This 1976 Cessna 340A Is a Fast, Luxurious ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick
Originally published in FLYING
Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.
Today’s Top Pick is a 1976 Cessna 340A.
When Cessna brought the 340 to market in 1972, general aviation was booming and light twins were popular among pilots who wanted to step up to more capable and complex aircraft for cross-country personal and business travel. The company aimed the new model at what it considered an underserved segment of customers who needed an aircraft that was larger and more advanced than the Cessna 310 but smaller and less complicated than its larger, pressurized cabin-class twins such as the 414 Chancellor and 421 Golden Eagle.
It is difficult to talk about the 340A without mentioning its ramp appeal. [Credit: Lone Mountain Aircraft]The resulting 340 and later 340A were larger and roomier than the 310 but had the same six-place passenger capacity. Turbocharged engines and a pressurized cabin allowed the 340 to fly at higher altitudes, in smoother air and above adverse weather with ease. It could also maximize its speed in the thin air of the flight levels while its passengers enjoyed an 8,000-foot cabin altitude at 20,000 feet.
This 340A’s interior was refurbished in 2016. [Credit: Lone Mountain Aircraft] The aircraft for sale today offers the performance bonus of RAM-modified engines with higher horsepower and efficiency than the stock versions. The nicely proportioned 340 stands tall on the ramp and rarely fails to impress onlookers. For pilots moving up to a twin, the 340 can be the ideal balance of serious cross-country speed, complexity, and mission flexibility.
This 1976 Cessna 340A has 9,609 hours on the airframe, 359 hours since overhaul on its left engine, and 1,332 hours on the right. The engines are 325 hp Continental TSIO-520-NB with RAM IV upgrades. The aircraft’s Hartzell three-blade Q-tip propellers have 822 hours since overhaul on the left and 520 hours since overhaul on the right.
An updated, well-equipped panel eases cockpit workload. [Credit: Lone Mountain Aircraft]
The panel features Garmin G500 TXi flight display, GTN 750Xi GPS/nav/com with Flight Stream 510, GNC 255 nav/com, GFC 600 autopilot, GI 275 standby flight instrument, GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B in and out, Aspen 1000 Evolution EFD, and PS Engineering PMA 8000B audio panel.
The aircraft was refurbished in 2016 by Rose Aircraft Services in Mena, Arkansas. The work included a new paint for the exterior and new upholstery, carpeting, side panels, and cabinetry in the cabin and cockpit.
Pilots looking for the speed, redundancy, and load-carrying power of a twin with the airline-style comfort of a pressurized cabin should consider this 1976 Cessna 340A, which is available for $349,000 on AircraftForSale.
If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.
- FLYING Magazine: Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin
- FLYING Magazine: The Four-Engined Cessna and Its Corporate Mission
- Plane + Pilot: Twin Cessnas
- Plane + Pilot: Cessna 425 Titan
- The Aviation Consumer: Cessna 340
- The Aviation Consumer: Aircraft Stepups: Cessna 340
