Aircraft overview

The Cessna 400 Corvalis TT is a four-seat, fixed-gear, composite, turbocharged piston single built by Cessna after its acquisition of Columbia Aircraft. The type originated as the Columbia 400, which first flew in 2000 and was certified in 2004. Cessna marketed the aircraft as the Cessna 400, then applied the Corvalis TT name in the late 2000s before the later Corvalis TTx update. Its significance is straightforward: it brought high-altitude turbocharged performance and modern composite construction into a certified single-engine aircraft aimed at owner-pilots covering longer business or personal trips.

Performance & specifications

Power comes from a Continental TSIO-550-C, a turbocharged six-cylinder engine rated at 310 hp. Typical high-speed cruise is commonly quoted around 230 to 235 knots true airspeed at altitude, with the aircraft certified up to a 25,000-foot service ceiling. Published range varies with power setting, altitude and reserves, but long-range cruise figures of roughly 1,000 nautical miles or more are commonly associated with the model. Useful load is aircraft-specific and depends heavily on equipment, oxygen, air conditioning and avionics fit, so buyers should review the actual weight and balance report rather than rely on brochure figures.

Cabin & avionics

The cabin seats four, with a low-wing layout, gull-wing doors and side-stick flight controls that distinguish it from many traditional Cessna singles. It is not pressurized, so the turbocharged performance is paired with supplemental oxygen for high-altitude operations. Most Cessna 400 Corvalis TT aircraft are equipped with Garmin G1000 integrated avionics, typically including a GFC 700 autopilot on later Cessna-built examples. Garmin Perspective is associated with Cirrus aircraft, not this model. Equipment differences to check include WAAS capability, traffic, weather, oxygen installation, engine monitoring and any later avionics software or hardware upgrades.

Buying & value

For used buyers, the Cessna 400 Corvalis TT sits above conventional normally aspirated fixed-gear singles and below pressurized or turbine aircraft in operating complexity. Pre-purchase focus should include engine and turbocharger condition, cylinder history, exhaust system, oxygen system, composite structure inspections, logbook continuity, avionics status and compliance with applicable service bulletins or airworthiness directives. Market positioning depends strongly on year, total time, engine time, avionics updates and cosmetic condition. Current PlaneFox listing data shows an average asking price of about EUR 397,000, with examples ranging from roughly EUR 290,000 to EUR 600,000.