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Walking Away From Pistons

With top shops turning pistons away, plus skyrocketing costs and parts shortages, the decision to step up to turbine power is becoming easier.

Cessna 310 piston engine twin on jacks
A dual engine and prop swap on the turbocharged Cessna 310R could easily approach $200,000, with many months of downtime.

A dual engine and prop swap on the turbocharged piston Cessna 310R could easily approach $200,000, with many months of downtime.

Don’t get me wrong—my wife and I have enjoyed our 1978 turbocharged Cessna 310R twin—powered by two Continental TSIO-520B engines. It’s been an outstanding family aircraft—fast, capable and a joy to fly. But there’s no denying the high-performance piston airplane landscape is changing. It’s becoming more challenging to find high-quality maintenance without dealing with long lead times, replacement engine costs are out of control and there’s grave uncertainty about the future of 100LL.

Sy Pinkert

Sy Pinkert works as a captain on the Boeing 737 and flies his Cessna turbo 310 in his off time.