Transforming 1960 210 to fixed gear
Does anyone know of such a conversion on an early 210? If so, where did they get approval and how was it accomplished.
i have found no STCs or examples of such a switch , which sees peculiar given the host of mods out there.
Comments
Why would you convert it? You could just leave the gear down. I'm guessing weight savings or insurance reasons? I've seen some of the early 210s that are essentially just a 182RG and they're a lot cheaper than equivalent 182s.
Jack Fleetwood | Aviation Photographer
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Like Jack, I'm not sure why you would want to convert it. You won't get back the usable load because the retractable gear hardware is still there, unless you gut the airframe then reassemble it without the hydraulics and retraction hardware. You'll just have a really slow 210.
Cessna built what amounts to a fixed-gear C210 for a couple of years (1963-1964), using the same type certificate. Officially the model designation is 210-5 but it's usually called a C205. They built it without the hydraulic system to save weight and cost. They replaced the nose gear hydraulic actuator with a fixed steel rod (You can see the hinges on which the nose gear would swing, and the tunnel into which the nose gear retraced is still there.) Cessna then pulled out the main gear hydraulics and hardware and substituted what amounts to the same gear saddle used in fixed-gear C182 of the era. Getting rid of the hump into which the main gear retraced let Cessna add a third row of seats. They re-worked the area of the main gear doors to eliminate the doors (and their actuators), too.
I've not heard of anyone making such a change via STC or Form 337, so you'd be pretty much on your own. I should think you'd need to show the FAA a lot of paperwork, and you'd probably have to get a DER involved. The DER might be able to point to C205 as prior engineering...maybe, but it's still going to take a lot of time, money and frustration.
That sounds like an awful lot of work. Why not just sell the C210 and go buy a C205 or early C206? Probably a lot cheaper and definitely a whole lot faster. If you don't need the extra interior room, a later '60s or mid-70's C182 would also probably do tthe job, at a little more fuel burn and a little less cruise speed.
Just did a quick search of 205 vs 1960s 210; 210 is basically $50K cheaper and usually much lower TT. James, you may be on to something. OBTW, owned 62 210-14 yrs and 81 T210- 22 yrs. Both great planes but retired now and have 56 182= less insurance and maintenance at my age; plus, I love my heavily modded backcountry/STOL 56 182.