210 Centurion
Summary
| Category | Military Transport Aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
| Year introduced | 1957 |
| Number produced | 9240 units |
Technical specifications
| Version: T210 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Operational range | 1,667 km (1,036 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 378 km/h (235 mph) |
| Wing area | 16.3 m² (175.0 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 11.2 m (36.7 ft) |
| Height | 3.0 m (9.7 ft) |
| Length | 8.6 m (28.2 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 8,230 m (27,001 ft) |
| Empty weight | 1,045 kg (2,304 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 1,814 kg (3,999 lbs) |
| Climb rate | 4.7 m/s (15.4 ft/s) |
| Powerplant | 1 x 1 x piston Continental TSIO-520-R delivering 231 kW each |
Current operating countries
All operators
Recent events involving the 210 Centurion
Description
The Cessna 210 Centurion is a single-engine, six-seat light aircraft built by Cessna between 1957 and 1986, with 9,240 produced. It was developed as a high-performance retractable-undercarriage complement to the fixed-gear Cessna 182 and 206, and evolved considerably over its production life, most notably with the removal of the wing struts from 1967 and the introduction of turbocharged and pressurised variants.
Design
The 210 is a high-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle undercarriage, unusual in a Cessna single. Later models are cantilever designs without the bracing struts characteristic of the manufacturer smaller aircraft. Power in the turbocharged T210 comes from a Continental TSIO-520 flat-six of 310 horsepower driving a three-blade constant-speed propeller, giving a maximum speed of around 204 knots at 17,000 feet and a service ceiling of 27,000 feet. Range is about 900 nautical miles at economical cruise.
Operational History
Although designed for the civil market, the Centurion has been widely adopted by air forces and government agencies in Latin America, Africa and Asia for liaison, light transport, aerial survey and border patrol, where its speed, range and modest operating cost suit long sectors over sparsely populated terrain. A Cessna 210 of the Bolivian Air Force crashed in Cochabamba Department in June 2026, killing all six occupants.
Variants
Main Variants:
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210 Centurion: The baseline strut-braced model produced from 1957.
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Cessna 210 Centurion (cantilever): Strutless development introduced from 1967.
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T210 Turbo Centurion: Turbocharged variant with a Continental TSIO-520 engine for high-altitude performance.
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P210 Pressurized Centurion: Pressurised development offering cabin comfort at high cruise altitudes.