Aero Commander (aircraft manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Aero Commander was an aircraft manufacturer formed in 1944. In subsequent years it became a subsidiary
of Rockwell International
and Gulfstream Aerospace
. The company ceased aircraft production in 1986.
in 1944
to design and manufacture a light twin-engined transport aircraft. Ted Smith
, a former project engineer at Douglas Aircraft Company
, assembled a team of 14 engineers to design what would be the Aero Commander. Preliminary design was completed in 1946. The first prototype took flight on April 23, 1948, and was certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) in June, 1950.
In September 1950 it became the "Aero Design and Engineering Company" of Oklahoma
. Its facilities consisted of an aircraft hangar and 26000 sq ft (2,415.5 m²) manufacturing facility located at what is now Wiley Post Airport
near Oklahoma City
. In August 1951, the first production Aero Commander, the piston-powered model 520, rolled off the assembly line. In 1954, the 520 was replaced by the 560 and 560A featuring a larger cabin and more powerful Lycoming
piston engines. In 1955, the U.S. Air Force selected the Aero Commander as the personal transport for President Dwight D. Eisenhower
, ordering 15 aircraft, two of which were used by The White House. In 1958, the Company introduced the first pressurized business aircraft in the form of the model 720 Alti-Cruiser.
The company was acquired by Rockwell-Standard in 1958. The aircraft added fuel injection
engines and other modifications to increase performance, resulting in the 1960 introduction of the Twin Commander. With the advent of the small gas turbine
engine, the 680 T model was released in 1964, followed by the 690 series in 1971, and the JetProp series in 1979.
The company later incorporated other aircraft types developed at smaller companies and marketed them as components of the Aero Commander line. It also developed a two-engined business jet, the 1121 Jet Commander, but sold the manufacturing rights to Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), who produced it as the Westwind
.
In February 1981, Rockwell International sold the Aero Commander division to Gulfstream Aerospace
. The final Twin Commander model 1000, released in the early 1980s, was powered by Dash 10
engines. In December 1985, Gulfstream Aerospace was acquired by Chrysler Corp
. With a new focus on the business jet market, production of the Twin Commander ended in 1986.
In 1989 the Twin Commander Aircraft subsidiary of Gulfstream was acquired by Precision Aerospace Corporation. With this acquisition, the company transformed from an aircraft manufacturer to an OEM parts, service and support provider. In 2003, the company was reincorporated as Twin Commander Aircraft, LLC. In 2005 the company was acquired from Precision in a management buyout
.
Ag Commander was a brand name used by Aero Commander for their line of agricultural aircraft
. Two unrelated aircraft were marketed under this name: the CallAir A-9
, sold as the Ag Commander A-9 and B-9, and the Ayres Thrush
(aka the Snow S-2), sold as the Ag Commander S-2. Both aircraft were originally the products of smaller manufacturers that Aero Commander had purchased. The Ag Commander brand was dropped in 1970 when Rockwell dissolved the Aero Commander division.
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
and Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is a producer of several models of jet aircraft. Gulfstream has been a unit of General Dynamics since 1999.The company has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for corporate, government, private, and military customers around the world...
. The company ceased aircraft production in 1986.
History
Aero was formed in Culver City, CaliforniaCulver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
in 1944
1944 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1944:-January:* United States Coast Guard pilot Lieutenant, junior grade, Stewart Graham makes the first helicopter flight from a merchant ship in convoy in the North Atlantic Ocean...
to design and manufacture a light twin-engined transport aircraft. Ted Smith
Ted R. Smith
Ted R. Smith was an American aircraft designer. He worked for the Douglas Aircraft Company, Aero Design and Engineering Company, and Rockwell Standard Corporation. In 40 years, his designs included the Douglas A-26 Invader , and the first all metal small twin engine business aircraft for Aero...
, a former project engineer at Douglas Aircraft Company
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
, assembled a team of 14 engineers to design what would be the Aero Commander. Preliminary design was completed in 1946. The first prototype took flight on April 23, 1948, and was certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) in June, 1950.
In September 1950 it became the "Aero Design and Engineering Company" of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Its facilities consisted of an aircraft hangar and 26000 sq ft (2,415.5 m²) manufacturing facility located at what is now Wiley Post Airport
Wiley Post Airport
Wiley Post Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Oklahoma City, in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States....
near Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. In August 1951, the first production Aero Commander, the piston-powered model 520, rolled off the assembly line. In 1954, the 520 was replaced by the 560 and 560A featuring a larger cabin and more powerful Lycoming
Lycoming
Lycoming Engines is a U.S. aircraft engine company, known primarily for its general aviation engines. For most of its history Lycoming has been part of the AVCO group as AVCO Lycoming. In 1987 AVCO was purchased by Textron to become Textron Lycoming...
piston engines. In 1955, the U.S. Air Force selected the Aero Commander as the personal transport for President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, ordering 15 aircraft, two of which were used by The White House. In 1958, the Company introduced the first pressurized business aircraft in the form of the model 720 Alti-Cruiser.
The company was acquired by Rockwell-Standard in 1958. The aircraft added fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
engines and other modifications to increase performance, resulting in the 1960 introduction of the Twin Commander. With the advent of the small gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
engine, the 680 T model was released in 1964, followed by the 690 series in 1971, and the JetProp series in 1979.
The company later incorporated other aircraft types developed at smaller companies and marketed them as components of the Aero Commander line. It also developed a two-engined business jet, the 1121 Jet Commander, but sold the manufacturing rights to Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), who produced it as the Westwind
IAI Westwind
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Frawley, Gerald. "IAI Westwind". The International Directory of Civil Aircraft 1997/98. Fyshwick ACT: Aerospace Publications, 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9....
.
In February 1981, Rockwell International sold the Aero Commander division to Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is a producer of several models of jet aircraft. Gulfstream has been a unit of General Dynamics since 1999.The company has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for corporate, government, private, and military customers around the world...
. The final Twin Commander model 1000, released in the early 1980s, was powered by Dash 10
Dash 10
Dash 10 is an electronic countermeasures pod used on aircraft such as the Blackburn Buccaneer at RAF Honington. It was also used in the Falklands War by the Avro Vulcan Bomber.-Functionality:...
engines. In December 1985, Gulfstream Aerospace was acquired by Chrysler Corp
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. With a new focus on the business jet market, production of the Twin Commander ended in 1986.
In 1989 the Twin Commander Aircraft subsidiary of Gulfstream was acquired by Precision Aerospace Corporation. With this acquisition, the company transformed from an aircraft manufacturer to an OEM parts, service and support provider. In 2003, the company was reincorporated as Twin Commander Aircraft, LLC. In 2005 the company was acquired from Precision in a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
.
List of aircraft
- Aero Commander 100Aero Commander 100-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969-70. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1969....
(1960) Single-engine four-seat high-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft. Fixed tricycle undercarriage.
- Aero Commander 200Meyers 200The Meyers 200 was a single-engined light aircraft produced in the US in the 1950s and 1960s.-Design:It was the brainchild of Al Meyers and was a development of his Meyers 145 design. The holder of a number of speed records in its class, the Meyers 200 is widely admired for its clean lines, and is...
(1950s) Single-engine four-seat low-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft; Design rights purchased in 1966 from Meyers Aircraft CompanyMeyers Aircraft CompanyThe Meyers Aircraft Company was a US aircraft manufacturer established by Al Meyers in Tecumseh, Michigan in 1936. Originally, the company produced a biplane trainer, the Meyers OTW, but after World War II developed a range of light utility aircraft, culminating in the Meyers 200...
. Retractable tricycle undercarriage.
- Ag Commander A-9CallAir A-9|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966-67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966....
(1950s) Single-engine one-seat low-wing aerial application aircraft. Horizontally opposed piston engine. Fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
- Ag Commander S-2 ThrushAyres Thrush-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. Aircraft Handbook. London. Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1964.* Simpson, Rod. The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. 2005. ISBN 1-85780-222-5....
(1956) Single-engine one-seat low-wing aerial application aircraft. Radial piston engine. Fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
- Aero Commander 500 (1948) Two-engine high-wing piston-engine civil utility aircraft. Retractable tricycle undercarriage.
- Aero Commander 1121 Jet CommanderIAI Westwind|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Frawley, Gerald. "IAI Westwind". The International Directory of Civil Aircraft 1997/98. Fyshwick ACT: Aerospace Publications, 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9....
(1963) Twin jet engine midwing civil utility aircraft. Later produced by IAI as the Westwind.
Ag Commander was a brand name used by Aero Commander for their line of agricultural aircraft
Agricultural aircraft
An agricultural aircraft is an aircraft that has been built or converted for agricultural use - usually aerial application of pesticides or fertilizer ; in these roles they are referred to as "crop dusters" or "top dressers"...
. Two unrelated aircraft were marketed under this name: the CallAir A-9
CallAir A-9
|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966-67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966....
, sold as the Ag Commander A-9 and B-9, and the Ayres Thrush
Ayres Thrush
-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. Aircraft Handbook. London. Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1964.* Simpson, Rod. The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. 2005. ISBN 1-85780-222-5....
(aka the Snow S-2), sold as the Ag Commander S-2. Both aircraft were originally the products of smaller manufacturers that Aero Commander had purchased. The Ag Commander brand was dropped in 1970 when Rockwell dissolved the Aero Commander division.
External links
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Aero Commander
- The Aero Commander Line – a short history