210 Centurion

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 was bought in small numbers by Latin American air forces for liaison, light transport, aerial survey and border patrol, where its speed, range and modest operating cost suit long sectors over sparsely populated terrain. Honduras, Bolivia, El Salvador, Paraguay (air force and naval aviation), Guatemala and Panama still fly a handful between them; Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Peru, the Philippines, Uruguay and Venezuela have retired theirs. A Cessna 210 of the Bolivian Air Force crashed in Cochabamba Department in June 2026, killing all six occupants.

Variants

Main Variants:

• 210 Centurion: The baseline strut-braced model produced from 1957.

• Cessna 210 Centurion (cantilever): Strutless development introduced from 1967.

• T210 Turbo Centurion: Turbocharged variant with a Continental TSIO-520 engine for high-altitude performance.

• P210 Pressurized Centurion: Pressurised development offering cabin comfort at high cruise altitudes.