Ben, Bruce is an authority. Another great guy to know and talk to in the Commander world!

[quote="Bruce Byerly"]Ben,



Anyway, the Shrike is stronger but typically heavier and has a spar cap NDT inspection for dissimilar metal corrosion unless the cap has been replaced. All Shrikes have the front door which is super handy. Mine has about 1,900 lbs of useful and a large baggage so it carries everything I need. Does great on the grass. Handles like no other piston twin in my book. I burn around 70 pph/side at 2100 rpm just like the 1960 checklist says for economy and it knocks out 170+ KTAS with the big cabin and 50' wing - pretty amazing really for a 6,750 lb gross plane. And it has R-A-D-A-R ... It will do 180 if you put some more fuel through it.

Thank you Bruce! I need to look further into the spar inspection. But I wonder if this is something that I can do myself?

I do own an NDT company (not aviation) and am certified in all major methods.

I just like the Commander for the ability grow with the family. The wife seems to have a really hard time leaving things behind on trips.

Ben,

An acquaintance bought a Shrike to fly in and out of his grass strip in the PNW several years ago. It's an awesome plane.

There was one in the hangar with my Baron at West Metro a couple of years ago getting maintenance - I think it's a regular there for inspections, but not sure. You might try stopping by and asking them their maintenance perspective, since they're close neighbors to you. The little I gleaned from them was all positive.

Hang a couple of Garretts 331's off that airframe and you'd really have a nice bird. Anyone ever try that before?

I did go over and look at that plane. It was the only Commander that I have ever sat in. Talked with Wiskus (West metro owner) and he said its a very nice plane. I like the TKS. It had 750/650 radios but the owner took them out and installed in his mooney (but didn't reduce the asking price). I really hope that one is still available when I am ready for purchase.

That is one sexy shrike! Think he would part ways with it?

I remember that picture!

That Ad is priceless!

Wasn't there an outstanding 500B in the for sale section just a while ago?

The guy had gone through it with a fine tooth comb.

Perhaps it sold?

Also, +1 on Bruce Byerly. Straight shooter and the dood was raised in/on Commanders. If I could afford the Commander ranks, he'd be my first phone call.

quote="Ben Ahlgren"]

That is one sexy shrike! Think he would part ways with it? [/quote]

I seriously doubt it, but you could give him a call, his contact info is on the website. It is a really good idea to have a guy like Gary in your contact's list anyway... you never know when you might need him! He does a great job taming over-zealous tax collectors![/quote]

N799CE was for sale a while back on Aircraft Market Place for $275 K. Here's a link to their site which has good info on Commanders. Shrike for sale

Thanks Mark and Adam! And Hangen you know that putting 331's on a Shrike is akin to doing the same to a 310 where it makes it a Conquest II

Ben, the spar inspection is a bit of a PITA because you have to move fuel cells and do quite a bit of work to access the spar cap. Personally, I would like a pro messing around in there as I'm not a DIY kinda guy on maintenance. Generally, if they haven't had an issue the inspections are consistent over time. On the 500B there is a minor inspection at an inboard radius and I've never heard of a bad one. My plane has 8,000 hours and 56 years on it and it's a challenge to find a working rivet anywhere. The wing and fuse is almost entirely flush riveted.

The 500's are kind of opposite of the turboprop versions in that they are much bigger and slower in class compared to say a B58.

Some of the things that I appreciate about the 500's are the big plane feel and simple system operation. It's stable and despite its size, the high aspect ratio wing gives good performance in the 8-10,000 range on naturally aspirated power and also on shorter fields. The brakes and big mains are right under the CG and extremely effective. With a 1,000 psi hyd system, the gear and flap operate with manly valves instead of girly little electric switches. There's no fuel management. There are no pitch changes with flaps, gear, or power for that matter. It's balanced. And it does nice wheelies

Most have full copilot instrumentation so there is redundancy even in stockish planes. 3 hydraulic pumps. High wing provides shade as well as a built in umbrella. Nice ramp presence in a classic plane yet it does not burn coal like a Beech 18. And it's hard to beat the visability, especially up front.

As mentioned, don't expect to fit one in a t hangar.

They have quirks and unique trouble areas like any plane. As I mentioned before, I'd like to get the fuel and oil lines out of the cockpit. Hyd too but that's gonna have to stay ...

I too love Aero Commanders.

When I was 10 years old my father owned one for a short period of time. We'd land it on a dirt strip on our ranch in Wyoming. I thought the control columns were way cool & loved being able to walk up to the pilot seats. It was a 560 as I remember.

In the 90's when I owned an FBO a beautiful Shrike landed & parked in front of our fuel pumps. The pilot & passenger were in a big hurry as a car was waiting for them. He asked me to fill it & park it where ever it was out of the way. After it was fuel, I fired it up and taxied to a tie down. I was 10 again in my father's 560.

When the pilot returned I told him of my fondness for AC's. He said "hell, you should of taken for a spin". I told him that I was very tempted.

Ted Smith knew how to design airplanes!

John Towner who owns Central Air in Kansas runs a whole fleet of 500B's with his own TKS weeping wing system. A few of his ships have over 20000hrs on them, and many are in the 15000hrs TT range. So they're tremendous workhorses if kept after.

Although I only owned the early 520 model, I can attest to how benign they are to fly. They don't bite. Landed like a big Cessna, and I could come in really slow over the numbers if I wanted to. I took mine to the Backcountry fly-in at Johnson Creek, a 5000ft MSL grass strip in Idaho. I was the only twin there. Damn thing was off in half the rwy, even though it was at 5000ft.

Or take a look when I landed it on a little dirt road in the desert:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/DYyvamJT334[/youtube]

Stuff you just can't do with that many other twins.

There are talkers, dreamers, shoppers and planners and then there's Adam. He actually does this stuff. Land your twin on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere - yep, no prob!

Most of my initial IFR, mountain, icing experience was in piston twin commanders. It's a big reason why I now own a turbine commander.

Those piston commanders saved me on many occasions simply by being so stoned cold simple and easy to fly.

The guy in KC has been running frieght in a fleet of them for over thirty years, night after night! These thing are rugged and very desirable.

I would pay for the best one I could find. No matter how much the guy selling it for he probably has twice that in it.

The really nice ones are getting hard to find and can go quick.