P210

[AdrianG]

Hi All,

As a pilot with a PPL ASEL are there any special ratings or requirements to fly a pressurized aircraft such as P210N. I am out in Nova Scotia and with the lockdown there isn’t much GA going on and I have yet to see a 210 let alone a P210 in the HRM area. Also any advice on a good Cessna mechanic in the Atlantic Provinces would be great.

Thanks

[PilotDAR]

Aside from an instrument rating, which is kind of the norm for the operation of that type of plane, there are no ratings for it. But, depending upon your experience, you may have some insurance challenges. Talk to your insurance broker about their expectations for your experience before they cover you in it.

Familiarize yourself with the spar issues which apply to 210's. If you're thinking to buy one, really do your homework on it. Those 210's in poor condition are of very low value, and some owners may be trying to get out from under them, so know what you're buying...

[redlaser]

Some C210's have lost their tail in turbulence, I've flown many 210's and was always cautious when I encountered in flight turbulence, slowed the aircraft down, the aircraft is very sleek and will gain a lot of speed when descending from altitude, so caution must be made to throttle back, The best is to slow down before commencing descent to avoid over speeding.

[Squaretail]

While you can fly a P210 without an instrument rating, to get the best efficiency out of the machine you need one to make use of the most efficient altitudes. In comparison to a regular C210, it’s a heavier airframe with out any extra power, or wing, so draw your own conclusions from that. It’s at best a four person, or three person with bags airplane, or you leave behind so much fuel to not make the whole thing worthwhile. A lot is asked of the engine, and one needs to be mindful that you are losing power running all the extra stuff. Because they also packed a lot under the cowl, it’s one of the few planes I have found that it’s a race to get speed for cooling. Don’t be screwing around on the ground if you can help it. Supposedly some of those issues were solved with the P210R, but those are pretty rare birds.

Given all the extra stuff under the cowl, they can be real money pits. The a/c is absolutely necessary. The cabin gets a lot of engine heat, on even a Canadian summer day it can be pretty unbearable if it fails. Pressurizing a box was one of Cessna’s worst ideas. While I think they were advertised to have a cabin pressure differential of 3000’, many will barely be able to keep 1500, as the stresses of their lives will have generated many leak points, and is a high rate of failure item. Don’t count on not needing oxygen, and be very familiar with all that entails.

Lastly, many of the P210 are equipped with spoilers (at least all of the ones I have seen, so I don’t know if this was aftermarket or a Cessna option) which give it a piano like descent profile if you aren’t mindful of their deployment. Useful for getting down quickly to maximize cruise time at altitude.

[fish4life]

While you can fly a P210 without an instrument rating, to get the best efficiency out of the machine you need one to make use of the most efficient altitudes. In comparison to a regular C210, it’s a heavier airframe with out any extra power, or wing, so draw your own conclusions from that. It’s at best a four person, or three person with bags airplane, or you leave behind so much fuel to not make the whole thing worthwhile. A lot is asked of the engine, and one needs to be mindful that you are losing power running all the extra stuff. Because they also packed a lot under the cowl, it’s one of the few planes I have found that it’s a race to get speed for cooling. Don’t be screwing around on the ground if you can help it. Supposedly some of those issues were solved with the P210R, but those are pretty rare birds.

Given all the extra stuff under the cowl, they can be real money pits. The a/c is absolutely necessary. The cabin gets a lot of engine heat, on even a Canadian summer day it can be pretty unbearable if it fails. Pressurizing a box was one of Cessna’s worst ideas. While I think they were advertised to have a cabin pressure differential of 3000’, many will barely be able to keep 1500, as the stresses of their lives will have generated many leak points, and is a high rate of failure item. Don’t count on not needing oxygen, and be very familiar with all that entails.

Lastly, many of the P210 are equipped with spoilers (at least all of the ones I have seen, so I don’t know if this was aftermarket or a Cessna option) which give it a piano like descent profile if you aren’t mindful of their deployment. Useful for getting down quickly to maximize cruise time at altitude.

Would one use spoilers in conjunction with power on to minimize shock cooling?
Just curious from a casual observer

[Squaretail]

Yes.

[Inverted2]

Isn't there a big AD on the wing spar too? No wing struts. Been a few inflight break-ups on these over the years.

[PilotDAR]

Yes, there is a bog AD on some cantilever 210's, hence my remark about doing your homework. The some of the affected 210's are seriously affected, I've seen three which were grounded worthy at the AD inspection. The repair is mega, and parts very scarce. Do your homework for any 210.