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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0072.PDF
RIGHT International, 9 January 1964 53 SPORT AND BUSINESS The Scillonian Air Services Aero Commander SOOA, subject of this report, at its Gatwick base. Scil- lonian are Commander distributors 'Flight International" photograph Aero Commander 500A in Britain IN Britain the Aero Commander has regrettably remained arelatively rare bird, though respected by virtually everyonewho has owned or operated one. As I have often said before, I have a soft spot for the type and feel that it is more of a pilot's aeroplane than is almost any other of the light twins. The various Commander versions are nevertheless in the fairly high-priced level; and, because all the models are based on virtually the same airframe, the company has not been able to "educate" an Aero Commander-minded public right through from a small, single- engined type to their elaborate twins. (Beechcraft sought to close this same gap in their sales effort with the Musketeer.) Nevertheless, Aero Commander have for years been alone in offering a pressurized small business twin—a feature which is becoming increasingly popular. Commander sales in Britain should now assume an upward trend following the appointment of Scillonian Air Services as distributors and Air Couriers as service agents—and with the establishment of a large Commander spares holding at Zurich. Tangible evidence of determined service and spares backing are essential in the business aircraft market, however good the basic product. Scillonian operate the Commander 500A G-ASIO, lowest-powered of the series which is the subject of this evaluation, and have bought a second machine. Not only is the Aero Commander delightful to fly. It has good performance and a roomy and passenger-worthy cabin in which the standard four seats are virtually lost. Optional arrangements of up to seven seats are available. Closer inspection of the airframe reveals very strong and well-built structure. Pairs of hefty, forged beams supporting engine and undercarriage on each side are claimed by Commander to be the "strongest in the business." You can safely walk on the frames inside the rear fuselage to inspect or work on systems, radio and electrics. Intelligent control and systems layout have long been distinctive Commander features. The fuel system comprises four coupled main tanks, linked to a single collector from which both engines are fed without need for cross-feed. All five tanks are filled through a single filler in one of them. The de-icing system includes electric heaters for fuel vents, nose cabin-air intake and pitots. The engines are sufficiently accessible to facilitate a double engine change in two hours. Sensible systems include the provision as standard of dual vacuum, dual gener- ators and hydraulic installations, the last-named with both electric pump and compressed air stand-by. The standard hydraulic system operates undercarriage and flap, but also provides powered braking and nosewheel steering by an ingenious coupling of the toe-pedals. First pressure on the appro- priate pedal turns the nosewheel so long as pressure is applied, and additional pressure applies the mainwheel brake on that side. Combined pressure keeps the nosewheel straight initially and then applies both brakes together. The rudder bar need not be moved, and all controls can remain locked during taxying. The sensitivity of steering takes just a little getting used to, but soon becomes precise and effortless. Structural integrity is amply illustrated by the fact that the FAA allowed a Commander 680 to be ferried with the skinning under the cabin section entirely missing, following a belly landing, from Alaska back to the factory at Bethany, Okl. Key to excellent weight-lifting and good blend of low- and high- speed performance is the Commander's distinctive wing, with its pronounced taper and wash-out. A docile stall and the ability to approach safely at very low airspeeds, plus an exceptionally strong undercarriage, which can be lowered at no less than 180 m.p.h. and takes little more than four seconds to retract or extend, give the Aero Commander real short and rough field capability. I vividly remember flying the 560F in and out of Stapleford Tawney using less than half of the available turf. The 260 h.p. Continental IO-470-M engines put the Aero Commander 500A in the same power bracket as the Cessna 310 and Beechcraft Baron, but its gross weight, at 6,2501b is approxi- mately 1,0001b greater. The Commander's power-to-weight ratio, at 121b/h.p., is therefore about 2£lb/h.p. higher, but a very respect- able single-engine rate of climb of 350ft/min and a take-off distance to 50ft of 1,200ft are nevertheless claimed. Disposable load of the standard aircraft, fitted with duplicated systems and full blind- flying instrumentation, is 1,9651b, and standard fuel load—there are no options—of 130 Imp gal, weighs 9371b. In the Scillonian Air Services G-ASIO full A.R.C. airways radio and pnuematic de-icing, plus the optional extra door beside the captain's seat, weigh 1101b. Allowing 501b for oil and unusable fuel, this brings the full-tanks payload to fractionally under 9001b, or five people and about 701b of baggage. The e.g. situation is favourable. With baggage compartment and fuel tanks full, one pilot will bring the e.g. within limits; and with all seats occupied, ten gallons of fuel will also bring the e.g. within limits. An Aero Commander 500A, IFR equipped but without radio or de-icing, costs £29,540 ex works, plus £1,000 for ferrying and 14 per cent duty on the total, making approximately £34,800. Factory-fitted de-icing costs an additional £1,425 and airways radio can cost from about £2,500 to more than £7,000, according to quality. A strong feature of the Commander series is good cockpit layout, with individual hinged panels holding the flight instruments on each side and a separate radio panel containing remote-control frequency selectors across the top of the instrument area. Electrical, starting and fuel controls are in a roof panel so arranged that the complete starting procedure can be completed by moving from left to right along the main row of switches and selectors. Fuel cocks are remotely operated electrical units. Both the trim wheels are in the roof, arranged to operate in the natural sense. Some people do not like overhead trimmers, but I feel quite happy with them. The control columns are pivoted at the outboard side of the cabin and swept inwards, leaving both panels and legs unencumbered by the columns. The high-set engines must always tend to obscure passenger view, but the new fiat nacelle reduces interference to the minimum. The plane of rotation of the propellers is immediately behind the pilot's back. Exhausts and cooling air gills are on top of the nacelles, carrying noise as far as possible away from the cabin. Noise level is average and not obtrusive. There is undoubted passenger appeal in the high-wing layout, especially for relatively inexperi- enced passengers taking their first clear look down from the air. A "fasten seat-belts, no smoking" sign is standard as well as all the usual heating and ventilating facilities and individual reading lights. Access from aft, beneath the wing, is a safety feature for this partic- ular layout; and the extra door beside the pilot, available only if ordered during production, is a great help for passenger or freight operations. Continued overleaf
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