Commander countdown (yawn)

[PoAdeleted5]

AOPA Commander Countdown. I'd be happy to take it, but it just isn't inspiring me. The Twinco, man, I wanted that one. I read every story about the repair and restoration and feature bloatitis being installed on it.

This year's commander ain't doin' it. The plane, while nice, isn't inspiring me. It's being loaded up with stuff that I just don't care about, since it is all stuff I can't have anyway. When they are done with it, it's not a whole lotta airplane either. I'm not dissing the Commanders, they are great planes with a lot of good things going for them.

Also the articles have been really sketchy. Woohoo, new engine from Lycoming. What about a story of how Lycoming builds them or heck, a pic of truck picking it up from the dock or something. Nahh, just a sentence or two, "Ordered an engine from Lycoming. It came." I want to see photos of the video-game electronics going in, the challenges putting it together and maybe what the story is getting it approved. Who did all the work getting it prepped for paint? What did they find after all those years lurking in the sheet metal? Heck, I like reading about the repair process, makes my troubles seem less troubling somehow.

Just not much there anyway I look at it.

 

[poadeleted1]

and just remember that unless you already have a plane or three, have lost your medical or some other reason that would preclude you from enjoying the plane you have about a snowcones chance in hell....

 

[Len Lanetti]

I'm not dissing the Commanders, they are great planes with a lot of good things going for them.

The market has spoken...Commanders are not that desirable.

Len

 

[Anthony]

I feel the same way. A retract that gets 125 KTAS, just doesn't do it for me. A 114 would have been a better choice.

 

[rpadula]

I'll agree with Larry -- the update articles on this project are pretty lame. I'm wondering if this is because the Chelton panel is an easy install: pull old instruments out, cut two big rectangles in the panel, put in displays. IIRC, other AOPA projects had lots of "box A doesn't talk to display B and really takes a dump when the autopilot is on during a full moon" type issues. I guess there's not much to write about when installing a 3-blade prop and painting the plane either....

OTOH, I (slightly) feel the need to defend my 112A. I know you guys don't want to start a flame war, but as they say, there's a butt for every seat. In my case, for what I spent, I could've bought various and sundry Cherokees, Arrows, 172RG's, Tigers, etc. All are faster by 5-10 kts I guess, but on my typical trips (~2.5 hours or less) that's no big deal.

What I got instead was a plane that conveys a certain sense of comfort and style to me, much the way I prefer certain older BMW models to some of the newer ones. And isn't that part of why we fly? To express our individuality?


-Rich
:yinyang: (getting philosophical)

 

[Anthony]

OTOH, I (slightly) feel the need to defend my 112A. I know you guys don't want to start a flame war, but as they say, there's a butt for every seat. In my case, for what I spent, I could've bought various and sundry Cherokees, Arrows, 172RG's, Tigers, etc. All are faster by 5-10 kts I guess, but on my typical trips (~2.5 hours or less) that's no big deal.

What I got instead was a plane that conveys a certain sense of comfort and style to me, much the way I prefer certain older BMW models to some of the newer ones. And isn't that part of why we fly? To express our individuality?

-Rich
:yinyang: (getting philosophical)

Rich. I didn't mean to disrespect the 112. I just think that if AOPA was going to restore a Commander, that the 114 would be the ideal. They are good looking, comfortable, solid aircraft. You can't have it all. Every aircraft is a compromise, except the Tiger.

 

[AdamZ]

I am no one to turn down a free plane! So gimme the keys.

 

[rpadula]

Rich. I didn't mean to disrespect the 112.

Anthony, I know you're a good guy...

Every aircraft is a compromise, except the Tiger.

Just the same, I might have to sic Gary Miesch on ya for that comment!


-Rich


P.S. Oh, I almost forgot: the Commander Owners love 'em so much, they're buying the company.

 

[zephyr]

I've been calling it the "win a pig" contest.

 

[poadeleted4]

OK Rich, "Here I come to save the day!!!!"

Anthony, Anthony, Anthony,

You have overlooked one very important factor. The AOPA 112 is currently in Big Piney, Wyoming receiving the RCM Hot Shot(HS) Turbonormalized Conversion. At 10K' 75% cruise HS will yield 152 KTAS. My 114 has a helluva time keeping up with a HS at altitude. I flew to the Bahamas last year with three other Commanders. The 112 Hot Shot lead the entire trip. Of course, the 114 beats the 112 in takeoff, climb and useful load stats unless it happens to be a high density day, then the advantage goes to the 112HS.

Gary
N116RC

 

[Anthony]

OK Rich, "Here I come to save the day!!!!"

Anthony, Anthony, Anthony,

You have overlooked one very important factor. The AOPA 112 is currently in Big Piney, Wyoming receiving the RCM Hot Shot(HS) Turbonormalized Conversion. At 10K' 75% cruise HS will yield 152 KTAS. My 114 has a helluva time keeping up with a HS at altitude. I flew to the Bahamas last year with three other Commanders. The 112 Hot Shot lead the entire trip. Of course, the 114 beats the 112 in takeoff, climb and useful load stats unless it happens to be a high density day, then the advantage goes to the 112HS.

Gary
N116RC

Hmm.... Gary and Rich. Didn't know they were turbonormalizing it. Since I live in Denver, CO, I guess if I win it, I'll keep it so I can start a "fleet" of planes.

Watch, I actually win the damn thing. Sigh.

 

[poadeleted3]

Rich. I didn't mean to disrespect the 112. I just think that if AOPA was going to restore a Commander, that the 114 would be the ideal. They are good looking, comfortable, solid aircraft. You can't have it all. Every aircraft is a compromise, except the Tiger.

MMMM..... come back for a visit. I know of a couple places we can get your Tiger into that will show you the compromises you make in the Tiger. You'll find out what they are when we go to leave and try to get that runway loving pretty bird off the ground

 

[Anthony]

MMMM..... come back for a visit. I know of a couple places we can get your Tiger into that will show you the compromises you make in the Tiger. You'll find out what they are when we go to leave and try to get that runway loving pretty bird off the ground

HA! Wasn't so runway loving when departing from Leadville at 10K feet.