Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


Type	Utility and business aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Aero Design and Engineering Company Aero Commander Rockwell-Standard Corporation North American Rockwell Rockwell International Gulfstream Aerospace
Status	Active
Number built	~2,902 (1951 piston-engined, 951 turboprops)
History
Manufactured	1951–1986
Introduction date	October 1952
First flight	23 April 1948 (Model L3085

The Aero Commander 500 family is a series of light-twin piston-engined and turboprop aircraft originally built by the Aero Design and Engineering Company in the late 1940s, renamed the Aero Commander company in 1950, and later a division of Rockwell International in 1965. Final production occurred under the Gulfstream Aerospace name. The initial production version was the 200 mph (320 km/h; 170 kn), seven-seat Aero Commander 520. An improved version, the 500S, manufactured after 1967, is known as the Shrike Commander. Larger variants are known by numerous model names and designations, ranging up to the 330 mph (530 km/h; 290 kn), 11-seat Model 695B/Jetprop 1000B turboprop. As of recent, the Aero Commander is known as the Twin Commander.

Design and development

The idea for the Commander light business twin was conceived by Ted Smith, a project engineer at the Douglas Aircraft Company. Working part-time after hours throughout 1944, a group of A-20 engineers formed the Aero Design and Engineering Company to design and build the proposed aircraft with a layout similar to their A-20 bomber.Originally, the new company was going to build three pre-production aircraft, but as the first aircraft was being built, they decided to build just one prototype. The final configuration was completed in July 1946 and was designated the Model L3805

Variants

Certified from 1954, the seven-seat 560 is powered by two 270–295 hp (201–220 kW) Lycoming GO-480s.
From 1955, the 680 has Supercharged 340–380 hp (250–280 kW) Lycoming GSO-480s.
From 1958, the lighter 500 is powered by two 250–290 hp (190–220 kW) Lycoming O-540s or Continental IO-470s.
From 1963, the stretched 680-FL offered up to eleven seats.
It gained two 575 hp (429 kW) AiResearch TPE-331 turboprops from the 680-T in 1965.
From 1971, the heavier 690 has a larger wing and more powerful 717.5–748 hp (535–558 kW) TPE-331s.
From 1979, the final 695 Jetprop 980/1000 is powered by 733–820 hp (547–611 kW) TPE-331s.
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Famous aircraft Rockwell International

Aero Commander Rockwell Aero Commander 500 family Manufactured 1951–1986

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Capacity: four passengers
Length: 36 ft 9.75 in (11.22 m)
Wingspan: 49 ft 0.5 in (14.95 m)
Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Wing area: 255 sq ft (23.69 m²)

Powerplant

Empty weight: (2,102 kg)
Max takeoff weight: (3,062 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 290 hp (216 kW) each

Specifications

Maximum speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level (TAS)
Cruise speed: 203 mph (326 km/h, 176 kn) at 9,000 ft (2,750 m), 75% power, TAS
Stall speed: 68 mph (109 km/h, 59 kn) flaps and landing gear down, CAS
Minimum control speed: (121 km/h,)
Range: 1,078 mi (1,735 km, 936 nmi)
Service ceiling: (5,913 m)

Related aircraft

Special Links Aero Commander Rockwell Aero Commander 500 family Manufactured 1951–1986

Links to Youtube & Others

Oshkosh EAA AirVenture, 25 juli 2017 – Een mooie oude Aero Commander 500 in beeld deze keer. De N159K stamt uit 1959 en valt nog net uit het tijdperk voordat Aero Commander werd ingelijfd bij Rockwell (1960).

Aero Commander Aero Commander 500 family

Originally designed in the early 1940s by the newly formed Aero Design and Company

Youtube Link

Throughout the history of aviation there have been aircraft which have truly captured the imagination of flight.

Aero Commander Rockwell
Aero Commander 500 family
Manufactured 1951–1986