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Air B100 that I manage and fly and also gave me access to his other airplanes: a Piper Super Cub and a Cessna 310Q. Gerald has owned the Cessna 310Q since 1978 and it is a creampuff. At first, I was not too excited about the airplane but that was because I was unversed with this fine family of airplanes. Now that I’ve been educated, I fly the 310Q frequently and it has become our go-to steed for any mission that seems too small for the King Air.
Deanna hails from Lufkin, Texas, and is locally called the “Baroness” at the Angelina County Air-
port (LFK). There are four Beechcraft Barons based
at LFK and she is trusted by the various owners, ending up in the front left seat of a Baron multiple
days each week. She came to work with me and
now has the keys to every airplane in our hangar ranging from the King Air 300, B100, to all of the PA46s. But she continues to operate the Barons because they are such good airplanes and, well, she’s the Baroness. So, along with Deanna came the Barons, and I got an introduc- tion to an airplane that somehow evaded my grasp in my earlier years in aviation. Now I get to fly the Baron, too and have grown to appreciate the airplane for what it is – a remarkable, overbuilt machine that is great for cross-country flying.
So, considering the 310Q or the Baron, which one do I like best? Which would I buy if I were to pony up the coin for a multi-engine cross-country steed? Well, that depends upon a few considerations.
Cessna 310
The Cessna 310 is probably in the “Top Ten” list of cool- est looking airplanes on the planet (at least on my list). Everything on the airplane is sleek and pointy, giving it the impression that it repels parasite drag like oil does to water. The non-turbo Q model is the one that I fly, and I have grown to love it. With a huge and comfortable cockpit, lots of luggage space, engine nacelle storage, and a panel that is
spacious enough or all the latest avionics gadgets, the Cessna 310Q is a fantastic airplane for many varied mis- sions. Gerald’s Q-model has been upgraded with the Con- tinental 520 engines that develop a lot of power for their size/profile, and the performance is very good. We regu- larly climb at 1,100 FPM at max-gross, and cruise at 185 KTAS while burning 22 GPH. I’ve flown from Texas to Montana, New Mexico, Minnesota, Florida, and a whole host of other faraway states in the 310Q – each time with four-plus people and bags. It has the useful load, range and space to be a true cross-country machine. I’ve grown to love it for its efficiency and utility.
But, all is not perfect in the Cessna 310. While the seats are comfortable and space cavernous, the 310 is a hard airplane to climb in. If you or your passengers have mo- bility issues, then the climb up on the wing and the down into the seats (especially the back seats) can be trouble- some. There’s a spar to contend with and only one door for everyone. I think it’d be a poor choice of an airplane for the owner who is a non-pilot and plans to hire a pro, for he or she will be sharing the same space as the pilot and will often be climbing into the awkward back seat.
April 2024 / TWIN & TURBINE • 27