Airtest- Commander 114B

The early, committee designed, 200hp, four cylinder 112 was not without its troubles. Launched in the boom years of the late sixties to compete with all the other American singles then filling the market, it was the first type certified to the tougher and more stringent regulations of FAR 23. Struggling for sales in the recessionary early seventies, just as the Arabs held the World to ransom in the first oil crisis, the marque received a further blow when a prototype lost its tail during high speed flight testing.

Strengthening modifications within the fin cured this, but the machine was still rightly perceived as under-powered, with limited load. Throughout its life it was also dogged by spar and undercarriage problems, a noisy cabin and an apparently never-ending stream of ADs, Service Letters and Service Bulletins requiring expensive modification to these components and doors, fuel cocks, seat and belt attach points, engine parts and control hinges among others.

Incorporating a wing extension and larger fuel tanks, the improved, higher weight, fuel injected, six cylinder, 260hp model 114 addressed many of these problems from the start. Divesting itself of its short winded sibling’s early stigma, it went on to be a successful and much loved aeroplane, the 1100 or so of the two models gaining a small but dedicated follow- ing. However in the late seventies Rockwell shed most of its aviation assets, the whole Commander line ending up with Gulfstream where the singles lay dormant for a decade.

In 1988 aviation entrepreneur Randall Greene led a group of investors in acquiring the Commander 114 rights (along with service responsibility for existing airframes) and initially intended leasing new machines to save on product liability insurance. This idea did not catch on so, after some financial rejigging in 1992, their Commander Aircraft Co eventually started production of conventionally marketed machines at the old Aero Commander factory in Bethany, Oklahoma where they hope to build 200 airframes in 1993.

This reorganisation replaced Greene as president by ex Cessna manager and Teledyne Continental and Learjet president, William Boettger. While retained as a director, Greene is now focusing his attention on the Polish Gemini twin project. N6008X, the seventeenth airframe off the new line, arrived in England just in time for Farnborough, where I was impressed by both the comprehensive sales literature and its outstanding Operators Handbook with numerous tips and sound airmanship advice, particularly in the emergencies section.

As well as incorporating all the ADS, SBS and SLs, the new 114B takes advantage of twenty years’ service experience with existing machines, embodying many improvements, with more on the way. So far most are around the engine compartment, resulting in sleeker, more subtly curved cowlings. These are frequently a major drag source, sitting as they do slap in the middle of the propeller’s slipstream which moves faster past the airframe than free stream flow; (remembering that drag, like lift, is proportional to the square of airflow speed).

To achieve this new smoother shape the oil cooler, smaller, less weighty starter and alternator have been moved and intakes for induction and oil cooler air have been deleted along with the nose bowl landing light. Air entry cut outs have less than half the original area while tighter, more efficient internal baffles lead the flow to exit through a single cowl flap. The cowlings themselves have cleaner latches and are mostly fabricated from four ply, fire resistant fibreglass with twelve ceramic lined, fire proof layers in hot areas.

Inconel stainless crossover exhausts now lead through the silencer to a single big pipe exiting in a low pressure area underneath, leaving room for an optional standby alternator and air conditioner. Carefully tuned induction air plumbing enables the engine to retain more power at height without the cost and complexity of supercharging, and dual continuously running vacuum pumps are standard. The current engine model also has two separate magneto drives, replacing the combined one on the previous 114A, and turns a quieter and more efficient three blade Black Mac McCauley propeller.

An ogival ‘NACA duct’ has moved the cabin air inlet from the base to the side of the fin, which has itself been internally strengthened with a stiffer fin-to-tailplane junction incorporating a second row of rivets. This high set tail position was chosen to be clear of the propwash, minimising trim changes, vibration and noise.

Three position strobes and wing leading edge recognition lights are standard. Landing and taxi lights are repositioned on the main gear legs which, with directly linked doors and stronger side-stay fittings, look tough enough to support a Tomcat. The spar cracking at the gears’ trunnion attachments is another problem area now fixed.

The front halves of the very slightly forward swept nominally ‘laminar flow’NACA 63. 415 wings already utilise flush riveting. Although this is where it counts most, the domed heads on not only the wing’s aft surfaces but the whole fuselage (combined with the fluted rear wing panels and controls) must increase the airframe’s drag despite the polyurethane paint’s mirror finish. This cannot be helped by the six hinges for the area-increasing slotted flaps, which protrude a good six inches below the wing along with the three tie down points and prominent steps. While current airframe mods have successfully increased top speed by ten knots, in the next six months the company will further clean up the aerodynamics to improve both speed and allowable load, permitting installation of TKS de-icing (no airframe de-ice is currently available). Originally intending to install a turbocharged, liquid cooled 300hp Continental IO-550L with a four blade Hartzell, they are now content to put a turbo on the 10-540 which, with an Ellison throttle body, should allow it to generate 270 horses to 14,000ft (4270m).

The machine will have oxygen, bigger tanks and other go faster mods including more flush riveting, flatter wing skins, retractable steps, recessed flap hinges, cleaner fuselage to wing and fin to tailplane fillets, flush fitting windows, spinner seals and other LoPresti like refinements.

Cabin entry is via those long steps, with timed courtesy lights above, on to either wing walkway through not just one but two wide swinging, smoothly closing doors which do not need to be slammed. Lowering the recessed handles gently levers them shut and operates two locking pins, this mechanism being reinforced by an additional upper cam latch. The genuine luxury car style interior smells like a new Mercedes and sports really thickly stuffed Concorde like misty grey hide upholstery on the four fully adjustable individual seats. These are strengthened, run on tougher tracks, and have inertia-reel lap and diagonal belts with the spools sensibly relocated on the upper sidewalls where they admittedly make passenger entry a touch awkward.

Behind the back seats the black carpeted 0. 6m391kg (22cuft, 2001b) baggage compartiment can also be reached through a separate lockable door on the left side of the fuselage. Aft of the rear bulkhead are the battery and electro-hydraulic undercarriage power pack. Cabin sidewalls are lined in matching grey glove leather and top quality English wool faced moulded panels while the thick carpeting is aslightly darker grey and the soft, light coloured fabric headliner is well padded. Soundproofing is enhanced by half centimetre thick plexiglass windows, replacing the previous double-glazed units. Nice finishing touches are the big sun visors, twin cup holders by the pilots’ knees and map lights under the small padded control yokes which extend from the panels on sturdy four centimetre shafts. Controls and instruments are very simply laid out for a complex, advanced aircraft. The quite comprehensive standard equipment comprises just one set of internally lit, pull out flying instruments on the left of the black panel (grey is an option) with plenty of space on the right for either a second set or more comprehensive avionics. Those fitted, in a neat stack just right of centre, are a pair of Bendix/King nav-coms (one with glideslope), transponder, and audio panel serving a four place stereo intercom with digital clearance recorder. To their left is a compact group of small but easily read two inch remote reading electronic engine instruments. These are laid out sensibly with manifold pressure and rpm left and right at the top corresponding to the juxtaposition of their respective levers (this is not the case with every manufacturer). Lesser engine and system dials fill two columns beneath, and below these is an avionics master switch and an extremely sensible energy saver switch powering a sole radio and vital instruments to give up to twenty minutes of battery life in the not uncommon event of alternator failure (a 75 amp 24 volt system is standard).

Other electrical switches are good old fashioned steel toggles along the bottom of the pilot’s sub-panel and circuit breakers occupy the same space on the right. The landing gear is operated by a wheel shaped switch at the top right of the left instrument panel while the flap switch and dial are well away from it, just to the left of the right control column. Emergency wheel lowering, by bypass valve, gravity and assisting springs, is actuated, after slowing to the stall warning, by a knob hidden below the bottom right corner of the Pl panel. The spring-bias rudder trim is alongside. Primary engine controls and cowl flap (which all go forward for takeoff) occupy a neat throttle box which extends aft into a grey leather covered centre console very reminiscent, like everything else in this cockpit, of a luxury car’s. Housing the elevator trim wheel and its ribbon position indicator, (electric trim is an option-along with a yaw damper), the console terminates in a handy, if slightly small, glove box.

Just ahead of this the five position fuel cock (off, left, both, right, off) needs a slightly fiddly red tab to be pressed for closing the supply. Twin tanks each side hold a total of 265 1 ([257] 70US gal [68 useable]) and, whatever your normal habit, it is not wise to leave the cock on both or fuel can run from one wing to the other if the ground slopes. Cover plates held by Dzus fasteners enclose the fillers, whose necks have anti-siphon flap valves. Push these in to reveal tags indicating the 671 (24gal) level. There are five drains, one on each tank, one in each wheel well and one on the gascolator.

As befits a fairly complex aircraft, the Commander has several loading limitations. Maximum zero fuel weight is 1362kg (3000lb), max takeoff weight 1476kg (3250lb) and max taxi weight five kilograms (ten pounds) more. N6008X’s empty weight of 950kg (20921b) allowed full tanks (190kg (4181b]) and 341kg (750lb) of payload, or four adult males and 23kg (50lb) of luggage, which is pretty darned good. Taking a couple of ladies instead of men in the back seats would increase allowable baggage to a 45kg (100lb). This weight carrying capability would encourage its great internal space to be fully utilised quite safely.

However, like many other types, the Commander’s CofG would be outside the forward limit if two men alone occupied the front seats with the tanks full (presumably this is the reason for the tab indicators in the tanks) so I took two passengers with me, making our weight 1378kg (3035lb), 102kg (225) below the maximum.

Starting is standard fuel injected Lycoming. After priming with the fuel pump and an initial surge the engine settled to a slightly lumpy but meaty sounding 1000rpm idle. The sloping cowling affords good visibility although the substantial wind-screen side pillars require some fore and aft leaning to see round them. The ride on those widely separated trailing link main legs is super smooth and very stable – leading to over confident fast taxying if you are not careful.

Despite a slight lag, the slightly heavy nose wheel steering is fine at low speeds and can easily be helped with a little differential brake-something that tended to happen inadvertently on occasion because of the geometry of rudder and brake pedals. Pre-takeoff checks included cycling the variable pitch prop, selecting fuel to both and setting the ten degrees of flap recommended as a good compromise between minimum ground roll and a reasonable climb rate.

Opening the throttle against the brakes enables full power (29in MAP/0. 96 atmos) to be set without being distracted from the steering, and I found the 260 galloping horses did need some curbing with rudder. Acceleration is positive without being breathtaking, while the engine sounds powerfully hearty, but we used most of the 816m (2677ft) long runway in the 20° temperature even with a 14kt (26km/h) headwind. The book figure at top weight and 1000ft (305m) amsl in no wind at 20°C is 726m (2380ft) to clear a 15m (50ft) obstacle.

High set tailplanes can be sensitive at rotate, but with care the Commander virtually flew itself off at just over 70kts (130km/h). Selecting the wheels up as we flashed over the upwind trees we heard three solid thunks as they locked into position within a couple of seconds, but I could sense no trim change. Reducing power to 64cm (25in) and 2500rpm as recommended for noise abatement (although external levels are not high) I found flap retraction again produced little if any trim change but there was some slight sink.

That new tapering cowling slopes so steeply it can barely be seen so the forward view in the climb is very good. Best rate speed is 100kts (185km/h), and the quoted sea level maximum is 1023fpm (312mpm) at 20°C and top weight but I was unable to coax more than 660fpm (183mpm) and could not catch the similarly loaded photographic Cardinal with twenty less horse-power. Prolonged flight is not recommended at the best angle speed of 75kts (140km/h) to prevent overheating the tightly cowled engine.

Levelling at 2000ft (610m) with 26in (0. 84 atmos) and 2400rpm for 75% power I saw 142kts (43km/h) IAS which accords well to the quoted 146kts (271km/h) TAS and 13. 2US gph (50 lph) for a 640nm (1186km) range. The growling engine was still rather noticeable, despite three layers of sound insulation and new, quieter exhaust, but there was hardly any vibration. With excellent ventilation in the roomy cabin and a superb forward view one could easily cruise effortlessly for the quoted 4. 2 hours. Throttling back to 45% power greatly reduces the decibels while extending endurance to 7. 1 hours for a 820 mile range with 45 minutes reserve – although the speed does drop below 140kts (259km/h) TAS.

Because the front seat occupants’ eyes are in line with the leading edge, all round visibility is pretty good and remains so in banks up to 45° each way, although you have to lean forward into the sharply raked screen to see inside a turn to the right. All controls are cable operated, the differential ailerons being really nice-perhaps a little heavy at speed but inducing a very good roll rate.

The bank angle does tend to increase progressively if you release the wheel in a trimmed out turn despite the seven degree dihedral and sprung rudder interconnect. Pitch stability feels excellent and the elevators are quite light while an induced phugoid took two long gentle cycles to damp out. There was little sign of wiggling or Dutch rolling in the smooth air but that optional yaw damper must be available for a reason. Although almost no rudder is needed to balance turns this control did seem slightly heavy and ineffective.

Slowing down and trimming to 85kts (158km/h), the warbling gear warning horn sounded as soon as I reduced power. This was followed by the stall warning horn at 70 (130) and the onset of light airframe rumbling and bobbing at 66 (122), with a perceptible slackness of the controls before the stall itself at 64kts (119km/h). The nose was not noticeably high, the far end of the cowling only just intersecting the horizon at the break, which was on one occasion accompanied by a slight left wing drop. The spring loaded flap switch is not gated so the slotted flaps are run down with an eye on the gauge (the switch does lock in the up position for brain off retraction). With approach (20°) flap the hom did not sound until 63kts (117km/h) and the wings level eight degree pitch down came at 58 (107) after rather more buffet. With gear down and full (35″) flap the horn started at the same speed but the actual stall, again with nose on the horizon and a small left wing drop, came just slightly slower at 54 (100km/h). All these figures were obtained using the accepted one knot (1. 9km/h) per second speed reduction approaching the stall and, because of the Commander’s fairly high wing loading, resulted in quite high sink rates before the actual g-break. I have often doubted the validity of this test pilots’ approach, using a gradual speed reduction. A level flight technique produces a quicker speed loss and, although often resulting in an artificially lowered indicated minimum speed, approximates better to what actually happens when somebody stalls inadvertently in real life. These high sink rates helped to contribute to an average 300ft (92m) height loss in each stall (the manual suggests a maximum loss of 400ft [741ml).

The high wing loading is again evident in the steep power off descent although, because the best speed is a fairly brisk 86kts (159km/h), the Commander will glide a pretty decent ten nautical miles (19km) from 6000ft (1830m). Since the tanks tend to drain unequally and the gauges’ transmitters are in the inner of each pair of cells, the needles do not start to move until their level is below 1061 (28US gal) per side and there is often a need to indulge in a little balancing in the latter stages of a flight. Standard 1993 models will have a fuel used totaliser to help this but it is important to check the fuel selector is to both before entering the circuit.

If the takeoff was at maximum weight you should also ensure at least 50kg ([68 1] 110lb [18usg)) of fuel have been burned to get the weight below MLW. Up to 20° of flap can be lowered below 151kts (280km/h) (in reality this is slightly above cruise speed) if needed. Although it is OK to fly at Vne with the wheels down, the maximum speed for their operation is 130kts (241km/h), which is no problem at all at the practical circuit speed of 100 (185). Reducing to ninety on base leg allows flap to be extended as required because max speed for full flap is 111kts (206km/h). The flaps take seven seconds to extend fully.

In fact drag is not a thing this black brick really needs because, once you take the power off, it is only too happy to descend. Neither flap nor gear caused much trim change, the only noticeable variation being a slight nose down tendency as the last centimetres of flap moved into position. At 80kts (148km/h) on final there was still plenty of control authority and the aircraft was easy to position precisely with just a trace of tail wag but the high power was audibly noticeable.

While neither too slippery, nor in any sense a ‘hot ship’, I suspect a glide approach would result in a rather exciting transition from plummet to flare unless one carried spare speed. However, the light elevators made the power-on round out simplicity itself and the big, draggy flaps kept the float short while the soft trailing link suspension and 3. 4m (11ft) track would make anybody seem an ace on touchdown.

A go-around with full flap and gear down is not recommended because the Commander will barely climb in this configuration even at sea level. For the same reason (and because of that uplocking flap switch) a touch and go requires considerable runway unless you have a helpful copilot to check retraction at 20°. With this setting and gear still extended we were able to make an adequate 500fpm back up into the circuit.

The published sea level landing distance at maximum landing weight and 20°C is 1220ft using a threshold speed of 74kts and short field technique. We were rather lighter and crossed the threshold a little faster, but still rolled to a gentle stop in less than double that without even touching the brakes. The comparatively low 19kt max demonstrated crosswind again points to a barely adequate rudder.

My thesaurus says a Commander is “the boss”, and who am I to argue? Its competitors are the Socata TB-20 Trinidad, Mooney TLS, Beech F-33A Bonanza and possibly the fixed-gear but very efficient Robin Regent. Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft says the other retractables are a touch faster (although the Bonanza has a bigger engine and the Mooney is much more cramped), and several are more expensive; but not yet having flown any of these specific models I am unqualified to make direct comparisons. Commander Aircraft anticipate a production rate of twenty per month in 1993 provided there is sufficient demand.

This jet black beauty may not be the quickest light single nor have the most spectacular climb and would be restricted to only the longest of grass fields; but it has to be one of the most spacious, smooth and sumptuous light aeroplanes ever. Absolute aerodynamic perfection is an admirable goal but in this case it is defeated by the sheer size of the cabin. After flying the Commander one realises that such efficiency isn’t everything. With fuel probably the lowest of the many costs of flying, a slightly greater consumption than the opposition for a given speed is more than outweighed by the roomy passenger compartment.

Not only is it spacious but the aircraft is a real pleasure to handle and quite simple to fly provided you fully absorb the manual to be aware of its limitations. Already with an avid following, the reborn Commander 114B will soon find buyers This jet black beauty may not be the quickest light single nor have the most spectacular climb and would be restricted to only the longest of grass fields; but it has to be one of the most spacious, smooth and sumptuous light aeroplanes ever. Abso- lute aerodynamic perfection is an admirable goal but in this case it is defeated by the sheer size of the cabin. After flying the Commander one realises that such efficiency isn’t everything. With fuel probably the lowest of the many costs of flying, a slightly greater consumption than the opposition for a given speed is more than outweighed by the roomy passenger com- partment.

Not only is it spacious but the aircraft is a real pleasure to handle and quite simple to fly provided you fully absorb the manual to be aware of its limitations. Already with an avid following, the reborn Commander 114B will soon find buyers even in these depression racked times.

This is definitely the machine for impressing your friends, especially if they have never flown before. The only trouble is, anybody introduced to aviation by a Commander might never want to fly in anything else.