Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin

Wednesday, March 09, 2022 at 05:41 PM ET

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A 1976 Cessna 310 like the one shown here will cruise at 189 knots at 6,500 feet, according to the pilot's operating handbook. [Photo: Rob Hodgkins]

Key Takeaways:

Multiengine airplanes offer only modest gains in speed and load capacity compared to high-performance singles, and these advantages are often outweighed by significantly higher operational and insurance costs.
While a second engine provides redundancy, managing an engine failure in a twin is a highly demanding and critical task requiring extensive training and proficiency to ensure safety.
The article concludes that for most private pilots, a high-performance single is a more practical choice, as twins demand a substantial increase in pilot skill, recurrent training, and financial commitment.

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There is something about multiengine airplanes that excites private pilots, compelling them to spend hours at Trade-A-Plane, Controller and other aircraft marketplaces, sifting through ads for Cessna 310s and Ted Smith Aerostars.

While some of the interest may be rooted in aviation pop-culture fantasy, ranging from the 1950s television series “Sky King” to the 2017 film “American Made,” there are several considered reasons for wanting the extra performance that a second engine brings. These include the desire for increased speed, load-carrying capacity and safety, with added cost as the expected tradeoff.