Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Light business and executive aircraft

Power Plant:

(Model 320A)

Two 194 kw (260 hp) Continental TSIO-470-B six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines

Specifications:

History:

Produced from 1962 to 1968, with a total of 579 aircraft being completed, the Model 320 Skynight was an all-metal, five-seat, executive, twin-engine aircraft, the first in its category to be equipped with turbocharged engines. Designed as a higher performance derivative of the Model 310F, the Model 320 Skynight had turbocharged engines which provided a service ceiling of 8,748 m (28,700 ft), re-designed instrumentation, and a re-arranged cabin with additional window area.

In 1963 the canted upwards wingtip fuel tanks were added, this becoming the Model 320A; and in 1964 the Model 320B appeared, followed by the Model 320C in 1965 and the Model 320D in 1966, at which time the engine power was boosted from 194 kw (260 hp) to 213 kw (285 hp). Later models, the 320E and 320F, had extended engine nacelles to increase baggage capacity, and a longer cabin with extra windows to give better leg-room for the passengers, or for increased baggage.

The Skynight was advertised by Cessna as being able to climb at 145 m/min (475 ft/min) on one engine, land in 187 m (614 ft), carry a useful load of 923 kg (2,034 lb) and “easily carry six adults in comfortable luxury, over three hours of fuel (maximum range with auxiliary fuel 4.6 hours), an IFR instrument selection, plus 77 kg (170 lb) for luggage”. During evaluation it was able to climb to 6,400 m (21,000 ft) in 27 mins at an average indicated airspeed of 222 km/h (138 mph) and cruised at 397 km/h (247 mph) at 4,572 m (15,000 ft). The Model 320 had Continental TSIO-470B fuel-injected engines driving Hartzell propellers and AiResearch Model T-1106 turbochargers. Single-engine ceiling was 5,273 m (17,300 ft).

Despite having an empty weight which was only 45 kg (100 lb) greater than the Model 310F, the fuel consumption of the Model 320 at economical cruising was similar but, because of the turbocharged engines and higher operating altitude, it cruised at about 34 km/h (21 mph) faster.

The first Skynight was known as the Model 320, and the new model the following year, 1963, became known as the Model 320A. All models continued with a letter following the model number during the subsequent years up to the last model built, in 1968, the Model 320F. The latter was the only Model 320 to have the 213 kw (285 hp) engines, all others being fitted with the 194 kw (260 hp) engines, which gave a maximum speed of 443 km/h (275 mph), and a cruising speed of 412 km/h (256 mph).

Only a few Model 320s have been seen in this area and those registered have included: 320D VH-AIY (c/n 320D-0031 – ex C-FYUP, CF-YUP, N4131T) which was operated by Aerometrex Pty Ltd in Queensland; 320D VH-CPP (c/n 320D-0051 – ex N4151T) which crashed on 20 November 1970 at Peach Mountain, QLD; 320E VH-EGN (c/n 320E-0072 -ex N577GN, N577G, N347OQ) which was exported to New Zealand as ZK-EGN; 320/1 VH-FJW (c/n 320-0049 – ex N57489X) which was registered from May 1962 and was destroyed at Bankstown, NSW on 9 December 1976.

A320D VH-RLX (c/n 320D-0097 – ex N4197T) was registered from April 1966 and operated by Australian Mapping Services of Queensland; 320E VH-DRK (320E-0075 – ex [VH-SPA], N3457Q) was registered from February 1967 and operated with the Australian Aero Academy in Victoria; and 320F VH-EGY (c/n 320F-0022 – ex N6172Q) was operated in Australia from May 1968 to March 1976 when it was exported to Fiji as DQ-FCI, later going to the United States as N567JH.