The Aero Commander 500A is a 6-passenger executive transport aircraft, ideal for scenes involving high-class personal transportation

Originally built in 1962, our aircraft has been modified with the Colemill 300 HP conversion, giving it plenty of power for any situation. The conversion gives the 500A a very similar appearance to the Aero Commander Shrike, should your production require that type of aircraft. The aircraft cruises as a very comfortable 160 mph.

The line of Aero Commander aircraft was designed by Ted Smith, who also designed the famous WWII A-26 bomber, and later the Piper Aerostar. The Aero Commander was the first business-class aircraft to be certified as safe to carry a U.S. President, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The safety of the Aero Commander was dramatically demonstrated in 1951, as this quote from the company's official history records:

"As a matter of fact, the margin of safety inherent in the short field and single engine performance was so startling that early in May, 1951, the company determined to accomplish a daring feat that had never been successfully attempted by a twin engine aircraft. The inherent stability of the plane, in addition to its great ease of control under single engine operation, encouraged an attempt to take off, fly to a distant destination and land, all with one engine inoperative.

Single engine operation for twin engine aircraft during cruise flight was not a noteworthy item but to start a takeoff from scratch and at full gross weight, complete the takeoff and fly to a distant point with only one engine, was something else again. On May 8th the prototype, fully loaded to gross weight and with the left propeller removed and stowed in the cabin, took off from Oklahoma City using the right engine and flew non-stop to Washington, DC to the accolade of the aviation world and with tremendous recognition of the feat by the general and aviation press. The faith of the design had been vindicated by this spectacular achievement which was recognized, not as a stunt, but as a vivid demonstration of asymmetric control and responsiveness that was hitherto unmatched in aviation history."

Want to read more about the Aero Commander's history? Check out the history outline at Twin Commander's website. Bob Hoover made the Shrike Commander famous with his amazing aerobatics routines performed around the world...click here to read more about his aircraft.