Commander 114B

The 114 begins to live up to its potential

Check the photos, and you'll see the word "Experimental" above each of the Commander 114B's two wide doors. Now forget it; the limitation no longer applies. The Federal Aviation Administration's new-airplane seal of approval, the type certificate, has been signed for the 114B — some time after this photo shoot, obviously. Commander Aircraft Company is cranking up assembly at its facility in Bethany, Oklahoma, and is beginning to deliver new airplanes to dealers.

The 114B thus joins the most highly competitive class of airplanes in general aviation outside of corporate jets: four-place, normally aspirated single-engine retractables. The group also includes the Aerospatiale TB-20 Trinidad, Mooney MSE, Beech F33A Bonanza, and even the limited-production Bellanca Super Viking.

The 114's base price of $169,500 is second highest among the clan, but King IFR avionics and dual brakes are included. A 114B equipped with flight control system, DME, ADF, strobes, and an area nav system would retail for about $200,000.

The "B" suffix suggests — correctly — that this Commander was preceded by a model "A" and an original, un-alphabetized version.

The Rockwell International Commander 114 was introduced in 1976 as the logical follow-on to the Commander 112, the first single to be certified under Federal Aviation Regulations Part 23. The basic difference between the two models was the engine: a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360 in the 112, a 260-hp IO-540 in the 114. The 114A Gran Turismo, which featured a higher gross weight, replaced the 114 in 1979. That was the end of the line for the Rockwell singles. Production ceased in 1979 after about 1,135 had been built, of which some 485 were 114s and 114As.

The type certificate and assets to the design were bought by Gulfstream American (now Gulfstream Aerospace) as part of a larger deal to acquire the rights to the Rockwell Commander twin turboprops. Except for parts and technical support, the Commander singles lay dormant in the hands of Gulfstream. Then Commander Aircraft, founded specifically to bring back the handsome singles, acquired the type certificate, tooling, and the remaining stock of parts. Commander has been four years developing a new airplane that blends the best features of the original with changes that address some of its shortcomings.

The basic Rockwell single design is more than two decades old, but it still looks fresh and appealing today. The performance potential of the original 114 was unrealized, however. It looked like it would be swift but managed to deliver only about 150 knots, maybe a little less. And like wide ties and platform shoes, the 114 cabin — one of the widest and tallest among piston singles — bore a peculiarly late 1960s-early 1970s look: lots of molded plastic and glossy vinyl. Thus, when Commander Aircraft set about to improve on the 114, the immediate objectives were to bring the cabin up to the standards of today's luxury cars and to make the airplane go faster.

First, the cabin. Plastic and vinyl have been replaced by leather and fabric. Each of the four seats is upholstered in expensive-smelling leather with the gathers and tucks that befit finely crafted chairware. Sidewalls are a combination of color-coordinated carpet, leather, and fabric (English woolens, for those who track such things), and the headliner is nicely padded. The little extras that make a difference include conveniently placed cup holders in the front, external step lights, and a fully carpeted and lighted baggage hold.

The original 114's plastic instrument panel fascia has been rejected in favor of a professional-looking black metal panel. Mechanical engine instruments have been replaced with smaller electronic instruments, and all instruments are internally lighted. The panel reflects some carefully considered rearrangement of instruments, gauges, and switches. Power controls, cowl flap lever, pitch trim and indicator, and fuel selector are conveniently arranged on a center pedestal, as they are on the original 114.

With headset on, headroom in the 114B is about on par with an F33A, which is noted for its generous cabin height. Commander claims the 114B cabin is just an inch shorter than the F33A (2 and 7 inches taller than the MSE and TB-20, respectively) and 4 inches narrower than the TB-20 (the MSE and F33A each are 5 inches narrower than the 114B). The F33A is the longest, followed by the 114B and MSE, which are the same length. Raw measurements don't tell the full story, however; the shape of the fuselage cross section, fuselage taper, seat shape and position, and legroom all affect comfort, which is a subjective value in any event.

No question, Commander has done a very nice job improving the insides. Would the pampered driver or passenger of one of today's superb new sport-luxury cars be satisfied sitting in the 114B? I think yes. When you climb inside the cabin and pull the doors shut, you feel a muffled, big-car- like "whump" rather than the sharp, metallic slam typical of light airplanes.

That's not to say the 114B is as quiet as a luxury car. It's simply not possible to achieve that kind of parity in a piston-powered single-engine airplane. But the 114B's soundproofing — four layers thick in some spots — and the extensive leather, fabric, and foam do a good job of soaking up noise and vibration. Even those passengers who choose not to wear headsets should find the cabin a comfortable place from which to enjoy the view out the large side windows.

Entering and exiting the cabin is made easier by having two wide doors, each of which opens about 90 degrees. The drawback to double doors is twice the potential for gapping in flight, which is a significant noise generator. Commander is changing the way it fits the doors to the fuselage to reduce the gapping, a problem noticed on the first production airplane.

Almost all of the remainder of the changes to the 114 to make it a 114B have taken place ahead of the windshield. Most noticeable is the new fiberglass cowl. The cowl on Rockwell-built Commanders is replete with drag- producing accoutrements: heavy metal latches on each side, separate oil cooler and induction air scoops, a deeply recessed landing light in the nose, a bump below the spinner for the starter, and two long, straight exhaust stacks protruding from the bottom. The new two-piece cowl is smooth and curvaceous and is interrupted only by two amazingly small nosebowl inlets that collect all of the air needed for engine and oil cooling and the induction system. Better baffling around the cylinder heads makes more efficient use of cooling air.

Beneath the cowling are more extensive changes. The exhaust system has been rerouted into a single exhaust stack. The oil cooler has been repositioned to take advantage of the new baffling and a smaller, lighter weight starter is used.

The electrical system has been upgraded to 24 volts, with a 70-amp alternator. Dual vacuum pumps are standard equipment, and each magneto now has its own drive.

The engine turns a new McCauley Black Mac 77-inch-diameter three-blade propeller and a slightly shorter spinner.

An area that received a lot of attention was the engine induction system. According to Commander, the IO-540-T4B5 engine in the 114/114A makes 75-percent power up to about 5,000 feet. Careful tuning of the induction system enables the 114B, which uses the same engine, to hold 75 percent up to 8,000 feet in standard conditions, the company claims.

More efficient induction and exhaust systems and propeller, reduced cooling drag, and better cowling aerodynamics — these were the ingredients in Commander's recipe for boosting performance. How much of a boost? About 10 knots in cruise, according to Commander. The company claims a 75-percent-power cruise speed of 160 knots. Maximum cruise is advertised as 164 knots.

I had two flights in N114BW — three including a short, back-seat hop, which gave me an appreciation of the visibility and the comfort back there. A folding armrest separates the rear seats, which recline independently about 35 degrees. The flights confirmed that the 114B handles much the same as earlier versions, which is no surprise because the airframes are virtually identical.

The 114B sits pretty high off the ground in a slightly nose-down attitude, thanks to the struts in the trailing-link main landing gear. You step down into the cockpit (back-seaters have to wend their way under the front-seat shoulder harnesses). The upgraded electrical system and new starter spin the prop vigorously, and the Lycoming fires up with little hesitation. Experienced Commander pilots and passengers will immediately notice a pleasing difference in the exhaust sound of the 114B.

The wide-stance gear makes for straight tracking while taxiing and helps convey a stable, heavy-airplane feel to the 114B. Ten degrees of flaps are recommended for takeoff; without them, the airplane is much more sluggish.

The cruciform tail is out of the main flow of the propeller wash, so the elevator isn't effective on the takeoff roll until the airplane gathers up a pretty good head of steam. It's typical to overrotate in an airplane with a high-mounted stabilizer, so what seems to work best in the 114B is to apply a slight amount of back pressure at 70 KIAS and just wait for the airplane to launch.

The limitations of the design's smallish rudder first become evident at rotation. The nose will inexorably swing left unless a generous dose of right rudder is applied. Rudder trim is standard, but it's not completely effective; some footwork still is required during the transition from takeoff to climb.

Visibility over the nose during the climb is good, and the pilot also has a good view forward of the wing. At 100 KIAS, best rate, we ascended at about 900 feet per minute on a warm spring day. Cylinder head and oil temperatures remained comfortably in the green during the climb.

The airplane was in the final stages of development and certification when I first flew it, and the instrumentation was temperamental, so it was difficult to check the numbers. On the second flight, we had to climb to 8,500 feet to top the thermal turbulence. The airplane wallows somewhat in turbulence, a characteristic that has made a yaw damper a popular option on the Rockwells. Commander's 114B demonstrator is equipped with a full S-Tec System 65 two-axis autopilot/flight director system plus yaw damper.

Once at altitude, the power was set at full throttle (21 inches) and 2,400 rpm at 12 gallons per hour. The airspeed settled on 130 indicated, or 151 KTAS. That's just about what the performance tables promise.

With 68 gallons usable fuel, the 114B should have about 4.5 hours endurance, plus an hour's reserve, at 75-percent power.

Gross weight of the 114B is 3,250 pounds, same as the 114A. Empty weight is 2,080 pounds. With the tanks full, 762 pounds of people and bags could be loaded aboard.

The 114B shares the same flying qualities as the earlier Rockwell- built versions. The hinged ailerons become quite heavy as speed increases but retain some effectiveness even after the wing has stalled. The 151-KIAS limitation for deploying the first notch of flaps allows for quick slowdowns and precipitous descents from cruise. The gear can be extended at 130 KIAS, and it goes down — or up — fast, thanks to the new electrical system. Gear and flap extension and power changes have little effect on attitude because of the high stabilizer.

The drag increase with full flaps is noticeable, however, and the airplane descends rapidly if the power is retarded to idle. Carry a bit of power all the way to touchdown and hold what seems like a slightly nose-down attitude, and the 114B rolls onto the runway. That trailing link gear helps soak up minor imperfections in pilot technique. Crosswind landings are not quite so easy given the lack of rudder area.

Commander Aircraft was formed in June 1988 by Randall Greene. Greene set up shop in a 105,000-square-foot complex of three hangars — a former fixed- base operation — on the north side of Wiley Post Airport near Oklahoma City. The plant where Rockwell built 112s and 114s after moving production from Albany, Georgia, is on the southeast corner of the field. It now belongs to Gulfstream.

Greene called in Dave Ellis, former chief of preliminary design at Cessna Aircraft Company and now a professor at Wichita State University, to direct improvements in the 114 design to make it a 114B. A prototype, a modified 114, was developed to test the changes.

Meanwhile, the company worked at revising or creating 1,200 engineering drawings, refurbishing or building 2,000 production tools, and surveying and signing up some 200 vendors.

In 1991, Greene was forced to sell majority interest in the company in order to attract major new investment. Controlling interest in Commander Aircraft now is in the hands of Special Situations Investment Holdings Ltd. (SSIH), a Washington, D.C.-based limited partnership investment firm. SSIH acquires financially ailing or bankrupt companies with the intention of making them profitable for eventual resale. KuwAm (a contraction of Kuwaiti American) Corporation is the general partner of SSIH. Greene still sits on the Commander board as vice chairman. Wirt Walker, who is chairman of the board of KuwAm and serves in that same capacity at Commander Aircraft, said about $8 million will have been invested in the company before cash begins to flow to the positive side of the ledger.

William Boettger was hired as president and CEO of Commander Aircraft in August 1991. He brought years of general aviation manufacturing experience, most recently as president of Teledyne Continental Motors. Before that, he was manager of Cessna Aircraft's Pawnee Division, where he oversaw some 5,000 employees who sent up to 30 new Cessna singles out the door each day. That was about 15 years ago, during general aviation's salad days. Boettger's appetite is much more modest today. He hopes to deliver 188 new 114Bs in 1992 and 200 in 1993.

The 114B will be sold through retail dealers. Commander has been on a hectic schedule demonstrating N114BW to prospective dealers and hopes to sign up 15 to 20 in the United States with an almost equal number abroad. Some of the first 114Bs are going to dealers in Germany, England, and South America.

Commander Aircraft has made the transition from a single-minded focus on development to one of producing and delivering airplanes. But the tinkering with the design is not over. Boettger predicts another 10 knots can be extracted by fixing more of the 114's draggy characteristics — better wing-to- fuselage and fin-to-stabilizer junctures, retractable steps, smoother wing skins, faired flap hinges, brush seals between prop spinner and cowl, and other detail refinements. The company also plans to certify a turbocharged Lycoming 540 in the airframe.

But these are future endeavors. The first cut at a much-improved airplane has been made. The 114B no longer has "Experimental" painted on the fuselage. Commander Aircraft is on its way.