Six-seat turbocharged retractable-gear personal transport · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 1977–1980 · See its reach on the 3D globe
A Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion costs approximately $298k (€276k) to $356k (€330k) to buy at 1978 market values, and about $106k (€98k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $1,321 (€1,223) per flight hour all-in. It seats 6, cruises at 200 kt (230 mph) and has a published range of 900 nm (1,667 km), needing about 1,969 ft (600 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The turbocharged 210 is the fastest and highest-flying piston single Cessna ever sold, a strutless six-seat retractable that will hold 180 knots in the high teens all day. Owners buy it because almost nothing else does that on avgas and a private licence. It is also among the most maintenance-intensive singles in general aviation. Turbocharger, wastegate and exhaust condition drive the running cost, the retractable gear is complex and unforgiving of neglect, and hot cylinders are a way of life. Use the altitude or do not buy it, and budget as though it were a light twin.
The T210M Turbo Centurion is a six-seat, retractable-gear, turbocharged piston single whose handbook documents the loading, fuel, climb, stall and altitude envelope for the exact model. It offers meaningful high-altitude and cabin utility for its era, but that capability comes from a tightly integrated engine, fuel, landing-gear and systems package that must be judged as one aircraft.
Turbocharger condition, engine management history, landing-gear rigging, fuel-system condition, corrosion and modifications deserve specialist attention. The handbook's standard-empty-weight example does not describe every airframe, so useful load must be taken from the current weight-and-balance report rather than copied from a reference row.
An experienced owner with a Centurion-qualified shop and recurring high-altitude or load-carrying missions can justify the performance and is prepared to manage the additional systems carefully.
A first-time buyer seeking simple local flying, or anyone without specialist pre-buy and maintenance access, should favour a fixed-gear and normally aspirated alternative.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,724 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 715 kg |
| Usable fuel | 337 L |
| Landing ground roll | 233 m |
| Service ceiling | 28,500 ft |
| Maximum climb rate | 1,030 ft/min |
| Stall speed | 56 KCAS |
| Baggage weight | 109 kg |
| Engine | Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-R, 310 hp for takeoff and 285 hp maximum continuous |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 6 |
| Reported payload proxy | 972 lb (441 kg) |
| Reported range | 900 nm (1,667 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | Not used for mission ranking |
| Cruise speed | 200 kt (230 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,969 ft (600 m) |
| Landing gear | Retractable tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $35k (€32k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $324 (€300) |
Fast, high-flying and genuinely useful, but turbo, landing gear and spar-carry-through inspection history are critical.
Indicative cash costs at 1978 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $93k (€86k) | $2,317 (€2,145) | $787k (€729k) |
| 80 h / year | $106k (€98k) | $1,320 (€1,223) | $852k (€789k) |
| 120 h / year | $119k (€110k) | $988 (€915) | $917k (€849k) |
| 180 h / year | $138k (€128k) | $767 (€710) | $1.01m (€939k) |
Every figure above is built from a $35k (€32k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $324 (€300) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $66k (€62k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
On top of a pilot certificate, this aircraft obliges the person flying it to hold the following. Each one is time and money before the first trip, and insurers usually attach their own minimums on top.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 1978 market price for a Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion is $298k (€276k) to $356k (€330k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, a Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion works out at roughly $106k (€98k) annually, which is about $1,321 (€1,223) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $324 (€300).
Reported range is 900 nm (1,667 km). PlaneFit does not yet use this figure for mission ranking on this model.
Beyond a pilot certificate, a Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion requires complex airplane endorsement. Retractable gear puts this aircraft in the complex class of 14 CFR 61.31(e), alongside flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller, which retractable types carry as a matter of course. It is a one-time instructor endorsement in your logbook, but the insurance condition behind it is the part that costs money: underwriters usually want a stated number of hours in retractable-gear aircraft before they will write the risk at standard rates. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 1,969 ft (600 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.
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