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certified for flight into known icingconditions, when properly equipped,came only in 1977. The followingyear, a maximum ramp weight of6025 pounds was approved, andmax weight for takeoffand landingwas set at 5990 pounds for the 340A,cornpared with 5975 pounds forthe 340. The last significant changein the line came in 1979, with theswitch to TSIO-520N8 engines (theB denotes a heavier crankshaft).Subsequent modification of cylin-ders, valve lifters and piston pins by

'Ilv 340's airlircr-like co&itanil all-ueather mission nthe itwotf,ty of *rious avionics, andeme e.terr sport olhrrnat*ct gla*s"Srctcms mntglmity is a big jump

for nwcy uggraning pilors

Continental increased TBO of theNB engines from 1400 to 1600 hoursin 1983.

But Cessna didnt build any 340As(or much ofanything else) that yearand after putting together a scant 17ofthe airplanes in 1984, productionwas terminated for good, with a totalof about 1297 aircraft made. Some872 are still registered.

SYSTEilISThe pressurization system is thesam€ as thos€ found in Cessna's400-series twins, with a maximumdifferential of4.2 PSI providing an8000-foot cabin up to 20,000 feet.Above that, the cabin climbs witbthe airplane.

Cessna offered an automatic pres-surization control, which activatesand deactivates while climbing ordescending through 8000 feet, but

more buyersopted for thevariable-controlsystem. Thevariable systemmaintains a sea-level cabin up to9000 feet, thendelivers the pilot-selected cabinaltitude until a4.2 PSI differen-tial is reached.

As pressuriza-tion goes, the340 is relatively

easy, requiring just a quick check andset for each flight. The pilot merelydials in field elevation plus 500feet before takeoff and landing andselects desired cruise cabin altitudeon initial clirnb. The rest is simplymonitoring the system to make sureitt delivering as commanded.

While the pressurization is easy,the same cant be said for the fuelsystem. Start with the 1o0-gallon-usable tip tanks which are the mainsin this airplane. Add up to fourauxiliary wing tanks, two holding40 gallons, the other two holding23 gallons. Throw in locker tanks,which add another 40 gallons. That'sup to 203 gallons in tanks pepperedthroughout the length of the wings.

Where things get tricky for the un-initiated is which tank to use when.Use the mains, alone, for takeoffand landing. The engines can feeddirectly from the auxiliary tanks, butfuel in the lockers has to be trans-ferred to the mains, which are the tiptanks. You have to make room in themains first, otherwise you'll vent thepumped fuel over the side.

And ifyou have only one lockertank (common on 340s), remem-ber to use crossfeed; dump all 120pounds frorn a locker into one tiptank, and the imbalance will beenough to upset even your auto-pilot. Unfortunately, Cessna nevergot around to simplifying the fuelsystems in its 3oo-series twins (Cru-sader excepted) as it did in most of

np intercop,ler is ainble betau ihenaelle in hk prtoto. Tlorc ate finloctble engina oa dp 3tlo, anilnnral prcp options.

the 400s. Calling the tip tanks mainshas its own issues. Ramp attendantshave filled the wrong tanks ("fusttop off the mains...."). Transitioningpilots have switched to the aux tanksthinking they were drawing from thedps, and vice versa.

Despite this, the 340 hasntsuffered an inordinate number oIfuel-related accidents. lerry Temple,an aircraft dealer specializing in the340, says, 'The fuel system is no bigdeal. I prove it twice a month to newtwin Cessna owners. It can be mas-tered in one 3% hour cross country.

While known ice certificationcame in 1977 and up, the malor-ity of 340s have what is called fulldeice. This usually mean boots onthe wing and tail (with the excep-tion ofthe wing stubs), heated propsand alcohol spray for both sides ofthe windshield. This is adequate formany 340 owners. The few 340s outthere with hot props only are toughto sell, but can be ideal for ownerswarmer locations.

Air conditioning might be thefactory system, which requires theright engine be running to get coolair. Parts for this system can be chal-lenging to get. The Keith System, alsocalled JB Air by many, is electric andcan be powered by a ground APU,although in the real world of FBOs, a340 rarely gets the APU. Support forthe Keith system is good.

PERFORiIAT{(EThe 340 is a high flyer, with a serviceceiling of nearly 30,000 feet. Butmost owners wisely operate in thehigh teens to mid-2os, where theairplane can be expected to truebetween 190 and 205 knots on about30 gallons per hour at 65 percentpower, and 200 to 217 knots on 32to 34 GPH using 75 percent power.

Rate of climb at sea level is arespectable 1650 FPM, but climb per-formance tapers above 20,000 feetrc a dawdling 300 to 400 FPM in the

The 340's enghws work haril in aharsh enrtiron neflt, We think nnil-erfl eflgine ,noflitorhtg is a fius,.

mid-2os. Not bad as twins go but noturboprop, either.

The 340's claimed single-enginerate of climb is 315 FPM, better thanthe 414 (290 FPM), Beech P58 Baron(270) and the Piper 601P (240) and602P (302) Aerostars. Single-engineminimum control speed is 82 knots.Stall speeds are 79 knots, clean, and71 knots in landing configuration.

Not all twins of the 340's dayshave accelerate-stop and accelerate-go perforrnance tables but, toCessna's credit, the 340 does. Understandard conditions, a 340 that losesan engine at lift-off speed (91 knots)can be brought to a full stop within3000 feet of brake release. The POHalso indicates that should a oilot

decide to fly after losing one on lift-off, the airplane will clear a SO-footobstacle after traveling less than4000 feet over the ground after brakerelease (assuming the pilot doeseYerything right).

The performance figures above arefor 340s with 31O-HP engines. Thosethat still have 285-HP K engines (ifany) are nearly 20 knots slower incruise, use roughly 200 feet morerunway for takeoff and climb 1500FPM on both engines, 250 FPM onone.

HANDLITIGAl{D PAYLOADCessna's big twins have a reputationfor being comfortable and easy tohandle and the 340 fits that mold,

Itl czbln tu* anpleu wfthftU-orrt tl,blrl. 'Ihere\ far mon gufot caW tlun goss urlgit allouts,wrrldr n afu tho u,elght fut fftrllaW tdt alrnmt a musl

although not entirely without wans.The airplane owes its speed to arelatively slick airframe and becauseit has flap and gear operating sp€€dsthat are on the low side, it can be ahandful to go down and slow downat the same time.

For example, flaps can be ex-tended 15 degrees at 160 knots (thelimit is 156 knots for the first 300airplanes built) to help slow the air-plane to max gear-extension speed,a pitiable 140 knots. But slowing theairplane to 160 knots without stress-ing the engines can be a problem,ifyou believe in the shock coolinggenie. Owners say descents andapproaches require planning andoccasional oersistence with ATC if aslam dunk is in the offing.

Once the airplane is sloweddown with gear and flaps deployed,however, it tends to sink like a rock,

and some power must bemaintained right into theflare. This is due in part tothe split flaps, which aregreat for drag, bur not sogood for lift.

Entering the airplanethrough the luxu ousairstair door gives a big-iron feel. But for the pilots,that wears off quicklywhen they have to squeezethrough a narrow (seven-inch) opening to theirseats. Once vou're seated,

the cabin is quite comfortable upfront. The 340t cabin is 46.5 incheswide and 49 inches high, about thesame size as an Aerostar's and 4.5inches wider than a P-Baron's.

lf owners have any consistentcomplaints about the 340 line,they relate to lack of payload. Loadenough gas for a 4.5-hour flight withreserves and you can take along onlytwo passengers and their bags. Fillthe seats with 170-pound FAA clonesand pack away their regulation 30pounds ofbaggage each and you cancarry enough fuel for less than twohours of flying.

Considering the payload limita-tions, the baggage space in the 340seems a cruel joke. Among the cabin,nose and locker compartments,there's a cavernous 53 cubic feet ofspace in which a maximum of 930pounds can be crammed. That is,however, the maximum. Most 340shave at least one fuel tank occupyinga locket and nose baggage compart-ment space typically is compromisedby avionics gear.

The installation ofvortex genera-tors, however, brings a 300-pound

gross weight bump. Considering anentire VG kit weighs about as muchas the air in your tires, it's about asclose to a free lunch as you can get.Ifyou re considering a 340, by allmeans consider vortex generators

itAtt{TEilAt{c!Like any high-performance airplane,a 340 won't tolerate skimpy mainte-nance. Ifrebuilt engine prices in the$45,000 range (times two), annualinspections at several thousand dol-lars and operating expenses of $400-550 an hour curl your toes (as theydo ours), the 340 is not the aircraftfor you. While some owners reportedannuals in the $5000-dollar range,ferry Temple tells prospective buyersto expect $10,000 to $15,000 for an-nual inspections.

Owners we spoke with over-whelmingly agree the annual mustbe done by a shop with twin Cessnaexpertise. TAS aviation in Defiance,Ohio, was singled out by a few own-ers.

But those with the budget shouldget their money's worth out of thisairplane. Some things to watch outfor: First, there are the TSIO-520crankcases, which have a history ofcracking. In mid-1976, Continentalswitched to heavier cases, whichhelped a bit but certainly providedno panacea. A couple of knowledge-able sources estimated that abouttwo-thirds ofthe engines flying in340s right now probably are crackedin one place or another.

But not all cracks are critical andthere's a general sense that cata-strophic engine failures caused bycrankcase cracks are on the decline.All big-bore Continentals have a

modest predilection for cracked cyl-inders and heads.

Cracked and blown-out cockpitwindows were the sublect ofseveralreports, as were cracked Bendix maghousings and distributor blocks,loose horizontal and vertical stabrlizer attach bolts, and cracked wastegate couplings.

As far as ADs go, the 340 isneither the best nor the worst.AD 2000-01-16 requires repetitiveinspection, repair or replacement ofexhaust components in a range ofCessna twins, not iust the 340. ThisAD was issued in response to cracks/failures that led to catastrophic fires.AD-97-0-13 requires replacement ofcertain hydraulic, oil and fuel hoseswhile another, 88-03-02 requiresinsoection of fuel crossfeed lines forchafing and modification of firewallstiffener flanges and fuel lines. AD87-23-08 calls for ultrasonic inspec-tion ofthe crankshafts, as does 97-26-17. Speaking of crankshafts, some340s were involved in the Continen-tal crankshaft recall of 2000. Thelogbooks should reflect this as AD2000-08-51.

AD 96-20-7 calls for repetitive in-spections ofthe Janitrol cabin heaterwhile 96-l 2-22 requires repetitiveinspections of the oil filter adapters.95-24-5 deals with repetitive prop in-spections and 90-2-13, a type-specificdirective, called for replacement ofthe main landing gear inner barrelbearings.

One important directive to checkfor is 82-26-05, which requires visualchecks for cracks in the rudder bal-ance weight rib every 100 hours untila new rib is installed. Such crackshave been the subject of numerousservice difficulty reports.

IT{SURANCETemple says his typical buyer hasa few hundred hours in high per-formance singles, but insurance isusually obtainable at a reasonableprice. The typical requirement is 25hours dual in the aircraft and at-tendance at an insurance-approvedschool, usuallv with simulators andinsurance-approved instructors, suchas SimCom. Annual recurrent trarn-ing is usually required.

Low-time owners also might notg€t more that $1M with per-seatlimits of $100,000 until they haveaccumulated more 34O time.

Ternple also says that now is agood time to be a 340 buyer as pricesare at all-time low. The savings canpay for more dual instruction for alow-time pilot, or allow for expensiveavionics upgrades. However, Cessna340 prices are slowly climbing.

MODS, OWNER GROUPSThe 340 fleet has been a popularmodel for engine modifcationsperformed by RAM Aircraft Corp.Their mods increase the numberof powerplant options to five: thestandard TSIO52o-NBS (310 HP), theRAM Series IV (325 HP), the RAMSeries VI and VII (335 I IP each) andthe stock 310-HP engine with Amert-can Aviation Intercoolers. This lastcombo provides performance similarto the 325-HP RAM IV RAM pack-ages include a seventh stud on crank-case cylinder pads, which reducesthe stresses in these areas that oftencause cracks. (Contacl RAM at www.ramaircraft.com or 25 4 -7 52-8 181.,

Improved turbocharger intercool-ing systems are available from Amer-ican Aviation and are highly recom-mended by owners. The installationincludes ram-air inlet ducts underthe engine nacelles and more ef-ficient (American says 28- to 70-per-cent more efficient) heat exchangercores. The company says its systemcuts the temperature of air enteringthe engine from about 170 degrees to80 degrees, improving rate of climbby up to 300 FPM and adding up to15 knots in cruise. (Contact Ameflcan at : wwwamericanaviat ion inccom or 800-423-0476.1

A STOL mod for 340s was offeredby Sierra Industries, and includedinstallation of Robertson-designedFowler flaps and a trim spring thatorecludes the need to retrim theelevators when the flaps are raisedor lowered. Sierra says the moddecreases accelerate-stop distancesby 40 percent and improves short-field performance about l5 percent.Although still supported, the modisn't available for new installations.Contact Sierra at wwwsijet.com or888-835-9377.

Precise Flight makes speed brakesfor the Cessna 340. They re of noveldesign and project into the airstreamfrom a snug enclosure at the aft endofthe engine nacelles. Contact Pre-cise Flight at www.precisefl ight.comor 800-547-2558.

Cessna 340 owner Phil ip Mattisontold us of his switch to four-bladei\, lT composite props that increasedclinb rates bv 200 FPlvt and cruis.speeds by seven knots as well asgiv ing rook r Cl I ls anJ srt roothcroperation. (He also says he'l l cutanyone a deal on a nice set of usedQjl ' ip I lartzell props for a 340 or a414.)

It 's rare to l ind a 340 r.vithout t lreaf t r rcrncnt rr r r ted vortex 8(t tcr , t tor \ .which essentially elininate Vmc,

Bi \c Br( . r t control . r t low.r i rspeeJrand add 300 pounds to the grossweight. Ifyou do find one, VCs areavai labl t l rorn Mirro Ar ' rcr t l l r tamics.Pacific Northrvest Aero Ll.C, throughRAM, as part of the company's speedmod kits and through tloundaryLaver Research. Micro Aerodvnanrics is at www.microaero-com andBOO - 67 7 -237 O ; I)acil ic Northwest rsat www.Pnwaero.com and -541 3889902; Boundar)' l .a),er Research is atwww.blrvgs.conr and 800 257 4847.Roberlson S'l 'Ol. kits are sti l l avail-

able, but the instal lat ion cost is usu-ally prohibit ive. lfyou need this, f incla 340 with i t a l readv instal led.

As for owner groups, th€re aretwo: the Twin Cessna Flyer at wwwtwincessna.org and the Cessnal)i lot 's Association at wwwcessDa.org or 805 922 2580. I 'Clialso offersoperations seninars that are highlyregarded b1' owlers. According toIerly Temple, the I '( l}r $(r5 dues is" the best dinner bi l l you wi l l ever 'spend."

OWNER COMMENTSlhc fwin ( .esrna I lyer har rr :prc-sented 340 orvners since 1988. Theairplane has never been a bettervalue as it 's a buyer's market andbargains abound.

C)ne reservation people have inswitchin6i from, say, a five-yearold Cirrus to a 35-year-old 3,10 ismaintenance cost and downtime. nwell-maintained older airplane canbe everv bit as reliable as a newerairplane. l he 340 wil l definitely cost

more to maintain. But one in tip-iopshape carr be as rel iahle a. . tny airplane on the market-new or old.

On the other hand, a "bargain"airplane can be a l inancial night-mare. Corrosion is a big concern. lhebuyer who thought he had the perfect airplane gets hit with a bil l of 25percent of the value of his airplaneon th€ first annual. 'fhese airplanessimply must be maintained bv aknowledgeable shop. When buving,a pre-buy b1' a shop that specializesin twin Cessnas is a must.

The electro mechanical landinggear on the 340 must be maintainedstrictly according to Cessna's instruc-tions. That means re-rigging it evervyear or 200-hours whichever comesfirst. It 's an eight,hour job start tofinish and many shops don't do itThis is asking for trouble.

Insurance companies wil l typicallyrequire init ial training at SimConror FlightSafetv plus 25 to 50 hourswith a safety pilot in the right seat.Thereafter, annual simulator sessions

are usually required. We Fave hadmembers with as little as 400 hourstotal time transition to a cabin-classtwin Cessna. It can be done iftheowner is sufficiently motivated.

What we hear most oflen from thenew owners is how much they lovethe pressurization. They no longerhave to cajole their family to wearoxygen cannulas. They now rou-tinely fly in the flight levels wherethe airplane is faster, the airspace lesscrowded and it's easier to circum-navigate the weather. It's a new worldfor them.

The two long-term concerns for_ 340 owners are Cessna's Supplemen-

tal Inspection Document program(SIDs) and fuel availability, siven thelikely phase-our of tO0 LL. S'iDs arcthe industry's way ofaddressinq theaging CA aircrafr fleet and willl ikelyaffect all legacy GA aircraft, nor iusrtwin cessnas. No one has a crystalball, but the conventional wisdom isthat the FAA will continue to addressspecific safety concerns via ADs anqnot resort to the broad-brush ap_proach of mandatory SIDs.

The 340 can fly four ro six peopleat up to 200 knots for 800 miles withthe security of a second engine-fora purchase price of $300,000 or less.For many people, the 340 is the Der-fect airplane for their mission.

Bob Thomason (President TCF)Charlotte, North Carolina

Special thanhs n lerry Temple for hisbachground inlormation lu thk anicle,and Remy Blanchaert Jr. for his phons.