Der Twin Commander von Rockwell im zweiten Leben!

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Die Quelle für alle Bilder und Textauszüge in diesem Post!

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The Turbine Commander (Model 690, 690A, 690B)

The first variant of the mighty turbine powered Twin Commanders, the 690 series matches Honeywell TPE331 engines producing 717.5 shaft horsepower to a pressurized airframe offering a 4,174 lb. useful load, including 600 lbs. of baggage.
Climbing out at 2,850 feet per minute, a turbo Commander will likely have you on top of the weather at FL200 in nine minutes and comfortably cruising in the mid to high twenty’s at 285 knots while sipping Jet A for 1,500 nautical miles.

The JetProp Commander (Model 840, 900, 980, 1000)

Unequivocally the hands down all around best performer in its class (and many others), the Commander JetProp series defines performance, efficiency, and value. As a second generation to the Turbo Commander series, the JetProp Commanders offer greater wing area along with a larger fuselage and cabin. Engine options extend up to the TPE 331 Dash 10T engine producing 1,000 shaft horsepower and speeds exceeding 300 knots while burning only 75 gallons of fuel per hour. The 1000 model JetProp Commander has seating for up to 9, including a lavatory and is certified to FL350. RVSM capability is available via STC. JetProp Commanders offer a long range cruise capability between 1,700 and 2,050 nautical miles. Unbeatable by any measure.

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Toller Flieger, mit tollem Sound, der durch solche Firmen wieder zum Leben erweckt word, durch tiefgreifende Modifikationen an Triebwerken und Avionik, sowie einer Grundüberholung, der die Zelle in nen Zustand besser als neu versetzt........

Artikel in aviationweek, wo es das Bild und den kompletten Text gibt

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Classic airplanes continue to survive for decades through changes of manufacturer and Type Certificate holder-even surviving beyond the "grave" of production termination through a lively market for upgrading. One such is the Commander family -- much changed from the Aero Commander of five decades ago, but now described by its "foster parent" as "the ultimate turboprop."

Arlington, Va.-based Twin Commander Aircraft is at NBAA 2002 offering a range of upgrades culminating in complete rebuild for turboprop models. An interim modification that is proving popular is the installation of Honeywell TPE331-10T engines in Twin Commanders, replacing the factory-installed ­5 turboprops. This ups the thermodynamic limit from 800 to 1,000 shp, cutting time-to-height and giving a 300-knots-plus cruise performance. To date, it has been applied to 75 aircraft.

The Grand Renaissance, of which 35 have so far emerged from Twin Commander service centers, is a completely disassembled airframe inspected and rebuilt to factory specifications, with every component overhauled or replaced. Dash 10 engines, custom interior and paint complete the process, presenting an airplane that is claimed to be "better than new."

Other options recently introduced for the wider Commander community include:

* Meggitt 'Magic' electronic flight and engine instrumentation display;
* Meggitt 2100 digital flight control system (both for Grand Renaissance);
* lower spar cap and nosewheel strengthening for Commander 500 pistons and 690 turboprops;
* magnesium fuel sumps for piston versions;
* flexible environmental control unit ducting; and
* new hot-and-high takeoff performance charts.

These, says Twin Commander Aircraft's vp Jeff Cousins, will "not just keep the Twin Commander fleet flying, but will make it possible and desirable for every owner to upgrade the performance, utility and value of their airplane."-Paul Jackson

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Man muß doch den Leuten zeigen, daß es auch noch schöne Flugzeuge gibt!

Tja Simon, das ist ja mal auch wirklich schlimm....... :aetsch:

Gestern wieder einen gesehen. Einfach ein Hammersound. genau wie bei der Mu 2...
Garrett- Triebwerke sind einfach fein!

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Sogar eine 1000er:

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Der Sound....... :love2:

Was die Cheyenne in diesem Marktsegment in puncto Geschwindigkeit ist, ist der Turbo Commander die erste Wahl, wenn es um bequemes, gemütliches Reisen geht, und auch hier wieder die Garrett- Triebwerke....

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Leichtes und bequemes Einsteigen, und gute Aussicht, sowohl hinten in der Kabine, als auch vorne im Cockpit.....

Und da gibt es auch genügend Kandidaten, die für nen Refit in Frage kommen:
Ne schöner 1000er im Originalzustand ( man beachte das Sofa hinten und die niedrige Stundenzahl)

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Flying
On a beautiful summer day in Hillsboro, Oregon, I stepped into N71AA, one of Aero Air’s 690Bs with the Dash 10T conversion. Entering the airplane was easier than getting into my car. The bottom of the fuselage is close to the ground, and Aero Air created an STC that removes the short airstair and allows the door to be opened all the way, flush with the fuselage, which provides significantly more space in the doorway. This is particularly helpful for operators, such as Aero Air, that use the airplane for medical transport.

The flat floor also makes it easy to move around the cabin. But, as often is the case with this class of airplane, climbing into the seats in the cockpit is not the easiest feat, because there is not much space between the seats and the center column.

But once I had strapped myself in I was impressed with the comfort and visibility. The Commander has a large, heated, wrap-around windshield and a skylight above each side window, providing terrific forward and side visibility as well as natural light in the cockpit.

McCullough explained that the direct-drive engines give the Commander 690B a propensity for hot starts, but as long as you watch the EGTs on start-up and shut the engine down at the first sign of a potential hot start, there is nothing to worry about. We got both engines started without a hitch.

Another potential gotcha is steering the Commander. Unlike many nose-wheel-equipped airplanes, there is no mechanical link between the rudder pedals and the nose gear. Instead, the steering is hydraulically actuated through the first part of the toe brakes, which activates a cylinder that turns the nose gear. Press the toe brakes further and the brakes on the main wheels are activated. The system allows the pilot to apply full rudder in one direction while applying steering in the other, which (while there is no good reason to do it) is quite unique. I agree that steering was a little tricky at first, but it didn’t take me long to get the hang of it, and I taxied the airplane smoothly toward Runway 31 at Portland-Hillsboro Airport (KHIO).

With an airplane coming in on final, we made a rolling takeoff, and while I pushed the throttles slowly, the power they responded with was remarkable. We got off the ground in no time and used a fraction of the 6,600-foot runway. McCullough claims he has landed and taken off with 71AA on a 1,900-foot airstrip, though he doesn’t recommend it for inexperienced Commander pilots.

We weren’t anywhere near gross weight with only three people on board, three-quarters worth of fuel in the tanks and no luggage, but the 4,000 fpm climb rate at 130 knots was still impressive. Satisfied with seeing that kind of performance capability, we pushed the nose over, and even at 160 knots we were pushing 3,000 fpm.

In addition to providing great climb performance, the Dash 10T engines reduce the performance issues associated with an engine failure. McCullough said it “climbs 1,000 fpm on one engine at gross weight.” And with the large rudder surface, asymmetrical thrust is easy to control. You can even trim the airplane out and put your feet on the floor. Several people I spoke with about the Twin Commander said an engine failure is a “non-event.” We didn’t kill an engine completely, but pulled the throttle back on the right one, and I felt that it was easy to control the airplane.

We did some stalls, and McCullough explained that the long, thick wing helps make the stall speed and Vmc within two knots of each other.

“If I lose an engine, I can maintain directional control of the airplane right to the stall,” he said.

With a clean configuration, the buffet came at 75 knots and with flaps 72 knots. I felt no tendency for either wing to drop.

I also played around with steep turns and got a good feel for the large control surfaces. I lost some altitude on my first attempt, but the second one was right on the mark. Despite being a heavy airplane, the 690B is fun and easy to hand-fly.
Although my preferred seat in an airplane is always up front, I unbuckled my seatbelt to check out the passenger experience. It was impressive. The interior was equally as nice as any airplane rolling off a factory floor, and there was plenty of legroom. But the most impressive thing was the massive picture windows in the rear, which provide the passengers with a view that nearly equals the pilot’s.
Returning for the landing, we were cleared for the shorter Runway 2. Through clear skies, I was looking right at Mount Rainier on final, approaching at 110 knots. As I got closer, I slowed to 95 knots over the fence and managed to finish the flight with a decent landing.
I have to admit that I always thought the Commanders looked a little strange. But after having a chance to fly a Turbo Commander, I now understand why the passion for these airplanes runs deep with those who fly them.
“It’s one of the cool things about Commanders — they’ve got kind of like a cult following,” said Byerly.

And it’s the same for those who work on these airplanes. Isely said some employees at the 18 Twin Commander service centers have been working on Commanders for more than 50 years, and the total amount of Commander experience for the employees adds up to more than 1,000 years.
Commanders might have been out of production for decades, but with hundreds still flying regularly and with strong support from Twin Commander, these airplanes should continue to fly for decades to come.

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Quelle ist das FlyingMagazine!

Perfekter Kandidat!

Hat alles drin was man braucht.....ist RVSM zugelassen , hat SVS......

Herrliches Flugzeug. Da werden schöne Erinnerungen aus der Kindheit wach, als ich mit meinem Vater damit kreuz und quer durch Europa bin.....