Over 32 years of production, the various companies that produced Aero and Turbo Commanders made an impressive 29 different models. That’s a strong history of improvement and development that’s unheard of in aviation.
Keeping up with 29 different models is difficult enough, but when you consider that some go by multiple names, it can be downright impossible to tell them apart. Here’s a general primer.
The first model was called the 520, and it was built in 1952 with Lycoming geared engines. From there the engines were upgraded, the gross weight increased, and the naming convention followed a predictable 560, 560A, and 560E progression. The Model 360, a lightened 560E with only one produced copy, stopped that.
The late 1950s brought the beginning of the 500 series. And in 1964 Rockwell produced the most famous piston version of all, the Shrike. The 500U was first, with its new nose and tail, followed by the 500S in 1968. The Shrike is the most-produced Commander model, with more than 300 coming off the factory floor.
Turbine engines make the airplane a different bird, and the first one was produced in the later 1960s heyday of aviation. The 680T was first, with TPE-331s, rated at 575 shaft horsepower each.
The modern turbine design began with the 690 in 1971, followed soon after by the 690A and 690B. Together the factory produced more than 500 of these three models.
Gulfstream purchased the company in 1981 and produced most of the Jetprop series. Although the name has roots in marketing, it’s a truism. These are the biggest, fastest, most capable Commanders built. They can fly in RVSM airspace and feature a range that pushes nearly 2,000 miles.
The first two Jetprops are actually 690s, starting with the 690C in 1979 and moving to the 690D in 1981. They are known as the Jetprop 840 and 900, respectively.
The 695 series also began in 1979, and these feature the mighty TPE-331 Dash 10 engines. The “straight” 695 is also known as the Jetprop 980, and the successful 695A with an increased gross weight is known as the Jetprop 1000. Finally, six copies of the 695B were produced, starting in 1984. They are also known as Jetprop 1000s, although you can find references to 1000B as well.
It seems fitting that the airplane that helped launch the general aviation twin-engine aircraft market would feature so many innovations and design improvements over the years. To learn more about the turbine models, visit Twin Commander online.
