N43...near Allentown Pa. was home to a Piper dealership (Bradens) and sold Aerostars including P models from a strip 1996 ft long without incident. I have been there with my Aerostar 600 lightly loaded.

A friend of mine wrote probably the most definitive book of Ted Smith and the aircraft he designed, which include the Aerostar and Aero Commander. You may want to check it out. Lots of information on the two aircraft.

https://starsandcommanders.com/

(Post not intended to sell the book, just pass on pertinent information being available)

I was just about the get one... Ouch... I see he very proud of the book.

I learned of the Commander by reading the Brotherhood of War series when the protagonist bought one.

I've liked them ever since.

I'm a Ted Smith fan and had wondered about how they compared to each other also.
Took me a while to find it. This drawing is not dimensionally perfect, but relatively close.
Never been in an Aerostar, but I'm betting the view from the back seat of the commander is better.

Thanks for the heads up. I knew the book was in the pipe line for years, I didn’t know it was now available. My order has been placed.

Very interesting to see them compared like that Mark. I’ll have to get out the ruler sometime but I bet the 500S has half a foot on the Aerostar in every direction in the cabin.

No time on either—but if room and passengers are in the game—500.

If it’s two of you the A star.

Adam, You're right Dave Pfifers 500B did have the Merlyns.

It also spent a few months in 'Mo's shop....getting what I hear was a very expensive annual. I dont think his 500B ever needed much. But the "Expert" he went to left a lot to be desired.

My take:

500B's and 500A converted do not need the 36 mo. spar eddy current inspection.
Since I now own a twin with IO-470's...Id like to have a 500A. I've figured out their secret.

500S, U, 680-F all need spar inspections, but they are generally benign.

Because of thier size and capacity, a lot went into civil service and Fire service. A lot of low level flying which didnt work out that well. I'd steer clear from those.

Ted Smith was comfortable with his basic design from the A26 on down. You 'll see a lot of similarity in all of them.

Craig Lowell!
Loved Brotherhood of war and The Corps series.

Anyone have any time in a Colemill Commander with the 520's?

I'd been told that the twin commander was like a scaled down A26 but hadn't ever compared them before. I'd say your right.

Just a small correction--you're not anywhere near stall at 115mph (100KIAS) in level unaccelerated flight.

We have a 601P, and at gross Vref is in the high 90s. Most of us I think fly the pattern at around 120 KIAS, and slow to 100 or so on short final. Full flaps is an enormous amount of drag, so there's little or no penalty for being fast on final.

Full flaps is also the tricky part, because if you divert your attention and pull power or raise the nose the airplane will slow down very quickly when dirty. That's the reason you need to pay attention.

The blue line in a 601P is 109KIAS, Vxse is 100 KIAS

Vmc is 84 KIAS

The stall buffet is very pronounced at around 80 KIAS dirty--enough that the airplane was certified without a stall warning horn. Stall (and buffet) 9 knots higher when clean.

Just a small correction--you're not anywhere near stall at 115mph (100KIAS) in level unaccelerated flight.

We have a 601P, and at gross Vref is in the high 90s. Most of us I think fly the pattern at around 120 KIAS, and slow to 100 or so on short final. Full flaps is an enormous amount of drag, so there's little or no penalty for being fast on final.

Full flaps is also the tricky part, because if you divert your attention and pull power or raise the nose the airplane will slow down very quickly when dirty. That's the reason you need to pay attention.

The blue line in a 601P is 109KIAS, Vxse is 100 KIAS

Vmc is 84 KIAS

The stall buffet is very pronounced at around 80 KIAS dirty--enough that the airplane was certified without a stall warning horn. Stall (and buffet) 9 knots higher when clean.

- The Aerostar puts 30 knots over the AC 500 on the same HP/Fuel burn

AND

- Then there is the "small" issue of wing-span and hangar space: 49 ft 1 in Vs 34 ft 2 in.