Aircraft overview

The Columbia 400 is a four-seat, low-wing, composite single-engine aircraft built by Columbia Aircraft in Bend, Oregon. It was developed from the Columbia 300 and Columbia 350 line, with a turbocharged engine giving it substantially higher altitude capability and cruise performance. FAA certification was achieved in 2004, with production under the Columbia name continuing until Cessna acquired the company in 2007 and continued the design as the Cessna 400, later evolving into the Corvalis TT and TTx family. For buyers, the Columbia 400 matters because it occupies a distinct niche: a fixed-gear piston single with press-ahead speed, modern composite construction and serious cross-country capability.

Performance & specifications

Power comes from a Continental TSIO-550-C turbocharged six-cylinder engine rated at 310 hp, driving a constant-speed propeller. Typical high-speed cruise is around 220 to 235 knots depending on altitude, power setting and equipment, with the aircraft designed to make best use of the flight levels. The service ceiling is 25,000 feet. Published range figures vary with reserves and power setting, but long-range planning commonly falls around the 1,000 nautical mile class. Useful load varies by individual aircraft and equipment, often roughly around 1,000 lb, so actual weight and balance data should be checked carefully for any specific serial number.

Cabin & avionics

The Columbia 400 seats four in a compact but modern cabin with a side-stick control arrangement, composite structure and good forward visibility. Access is through upward-opening doors, and the cabin is designed more for fast personal transportation than club-style utility. Early aircraft commonly used the Avidyne Entegra glass cockpit with Garmin navigation and communication units. Later examples, especially those built after the Cessna transition, may have Garmin G1000 avionics. Garmin Perspective is associated with Cirrus aircraft and should not be assumed on a Columbia 400 unless a specific retrofit has been documented.

Buying & value

Used Columbia 400 buyers should review engine history, turbocharger and exhaust condition, oxygen system status, avionics configuration, composite airframe condition, service bulletin compliance and maintenance familiarity with the type. Air conditioning, TKS anti-ice equipment, WAAS upgrades, engine monitor upgrades and autopilot condition can materially affect value. The model sits above normally aspirated fixed-gear singles in speed and altitude capability, while avoiding retractable-gear complexity. On PlaneFox listings, recent asking prices average about EUR 274,000, with a broad observed range from roughly EUR 103,000 to EUR 360,000, reflecting condition, avionics, hours and equipment differences.