2 kids or only 1 small adult for long distance comfort. It's really good for 2 adults and 2 kids.

A plane like this is much more expensive to own and operate than something like a 172. You must be prepared for this or you will be unpleasantly surprised. It burns more fuel (but goes much faster) and has more complicated systems and more to keep in working order. I believe the insurance is higher than some other 6 place retractables due to gear issues. My plane had a gear up before I bought it, but I've not had any trouble.

There is a wing spar AD that just came out for many models. If you buy a 210, be sure that AD its complied with because if it fails the AD, the fix will be massively expensive.

Let me know if you have specific questions. Good luck in your decision making.
 
Artimas said:
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There is a wing spar AD that just came out for many models. If you buy a 210, be sure that AD its complied with because if it fails the AD, the fix will be massively expensive.
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That new AD is against the spar carrythrough. There's an older one, from 2012, that is against the wing spars themselves. Cracking has been found in the lower spar caps, and it seems to be from high time or turbulence. That, too, would be massively expensive. I think Cessna was considering an airworthiness limitation on the airplane, to force retirement at some fixed airframe time, like their 400/ttX series has.
 
Dan Thomas said:
That new AD is against the spar carrythrough. There's an older one, from 2012, that is against the wing spars themselves. Cracking has been found in the lower spar caps, and it seems to be from high time or turbulence. That, too, would be massively expensive. I think Cessna was considering an airworthiness limitation on the airplane, to force retirement at some fixed airframe time, like their 400/ttX series has.
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Yes, this is true. The new AD that I was referring to is indeed for the spar carry-through. I should have been more precise in my description. It takes effect 3/9/20 and you have 60 days to comply.
There is no life limit on the 210 as of yet and I'm not aware of one that is being considered at this time. It may be that Cessna was considering that, but I never heard of them doing that. I'm fairly sure that any planes actively flying would have already been inspected for the older 2012 wing spar AD but not the new one.

Here is a link to the new AD I was referring to:
https://www.federalregister.gov/doc...ertificate-previously-held-by-cessna-aircraft
 
Struts may not be sexy but they sure work well. When the 210 cantilever wing first came out I asked a Cessna distributor what the speed gain would be and he said maybe 1 or 2 knots if that. I have never been unhappy with my 1964 C-210D in 49 years I have owned it. And after the gears saddle swap about 40 years ago my gear costs have been trivial.
 
JamesA320 said:
So I am doing tons of research. Trying to find the perfect plane. One week it is a Mooney, the next week it is a Cherokee 6, then a Bonanza. The latest plane on my radar is a Cessna 210. Looking for more info from those who have flown or owned one!

I would like to buy a plane one day. I assume I will be in the $150k-200k neighborhood once all is said and done. I have a family of 4 and want to be able to take them with me. And some baggage. I live in the Southwest and there are mountains all over the place. It sounds like a Cessna 210 can haul everyone comfortably and get above the mountains/weather. Please let me know your thoughts. Any better years/models to look for or stay away from?

Thank you
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Vitatoe IO-550P Turbo-normalized P210. What the plane should have been in the first place. Over 200 KTS at altitude.

https://www.avweb.com/ownership/turbonormalized-p210-fast-efficient-quieter/
http://www.vitatoeaviation.com
 
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