C310 Info
 

Quick question,

I am looking to get endorsement on the C310 in the next couple of weeks. Does anyone know of any useful links or websites that have detailed info on C310's? (Checklists weight and balance, general info or tips on the tricky fuel management):eek::eek:

I tried the search function but no real info, I really thought these questions would have been asked before.:ugh:

Gearup2,

try www.redcliffeaeroclub.com.au

Look under aircraft fleet, then download data sheet for the 310 - this has all the numbers for the 310R model - note this one had the VG kit. The others need passwords, so you must be a member. If you want some more info PM me as I have over 700 hours in the machine.

If you are looking to get an endo in one I would thorougly recommend Redcliffe Aero Club.

Here

The C310 fuel system logic is the same as the C401/C402 so a search for that aircraft will give you some similar, but still useful, information too.

Good links there guys. Love this site, ask in here about anything & bingo someone will come up with the goods:ok:
Although very well explained on those links I'll keep it simple to some degree:-).

Hint: I used to fly a C310Q serial No 0001 many moons ago (this one had no omni vision window actually) but if I recall correctly the C310 has continious duty pumps in the wing tip tanks (mains) & they shared the same CB with the retractable ldg lights. I found this out 'cause after some shoddy maint a wire to the ldg light shorted out & the duty pump failed.

As most will know the aux tanks (which are in the wings & locker where fitted) ought not to be used 'till approx an hrs worth of fuel has been used from the mains (Tips) This is due to the fuel pumps supplying a higher than required fuel flow to the engines & thus the excess not required by the engines is returned to the Tips (Mains). I could be wrong there but am sure I'll be told as much by a more current Cessna driver:-)

Another hint & probably really not a hint but hey ya never know:-)
The pilots side window is an emerg exit, I once had this 'pop' open slightly whilst in flight, scared the crap out of me at the time, & it was also just out of maint after having a new one fitted.

Great plane, bit of a mongrel for pax to get in & out of.
Short nose ones I found pitch sensitive if loaded aft heavy (within limits though)


CW

Cereal Drifter:

700 hours on C310....nice....yeah I flew that one at Redcliffe a bit...nice machine!!!!

Had done 1300 hrs on a 310 more room then a Baron so pax liked it but it was heavy to man handle around the pattern.

"As most will know the aux tanks (which are in the wings & locker where fitted) ought not to be used 'till approx an hrs worth of fuel has been used from the mains (Tips) This is due to the fuel pumps supplying a higher than required fuel flow to the engines & thus the excess not required by the engines is returned to the Tips (Mains). I could be wrong there but am sure I'll be told as much by a more current Cessna driver:-)"

Correct. The fuel is returned to the mains regardless what tank is selected. yes it is about an hour out of the mains first otherwise when the main tank is filled with the returned fuel it will vent overboard.

the fuel system is the same as the 401/402 A & B it is not the same as the C model. I believe the C model is just left and right mains only. not sure though.


300

A C310 only fly's because it flaps it's wings - one damn ugly bird, give me a Baron any day!

Back in the sixties, to counter the likes of the Mooneys, Commanches and Bananas, Cessna advertising ran the slogan for the 210

"Cessna high wing stability....ask any bird"


Roger Bacon in Flight Magazine Straight and Level came back with;

"Cessna high wing stability....Ask any 310"

Each to his own - else ugly women would never get laid!

I think the short-nose C310P is one of the sexiest looking aeroplanes around! A close second to the V-tail Bonanza!

Dr :8

Short nose 310's look ridiculous....the R model is the only way to go.

Sorry Wiz.:uhoh:

What would Sky King think of this thread? :(

RJ

Cessna 310
 

I flew Cessna 310 aircraft ( mainly short nose models) on all sorts of operations, including cloud seeding and survey ( a story or two there).

A very good aeroplane and in those days it was always called "The Standard" by which other Twins were measured.

Enjoy it.

Tmb

Thanks for the info guys...... just what i was looking for:ok:

I am with you capt wally PPRUNE can be very resourceful. No doubt i will have a few questions after i do a bit of reading:ok:

C310R Fuel management.
 

A method to prevent fuel starvation when selecting aux tanks (inboards, also not fitted with electric pumps) was to select the aux tank in cruise one at a time and monitoring the fuel flow. Any reduction in flow required a reselection of the appropriate main (outboards,with electric pumps).
A second selection of the aux tank would then result in a vapourisation free flow. Worked for me 2000 hrs plus in the tropics.:ok:

"GUP2" also just as a point of interest here re C310. The U/C legs are long, (like a certain Aussie well known gal:E) That being the case they are prone to some excess wear. Keep a close eye on the torque links, scissor links etc when doing a pre flight inspection. I used to work on planes some years ago now & often saw some fairly worn U/C assemblies on C310's. The Dr:8 will love this but the Baron/Bonanza was the strongest.
Whoops just thought of another thing too seeing as I am on a roll.
The manual gear ext is as you will know or soon find out is under the pilots seat. The crank handle can get away from you if not careful as in almost spin around at a great rate of knots on it's own. I've seen this although it was due to a fault but ya never know:ok:

And as for uglyness? Well granted the C310 did look to some degree an ungainly looking duck on the ground but in the air sleek & damn sexy unlike the Baron, just an all round 'truck', built like one too:)


CW.

Just to add an addendum to Capt Wal's post. When doing your preflight checks, make sure the manual u/c extension handle is stowed in it's clips. If it isn't fully stowed and you select gear up you can do extensive and very expensive damage to the gears in the u/c gearbox.

Essentially there is a large centre gear with two smaller gears, one driven by an electric motor attached to the u/c selector switch and the other is driven by the manual extension hand crank. When you unlatch the manual extension handle it moves the electrically driven gear away from the centre gear and connects the hand driven gear.

When the manual extension handle is not fully extended you can get a situation where both small gears are still partially connected to the centre gear, usually by 1 - 3mm and the teeth on all of the gears can be stripped. The gears are stainless steel and very expensive.

Top advice there 'Plovett'. See there's always someone who knows just that little bit more, not too hard for Capt Wally.:ok:

'Plovett' remember the Beech manual ext? Say a BE58 It too could get away from you when let go, OUCH!:bored:



CW

http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/pho..._baron58_h.jpg

http://www.top-flite.com/airplanes/topa0910-main-2.jpg

The Baron wins hands down :D

Well it does if you're going to try and pass off a plastic toy against a landscape as a realistic photo.

Very funny & very clever there "MACH". What is that, a TopFlight C310? Looks like one, & that pilot oh so young & 'plastic' looking:E
Flown both types, the Baron was nice to fly, true, fast & well built but the Cessna had a big feel about it unlike the Baron, each to their own hey?:ok:



CW

For those that didn't get my subtle joke, i was implying the Baron is a 'real' aeroplane and the C310 not so :D

Yeah the 310 sits a tad higher and with those sizable wingtanks make you feel like the bird is much bigger than it really is when you are taxiing around the airfield, but once you punch the throttles forward on a Baron (nicely of course) and hear her roar and the way she composes herself in the air with pure beech refinement, you start the beech love affair. She feels small, light and zippy, capable of going wherever you point her without the slightest hesitation and once trimmed, she will stay there. Like a 310 they land like a pancake and take a little getting used to, especially if you were used to something a little bigger, but god they are fun!

Re the fuel transfer, there where 2 aux tank capacities(actual figures long forgotten:() , a 60 min or a 90 min transfer. Dont fill the mains over the tabs, it will just vent it anyhoo(from memory). CW would know! Given the choice between the C310 and the Baron, I would take the Shrike:ok:

Righto Question after looking at this thread: http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-309193.html

And looking at this fuel schematic of the C310 here:[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...gt57/C310R.jpg[/font]

So the engine draws roughly 2 lts a minute but it only consumes 1 Lts a minute the other Lt is routed back to the main tank?

So my questions based on what is stated in the above thread:

Does the fuel control unit dictate the supply of the 2 Lts or does the engine driven fuel pumps dictate the flow of 2 Lts a minute but the engine only consumes 1 Lt?

If the main tanks are selected what happens to the remaining 1Lt that the engine doesn’t consume?

If the Aux tanks are selected and 2 Lts per minute is drawn from the Aux tank how does the remaining 1 Lt find its way back to main tank? Judging by my interpretation of the fuel schematic the only place it can make its way back to the main tank is through the fuel selector value? Is this correct or have I miss read the drawing?:ugh::ugh::ugh:

If anyone can explain the above it would help me understand how it works which will definitely minimise any mistakes in future:bored:

Thanks
Gearup2

The fuel is returned to the main tanks via what is called on the diagram the "vapor return" line which runs from the engine driven pump to the main tank.

When I flew C310/402 it never seemed as complex as it does here. Check the pumps as part of your pre-flight, drain an hour from the mains before changing to the auxs.

All worked pretty well for me. I liked the C310 and loved the 402 (with both the Conties purring)!

Dr :8

Peter Fanelli , thanks for the info i thought that might be the case it was the title "Vapour Return" that i was a little unsure of.:ugh:

FTDK I agree, I have a little over 4000 hours in 310's and 402's and the fuel system never gave me cause for concern.

I think the tip tanked Cessna twins are better to fly than their non tipped tanked derivatives. If I was rich I'd probably have a 421B for personal transport. :ok:

Cessna 421B personal aircraft.
 

Peter Fanelli:

I agree, it is one of the most comfortable aircraft built.


Tmb

I was never a real fan of the 421, too complexe & expensive to operate I reckon. The Chancellor, (VH-FCZ I think) now that's a smart plane, no geared engines & clean lines. the one I flew had a corporate setup & a dream to fly. In fact I flew her (nice planes are 'hers':)) during the Syd-HB fiasco yatch race search off the NSW coast, now there's another story!

Hey Dr:8 2X 'Conties', now there was a risk x2:E

'Mach' we got yr subtle joke alright:ok:, that's why I asked whether it was a "TopFlight" C310? They where overpowered & I saw one crash when it lost an eng on T/off, the pilot didn't have a clue!:E


CW