The Rockwell Commander 112 is a four-seat, single piston-engine monoplane designed and built by North American Rockwell in the 1970s. A further developed version was also built by Commander Aircraft as the Commander 114 series in the 1990s and early 2000s, and as of late 2008 the type was due to go into production again in the near future as a Commander 115 series. However, as of 2012, financial issues had delayed production indefinitely.
Born at a time when the aviation industry was already well served by four-seat lightplanes, several of equal or even better performance, the Commander 112, 114 and later 115 were never really competitive on price, even though they were very well made and finished. Their handling qualities also were very good and the trailing link undercarriage soaked up the bumps of rough airstrips and not so good landings. However, what eventually sealed the fate for this fine aeroplane was the fact that it was expensive to build and maintain, and just couldn’t compete against the Mooneys, Comanches, Arrows and Cessna 182RGs, all of which provided similar performance and load carrying capability for less cost. Also, the 112 was quite underpowered and the 114 was introduced as a result.
Even now, it cannot compete against the fixed gear Cirrus, Lancair and Cessna Corvalis, other than when purchased used and refurbished, where older Commanders can be found for relatively low cost. However, comparing used to new is not a fair comparison, and ultimately, the market talks!
Cruise speed: 262 km/h
Top speed: 278 km/h
Length: 7.63 m
Weight: 804 kg
Wingspan: 11 m
Having said all that, the Commander is still an attractive aircraft, and one that builds into a fine model with great manners. Our plan is still a little way off, but as you can see from the colour view, it will look great when ready. Keep checking in for progress reports, or email with any questions.