Cessna 210 Centurion Specs: Weights, V-Speeds, Cruise

Q: How much fuel does a Cessna 210 Centurion hold?

89 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 15.8 GPH that is roughly 5.6 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.

Q: What is the useful load of a Cessna 210 Centurion?

About 1450 lb for a typically equipped example (3800 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 2350 lb). Use your aircraft's own weight-and-balance records, not type averages.

Q: What is the Vne of a Cessna 210 Centurion?

VNE (never exceed) is 200 kt and VNO (max structural cruising) is 165 kt. Verify against the POH for your serial number.

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In the FlightDecide app since 2026-07-16. Reviewed 2026-09-28. 5 of 6 tables from the handbook. Anything marked “Not yet verified against the handbook” comes from FlightDecide's earlier library and hasn't been checked against the printed page.

Cessna 210 Centurion preflight numbers at a glance: max gross weight 3800 lb, typical useful load 1450 lb, 89 gal usable fuel, cruise up to about 171 KTAS (reference figure at 6000 ft, standard day). 5 of the 6 performance tables below are read from the published POH/AFM and cite their figure and page; treat the ones marked “Not yet verified against the handbook” as estimates. Use them for planning and study, and confirm against the POH for your specific serial number before flight.

Cessna 210 Centurion specs and key numbers

Not yet verified against the handbook

Engine	Continental IO-520-L (285 HP)
Propeller	McCauley 3A32C91/93A-0
Max gross weight	3800 lb
Empty weight (typical)	2350 lb
Useful load (typical)	1450 lb
Usable fuel	89 gal
Service ceiling	17,300 ft

Cessna 210 Centurion V-speeds

Not yet verified against the handbook

Knots indicated (KIAS) unless the POH states otherwise. Speeds vary by model year and serial; the placarded speeds and your POH govern.

Speed	Value	Meaning
V_S0	58 kt	Stall, landing configuration
V_S1	62 kt	Stall, clean configuration
V_X	73 kt	Best angle of climb
V_Y	89 kt	Best rate of climb
V_A	125 kt	Design maneuvering speed (at max gross)
V_FE	115 kt	Max flaps extended
V_NO	165 kt	Max structural cruising
V_NE	200 kt	Never exceed
Best glide	85 kt	Best glide speed

Cessna 210 Centurion cruise performance

Not yet verified against the handbook

Source not verified: these rows are the library's earlier transcription, and the pages they cite have not been checked against the handbook. True airspeed and fuel flow depend on altitude, power setting, temperature, and leaning technique.

Pressure alt (ft)	RPM	% power	Mixture	TAS (kt)	Fuel (GPH)
2000	2550	65	Recommended lean	156	13.7
2000	2500	76	Recommended lean	164	15.8
4000	2500	65	Recommended lean	159	13.7
4000	2500	74	Recommended lean	166	15.3
6000	2550	65	Recommended lean	162	13.7
6000	2500	75	Recommended lean	171	15.8
8000	2500	65	Recommended lean	164	13.7
8000	2550	71	Recommended lean	171	15

How much runway does a Cessna 210 Centurion need?

Handbook figures at 3800 lb, 2000 ft pressure altitude, 10 °C. Real-world technique, wind, surface, and density altitude move these substantially, so apply your own margin (many pilots use 1.5× the book number) and run the numbers for the actual conditions.

Handbook figure	Distance
Takeoff ground roll	1445 ft
Takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle	2380 ft
Landing ground roll	750 ft
Landing over a 50 ft obstacle	1480 ft
Rate of climb	835 fpm

See how density altitude stretches these distances on a hot day.

Takeoff distance

Flaps 10 deg, 2850 RPM and full throttle prior to brake release, mixture set at placard fuel flow, cowl flaps open, paved level dry runway, zero wind, landing gear extended until the takeoff obstacle is cleared

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 210M Centurion, Section 5 Performance (handbook pages 5-1 to 5-25) · Takeoff Distance - Maximum Weight 3800 LBS - Short Field (Figure 5-4, sheet 1 of 2, handbook page 5-12)

Ground roll (bold) and total distance over a 50 ft obstacle at 3,800 lb
Pressure altitude	0 °C	10 °C	20 °C	30 °C	40 °C
Sea level	1,118 / 1,798	1,201 / 1,927	1,286 / 2,068	1,388 / 2,233	1,488 / 2,397
1,000 ft	1,226 / 1,994	1,317 / 2,142	1,414 / 2,305	1,525 / 2,494	1,636 / 2,690
2,000 ft	1,345 / 2,210	1,445 / 2,380	1,555 / 2,570	1,675 / 2,785	1,800 / 3,020
3,000 ft	1,475 / 2,450	1,585 / 2,645	1,710 / 2,865	1,840 / 3,110	1,980 / 3,390
4,000 ft	1,620 / 2,725	1,745 / 2,955	1,880 / 3,210	2,025 / 3,505	2,180 / 3,840
5,000 ft	1,785 / 3,055	1,925 / 3,325	2,075 / 3,630	2,235 / 3,990	2,410 / 4,415
6,000 ft	1,970 / 3,455	2,125 / 3,780	2,290 / 4,160	2,470 / 4,615	2,665 / 5,185
7,000 ft	2,174 / 3,907	2,346 / 4,297	2,527 / 4,767	2,730 / 5,338	2,947 / 6,089
8,000 ft	2,400 / 4,419	2,589 / 4,885	2,789 / 5,463	3,017 / 6,174	3,259 / 7,151
9,000 ft	2,648 / 4,998	2,859 / 5,554	3,078 / 6,261	3,334 / 7,141	3,604 / 8,399

from the handbook extrapolated beyond the handbook

Landing distance

Flaps 30 deg, power off, maximum braking, paved level dry runway, zero wind; speed at 50 ft 71 KIAS

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 210M Centurion, Section 5 Performance (handbook pages 5-1 to 5-25) · Landing Distance - Short Field (Figure 5-10, handbook page 5-25)

Ground roll (bold) and total distance over a 50 ft obstacle at 3,800 lb
Pressure altitude	0 °C	10 °C	20 °C	30 °C	40 °C
Sea level	721 / 1,441	750 / 1,480	780 / 1,520	805 / 1,560	830 / 1,600
1,000 ft	756 / 1,481	780 / 1,520	805 / 1,560	835 / 1,605	860 / 1,645
2,000 ft	786 / 1,526	810 / 1,565	835 / 1,605	865 / 1,650	895 / 1,695
3,000 ft	811 / 1,562	840 / 1,610	870 / 1,660	900 / 1,705	930 / 1,750
4,000 ft	841 / 1,616	870 / 1,660	900 / 1,705	930 / 1,750	965 / 1,800
5,000 ft	876 / 1,666	905 / 1,710	935 / 1,755	965 / 1,805	1,000 / 1,855
6,000 ft	911 / 1,721	940 / 1,765	970 / 1,810	1,005 / 1,860	1,035 / 1,910
7,000 ft	941 / 1,762	975 / 1,815	1,010 / 1,870	1,045 / 1,920	1,075 / 1,970
8,000 ft	972 / 1,812	1,010 / 1,870	1,050 / 1,930	1,085 / 1,980	1,120 / 2,035
9,000 ft	1,003 / 1,864	1,046 / 1,927	1,092 / 1,992	1,127 / 2,042	1,167 / 2,102
10,000 ft	1,035 / 1,917	1,084 / 1,985	1,135 / 2,056	1,170 / 2,106	1,216 / 2,172

from the handbook extrapolated beyond the handbook

Rate of climb

Flaps up, gear up, 2700 RPM, full throttle, mixture set at placard fuel flow, cowl flaps open

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 210M Centurion, Section 5 Performance (handbook pages 5-1 to 5-25) · Rate of Climb - Maximum (Figure 5-5, handbook page 5-14)

Rate of climb in feet per minute at 3,800 lb
Pressure altitude	-20 °C	0 °C	20 °C	40 °C
Sea level	1,020	930	835	740
1,000 ft	958	870	778	685
2,000 ft	895	810	720	630
3,000 ft	835	750	665	580
4,000 ft	775	690	610	530
5,000 ft	715	632	552	472
6,000 ft	655	575	495	415
7,000 ft	595	518	438	358
8,000 ft	535	460	380	300
9,000 ft	478	402	325	248
10,000 ft	420	345	270	195

Rate of climb in feet per minute at 3,500 lb
Pressure altitude	-20 °C	0 °C	20 °C	40 °C
Sea level	1,155	1,060	965	870
1,000 ft	1,090	998	902	808
2,000 ft	1,025	935	840	745
3,000 ft	960	872	780	688
4,000 ft	895	810	720	630
5,000 ft	832	748	662	578
6,000 ft	770	685	605	525
7,000 ft	708	625	545	465
8,000 ft	645	565	485	405
9,000 ft	582	505	428	350
10,000 ft	520	445	370	295

Rate of climb in feet per minute at 3,200 lb
Pressure altitude	-20 °C	0 °C	20 °C	40 °C
Sea level	1,310	1,210	1,110	1,010
1,000 ft	1,238	1,140	1,042	945
2,000 ft	1,165	1,070	975	880
3,000 ft	1,098	1,005	912	820
4,000 ft	1,030	940	850	760
5,000 ft	962	875	788	700
6,000 ft	895	810	725	640
7,000 ft	830	748	665	582
8,000 ft	765	685	605	525
9,000 ft	700	620	542	465
10,000 ft	635	555	480	405

from the handbook interpolated extrapolated beyond the handbook

Common Questions

How fast does a Cessna 210 Centurion cruise?

Per the library's cruise table, not yet verified against the handbook, up to about 171 KTAS at 6000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 15.8 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings run slower and leaner; see the table above.

How much fuel does a Cessna 210 Centurion hold?

89 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 15.8 GPH that is roughly 5.6 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.

What is the useful load of a Cessna 210 Centurion?

About 1450 lb for a typically equipped example (3800 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 2350 lb). Your aircraft's actual empty weight and CG come from its own weight-and-balance records. Always use those, not type averages.

What is the Vne of a Cessna 210 Centurion?

V_NE (never exceed) is 200 kt and V_NO (max structural cruising) is 165 kt. Full V-speed table above; verify against the POH for your serial.

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Reference data for planning and study: approximate, and not a substitute for the FAA-approved AFM/POH for your specific aircraft, an official weather briefing, or your judgment as pilot in command (14 CFR 91.3). Source: Cessna 210 Centurion Pilot's Operating Handbook, Cessna Aircraft Company | FD-215: cruise table re-digitized from 1978 Cessna 210M POH Fig 5-7 (std-temp, recommended-lean, 3800 lb); PPH->GPH at 6.0; engine corrected 300->285 HP (285 max-continuous; 300 is the 5-min takeoff rating). Fixes prior fabricated table w/ impossible turbo-range TAS. Data synced from the FlightDecide aircraft library on 2026-09-28.