This 1960 Cessna 310D Is a Television-Famous ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Every day, the team at Aircraft For Sale chooses an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, a good deal, or has other qualities we find interesting. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1960 Cessna 310D.

Recognized instantly by fans of vintage television, this particular twin-engine aircraft brings a phenomenal cultural pedigree to the ramp. Known affectionately as “Song Bird III,” it served as the last of three airplanes featured in the beloved CBS/NBC series Sky King from 1951 to ’62. 

Boasting a documented history across 136 episodes, this meticulously restored airframe has since earned multiple top-tier aviation preservation awards, including Oshkosh Grand Champion Contemporary in 2002 and Sun ’n Fun Outstanding in Type honors in 2003 and ’22.

Stepping onto the flight deck, pilots are greeted by a thoughtful blend of modern capability and classic charm. The updated center stack, utilizing a Cessna 310-R style instrument panel layout, is anchored by a Garmin GMX200 multi-function Display and an S-TEC 50 two-axis autopilot equipped with altitude hold. Communication and navigation are reliably handled by a Garmin/Apollo GX60 GPS/Comm alongside a Garmin SL30 Nav/Comm, while a uAvionix tailBeacon ensures full ADS-B Out compliance for modern cross-country travel.

Providing the thrust for this iconic multi-engine platform is a pair of reliable Continental IO-470-D engines, each producing 260 horsepower. Both factory-remanufactured powerplants show 761 hours since major overhaul and were fully inspected and repaired as necessary (IRAN) in 2021, yielding strong compressions across all cylinders. Translating that power into reliable performance are upgraded Hartzell three-blade, constant-speed propellers that have logged just 48 hours since their own comprehensive overhauls in April 2021.

Examining the extensive records highlights a well-preserved structure with 3,913 total airframe hours and complete, original logbooks dating back to its factory rollout in 1960. 

Comprehensively restored starting in 2001, the aircraft benefits from significant structural updates like a Cleveland wheel and brake conversion, overhauled landing gear, and comprehensive ACF-50 corrosion treatments. With a fresh annual inspection completed in December 2025, the mechanical readiness of this classic twin matches its impeccable historical documentation.

Commanding attention wherever it parks, the Cessna features a brilliant exterior that has consistently impressed judges over the past two decades. Inside the cabin, operators and passengers will enjoy a complete Cessna 310-R style interior upgrade, showcasing refined reupholstery, updated side panels, and a new one-piece windshield that vastly improves forward visibility during extended stretches aloft.

Listed at $199,000, this 1960 Cessna 310D seamlessly pairs unforgettable television nostalgia with a thoroughly sorted mechanical pedigree, presenting immense value for a collector or traveling aviator.

If you’re exploring ownership options, FLYING Finance can help get you airborne. Use our airplane loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments, or connect with an aviation finance expert at flyingfinance.com.