I am researching my next plane. It will be a piston twin. I have done my soul searching on the single vs twin debate.

I think I have found the perfect family traveling plane in the Twin Commander!

I ruled out the 55's for easy of entry and loading. I am willing to give up some cruise performance for comfort. The 58's are very nice and I am considering them as well. I did ask about the 58 vs commander on an old thread in the twins forum.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=114665&view=unread#unread

I am falling in love with the rugged/short field performance of the 5oo series. I do make a lot of hunting and work trips. SO carrying a load is important.

I would really like to hear some comments pros and cons from this great community. It is very hard to find pilots that have any first hand experience with the twin commanders. Thanks!

Find a Shrike Commander and buy it!!!! What an airplane! Has to be the greatest piston twin ever built... and probably the only piston twin I would want to personally own.

Gary Evans is a BT'er he has a Shrike I sold him many years ago... spent some serious coin on it and turned it into a dream! Probably pictures here on BT somewhere.

Here's a link to check out. viewtopic.php?f=49&t=81960

Here's Gary's Shrike http://www.texasaviationlaw.com/flightops/N799CE/

You'll be stylin

Are there any pressurized versions?

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

Yes there are a couple versions of the 680 that are pressurized.

Check out twincommander.org for all the models and performance specs.

A few. Like probably less than 10 active airframes worldwide all with some major quirks.

Give Gary Gadberry a call at aircenterinc.com

He owns the Shrike STCs now, and brokers twin commanders as well.

I have his A/C system in a single engine commander, great guy to deal with.

Ben, you need a 500B. It is bullet proof and they're fantastic planes. You'll have no issues with them. The 500S and U models are technically what's called a Shrike, and they're also great aircraft, but make sure they have had the spar strap update. The 500B was never affected by the AD before the 1968 model (if I recall correctly).

If you need shortest takeoff capability, look at 560F or a Merlyn upgraded 500B. They have 350hp and get off in a hurry. But even the straight 500B is pretty good.

Please join the Twin Commander Group Forum (I'm one of the admins) if you want more in depth knowledge. Or feel free to PM me and I can get you in contact with Morris Kernick at Commander Services. He's a great resource and the one you should hire to get a pre-buy done when you're looking at candidates.

http://www.twincommandergroup.com/

A friend of mine sent this to me a week or so ago.

Sorry, that was the first time I've tried to post a picture.

I fly this one for the boss.

oh hell, that's damn sexy as all get out.......

Stella Maris has a Strike Commander too.......

Here's a little better picture.

Ben,

My experience with the 500 started early so they are a nostalgic bird for me. Got my multi on my 17th birthday in one in fact. Flown all sorts of them over the years. I like the way Chip put it

In my case, with 3 kids, a Cirrus was out and a good A36 more than a Baron so I figured I would get an old 58. Flew checks in those too so I started shopping a bit. I knew enough to know the really good Shrikes were out of the budget range.

Long story short I tripped upon a 500B which looked nice, had nice equipment, and seemed a good price. I started with the radar and continue to work my way through the plane. It's a great plane. But, it's an old plane. This month's reality is every hose behind the panel is probably original and probably should have been replaced about 30 years ago and again more recently. Big job unless you are gutting the panel. Seems very few 50+ year old planes of any kind have recently been restored. So I've learned or re-learned all kinds of fun stuff about the 500 over the last 6 years of flying it.

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.

We recently put G600 panel in one I sold to an aircraft broker. It's his family plane.

And the lovely 290 HP IO-540 is one great engine. You can turbo normalize or even put a Navajo 350 HP engine on it and complicate things but unless you're in the mountains, I would keep it simple as the stock setup is so nice.

At this point I'd have a hard time giving up the space and the fun of it so I am happy to be flying the 500B.

I'm a Beech guy through and through but if it didn't take such a big hangar I would lust for a 500B Shrike conversion. I think it is one hell of a great airplane not to mention one of the most beautiful designs ever. I admire that plane whenever I see one.