Thanks Adam, I am very happy with my commander it is stone cold simple to operate.

My training only took two flights and around 5 hours!

And it goes 1500+nm at 300kts.

That range and speed sounds very cool, Steve.

I've just finished six days of intensive training in the aircraft and ground school. As my first experience as PIC of something with turbines and as a fairly low time pilot it was quite an intense week. There were some moments when it was looking like we might need more days to complete the syllabus, but I managed to complete everything to the required standards and adjust to the new systems and procedures.

I'm really loving the plane and am quite in awe of the performance. It seems I managed to find a very well sorted aircraft that had been maintained to a very high standard. I'm going to be flying a while with mentor pilots and know I still have lots to learn but I couldn't be happier with how well things have gone and my purchase decision.

As far as differences, it was lots of little stuff that I found hardest to adapt to initially: needing to anticipate opposite way rudder on takeoff relative to my Baron and singles I've flown (you need left, not right rudder, due to the props spinning opposite way), needing to use right rudder on landing due to the reverse effect and all that drag from the huge props, having to manage that huge rudder on the ground with strong winds and the unusual pedal setup (pedal deflection only moves rudder, pedal tips initially turn nose wheel steering and then with more travel of the tips you get each side's brakes), getting the hang of steering on the ground using differential power/beta, all the new procedures for engine starts...

In terms of flying the plane, though, it was completely pleasant - so much power that it changes everything. Single engine work required unlearning a bunch of piston twin stuff because it just flies so well on one. There is no 30 seconds or however long it is where you pucker up worrying about losing one after takeoff, because it will just keep flying on one. They say if you can taxi it, you can fly it. Taxiing and managing landings after touch down were the two biggest challenges for me, but I managed to get the required coordination of different bits fixed and burned into my muscle memory as the week went on.

Air work was very pleasant, it is a sweet flying plane. It climbs like you can't believe, it's just wow, 3000 feet per minute is pretty astounding! Loving the speed and adjusting to what that means about things happening quickly. I'm realizing I really wish the plane had altitude preselect which is the only modern bit of avionics it doesn't have. Going high is nice as I learned this week with some weather we had in the southwest.

They can climb that's for sure. It doesn't matter if you have one or two engines working it climbs great! Big wing and lots of power!

I am glad to hear training went well. It's simple and easy to fly but it takes some getting used to the performance.

Once you wipe the grin off your face everything seems to come together!

I am guessing you have a Collins autopilot. That's what I have and I have the altitude pre select.

It does capture a pre set altitude, but only in VS mode. I much prefer to use IAS in vertical modes and that is not an option with this AP. Not a big deal but maybe you won't want to add it to you panel so much once you understand that it has limitations.

The Collins does everything else well and I have no complaints except for that.

You can always upgrade to the stec 2100.

The steering on the commander is unusual but you adapt pretty quickly.

In one respect its better because it is hydraulically powered but then instead of a tiller which would be what you expect in a hydraulically powered sterling.

It has the steering controlled through the first bit of what is normally reserved for brake pedal activation.

You taxi it with your big toes! Weird but it works really good.

Steve, that is good information. I'm still figuring out some of the avionics.
I have the Collins autopilot with VS mode but I'm not sure that I have Altitude preselect, is it an additional box or visible somehow? I need to have a look at the manuals...
The seller mentioned a ridiculous price for the STEC autopilot as their not having upgraded to it when they did the avionics makeover.

I am guessing what your are calling VS is really a pitch mode. The VS control is located on the VS indicator and the altitude preselect window would be obvious.

All A/P upgrades are off the chart expensive but at least we have the option some legacy
TP do not have a path to a digital AP.

Here is a photo of my panel. Look at lower left below pfd and you can see the VS indicator. There is a knob on the VS indicator and that is how you control VS while on AP.

It will capture the altitude no problem I just prefer using IAS.

On the bottom right of photo you can see my pitch wheel. That might be what you are calling VS. Above the ND is the altitude pre select.

I am still trying different ways to use the A/P to get the most out of it. Best thing is to live with for a 100 hours or so before you think about adding or changing anything.

Yeah, the S-Tec 65 is the only modern A/P certified for mine and they start at $65K. Not worth it. The ancient H-14 works and is still serviceable, so that'll have to stay. The 2100 can't be cheap either.

I really hope the rewrite of FAR part 23 changes the autopilot situation so we can finally get into the 21st century.

Wow! What a great panel!

I saw Steve's 980 today in person. Wow!! , it is just incredible and the attention to detail with all the polished parts is spectacular .
Steve needs to post more pictures especially of the exhaust pipes (polished), paint and interior. The plane is just stunning.

Thanks Jerry. All the new paint will allow me to persue my favorite pastime hanging out at the hangar polishing the plane.

Now the hangar floor looks dirty, need to polish that too!

Patrick - any updates? How is your 690A behaving?

Things are going well, 23 hours or so into ownership, starting to get the hang of it. Did a bunch of flying initially, then had a small hiccup the week before last, at the end of a couple days of travel and training, had a problem with the fuel controller on one of the engines, it was sticking and i couldn't bring one back fully to flight idle while we were shooting an approach next door at Oxnard. (BTW, we learned the avionics setup with the autopilot will fly a coupled approach to simulated minimums beautifully, contrary to what the seller told me. I don't think he realized what a great setup he had put in.) Ended up going missed and trouble shooting, then shutting one down and landing at home base a few miles away... It was easy peasy, very benign on one, just like simulated single engine. It flies better on one than my Baron does on two

So, I ended up scrubbing the first international trip in the plane (Los Cabos) and flying commercial. I was on the fence about the trip anyway, for some logistical reasons, not aircraft reasons, (realized my surfboards and wife's luggage weren't going to fit if I also wanted full family and nanny on board, doh, shoulda bought a PC12 ) and had already bought refundable airline tickets as a backup.

I'm just back from vacation and, unfortunately, while I was surfing in Cabo, I learned it wasn't just a blocked filter or minor issue and it seems to be something not working properly with the Bendix FCU. So I had a loaner installed today and my FCU is being looked into. Planning to do a bunch of flying next week.

Buy one, have an FCU problem with it where you would like to shut that engine off, then you will say you should have bought a Commander.

Mike C.

Buy one, have an FCU problem with it where you would like to shut that engine off, then you will say you should have bought a Commander.

Mike C.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

Mike C.

Good to hear it behaves like a champ on A/P and on one, sad to hear you had troubles with FCU. Woodwards are normally easier to overhaul, the Bendixes end up being a bit more expensive. I hope it's an easy fix.

If I'm not mistaken, you can also retrofit Woodwards onto Bendix-engines via STC, should you want to. But I could be wrong.