How many Cessna 210s were built?

Approximately 9,240 Cessna 210s of all variants were built between 1959 and 1985 — one of the largest single-engine retractable-gear production runs in GA history. The volume 210L / 210M / 210N Centurion II variants account for the largest sub-totals; the turbocharged T210 and pressurised P210 are smaller but active sub-fleets.

Is the Cessna 210 complex and high-performance?

Yes on both. Every 210 variant has retractable tricycle gear, a constant-speed propeller, and at least 260 hp (rising to 310 hp on the T210 / P210) — comfortably above the 200 hp high-performance threshold and meeting the FAR 61.31 complex definition on gear and propeller alone. A school using the type can issue both endorsements on the same airframe.

What is the difference between the Cessna 210, T210, and P210?

The base 210 is normally-aspirated with the Continental IO-470 / IO-520 / IO-550 engine family. The T210 (1966 onwards) adds turbocharging via the Continental TSIO-520, lifting service ceiling above 27,000 ft and bumping installed power to 310 hp. The P210 (1978 onwards) adds cabin pressurisation to the turbocharged airframe — Cessna's only pressurised single-engine production aircraft.

Is Cessna still building the 210?

No. Production ended in 1985 alongside Cessna's other piston singles over product-liability concerns. The 1996 piston-single revival under the General Aviation Revitalization Act included the 172, 182, and 206 but not the 210. The type is a used-market-only platform today; Textron Aviation continues factory support.

Cessna (Textron Aviation)

210 Centurion

Single-engine piston · Complex trainer · Pre-1980 classic

discontinued

Photo: Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Power: 285 hp
Cruise: 184 kt
MTOW: 3,800 lb
Range: 900 nm
Fuel: 100LL avgas

🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.

Performance

Cruise speed (Vc)184 kt
Never-exceed speed (Vne)200 kt
Stall (landing config) (Vs0)58 kt
Climb rate950 fpm
Service ceiling17,300 ft
Range900 nm
Endurance6 h
Takeoff roll1,170 ft
Landing roll1,660 ft

Weights

MTOW3,800 lb
Empty weight2,230 lb
Useful load1,570 lb
Baggage capacity200 lb

Dimensions

Wingspan36.7 ft
Length28.2 ft
Height9.7 ft
Cabin width42 in

Powerplant

EngineContinental IO-520-L — 285 hp · 100LL · 16 gph
Total horsepower285 hp
Primary fuel100LL avgas
Unleaded pathLeaded only — needs G100UL or engine swap

Cockpit & avionics

Cockpit typeanalog
Autopilot commonly availableYes
Typical packages
- Six-pack analog with Bendix/King KX-155 and KFC-200 autopilot— 1970s–1985 factory standard
- Garmin GNS 530 / GTN 750 + analog primary— common retrofit
- Garmin G500 TXi / G3X Touch retrofit— modern retrofit on touring fleet airframes
Training note
Most 210s flying today are owner-flown personal-touring aircraft with modern avionics retrofits — Garmin GTN-750, G500 TXi or G3X Touch panels paired with the original analog instruments. Schools using the 210 for the FAR 61.31 complex and high-performance endorsements typically operate one airframe rather than a fleet, and benefit from a modern panel for the IFR component of the training profile.

Certification

RegulatoryFAR Part 23
Certified rolesNormal category — IFR / day / night · Known icing approved (variant-dependent factory option)
IFRYes
Spin approvedNo
Aerobatic-categoryNo
TailwheelNo
Complex (FAR 61.31)Yes
High-performance (FAR 61.31)Yes

Why is the 210 Centurion popular?

Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.

Production volume

Approximately 9,240 Cessna 210s of all variants were built between 1959 and 1985 — one of the largest single-engine retractable-gear production runs in GA history. The fleet remains material on the FAA registry as a high-performance / complex / IFR cross-country airframe.

Regulatory fit

Retractable tricycle gear, constant-speed propeller, and 285 to 310 hp installed power place every 210 variant inside the FAR 61.31 complex and high-performance categories. One airframe carries both endorsements; the T210 and P210 additionally cover high-altitude turbocharged training.

Industry network effects

Cessna Owner Organization and the Cessna Pilots Association support the 210 fleet alongside the 172, 182, and 206. The high-performance Cessna single-engine community is well-established, with active maintenance practice, STC awareness, and avionics-modernisation pathways.

Operating economics

Continental IO-520 / IO-550 / TSIO-520 engines burn roughly 14 to 18 gph in cruise depending on power setting and turbocharger configuration. The six-seat cabin, retractable gear, and high cruise speed (184 to 200 kt) place the 210 in personal-touring / corporate-track use rather than ab-initio training.

Fuel future-proofing

Continental IO-520, IO-550, and TSIO-520 engines are 100LL powerplants. Some variants are progressively covered by G100UL STCs under the FAA EAGLE programme — operators should track engine-specific STC eligibility for their airframe.

Before you buy more aircraft

The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.

Flight school revenue is a function of three things — utilisation, dispatch reliability, and student progression — that multiply rather than add. Most schools running below 850 hours per aircraft per year have hidden capacity worth more than the next purchase, already paid for and sitting on the ramp.

Read: Why buying more aircraft probably won't grow your school

Operations

Record hours, no profit

Where margin actually leaks when the schedule looks full.

Strategy

The three hurdles to profitability

The structural barriers most expansion plans miss.

How flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize

Schools or owner-pilots configure the 210 in Aviatize as a single airframe with the Continental IO-520 / IO-550 / TSIO-520 engine modelled as a child component for TBO tracking and a constant-speed-propeller component for overhaul cycles. The retractable-gear maintenance schedule (cycles vs. hours) should be tracked separately. Pilot-currency rules should gate the resource on a current FAR 61.31 complex and high-performance endorsement.

schedulingaircraft maintenancetraining management

Editorial confidence

Medium confidenceLast reviewed 2026-05-26

Variant timeline, engine family, and certification path attributed to FAA TCDS 3A21 and the Cessna Owner Organization. Specific performance numbers vary materially by variant; the figures shown are representative of the 210L / 210M / 210N Centurion II as the volume variant in the family.

Sources

Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.

Primary sourceFAA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/TCDS
FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 3A21 covers the Cessna 210 family.
Primary sourceType Club·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Cessna Owner Organization
https://www.cessnaowner.org/
Type club covering the 210 alongside the broader Cessna single-engine line.
Secondary sourceAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-26
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_210
Wikipedia article verified on 2026-05-26. Confirmed: 9,240 built; manufactured 1957-1986; first flight January 1957; family developed into Cessna 205/206/207; length 28 ft 2 in; wingspan 36 ft 9 in; height 9 ft 8 in; fuel 87 US gal usable; original 210/210A Continental IO-470 260 hp (matches entry); later T210 with Continental TSIO-520-R 310 hp turbo-charged at 4,000 lb gross with cruise 193 kn at 20,000 ft 80% power, service ceiling 27,000 ft, range 900 nm econ cruise (entry's 17,300 ft service ceiling reflects the normally-aspirated 210L/M/N variant which is the family's volume training variant).
Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Operator lists are intentionally empty rather than speculative.

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