Bruce - Are you of the Byerly Aviation fame. If so, several years ago I met you at a stopover in Culpepper, VA. Thanks for your time, the 20-30 minutes that I got to hangar fly with you. Thanks for talking about Commanders and for providing guidance regarding getting shares out of a fractional company that went bankrupt shortly after we talked.

What wasn't well known to me at the time is that there is a logo on the side of Bob Hoover's Commander at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center (hangar) at KIAD. It is in green, if I recall correctly, and says Byerly Aviation.

Thanks for all that you have done for the aviation and Commander community!

This is the BT appropriate video to wake up this thread.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/r42hyHrSR4s[/youtube]

I worked on one of Central Air’s planes last week. It had 30,000hrs TT!!

Before this debacle (Chinese COVID), Central Air has a 500 parked at Signature a few yards from Delta Hdqtrs and adjacent to the north complex at Hartsfield.
Not sure what they haul, but I stopped in hoping to chat with one of their guys.
Definitely a workhorse.

Nice vid!

I know you know how it’s done Mark but for others, I would just point out that there seems to be a lack of understanding regarding the hydraulic nose wheel steering. You steer with the tops of the pedals with light pressure and the huge rudder is effective as well. Additional pressure brings in the brakes. If you don’t know the system, it’s “squirrelly.” Or if it’s misrigged. Proper training ...

I flew that plane in 2018. One engine had about 5 quarts of oil because, I presume, someone read the wrong side of the double sided dipstick. Not a hard mistake to make of unfamiliar. Best interior of any 500 with that 1 pc headliner and the panel has come a long way since then and he put the vented windows back in up front thankfully. Shrikes are so comfortable and nice to fly.

I agree. The steering comments are misleading. It's a great system. There is absolutely no reason to have crosswind anxiety either.

Bringing back the funk with some Funkadelic Flashlight tunes! Good taste in music. (And Chris, I'm sure I'm talking about your better half. )

I've enjoyed the straight 500. Love being up front, forward of the wing and engines, and looking straight down and all around. It's comfortable, can move around inside the cabin in flight, and very easy access to get in and out, none of that climbing over a wing. Had plenty of baggage space. Its a bit loud inside, so everyone should be on headphones.

Big tail! Need a larger hanger. But it comes in handy when you need to shut down an engine. It still handled just fine - no issues. Plane handles like a big Cherokee. Stable IFR platform. Simple systems, basic engines. I liked it a lot.