Buying 112A Commander

M

Michael T

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
1
Display Name
Display name:
Michael T
I am a low time VFR (~300 hrs) looking to purchase first plane for IFR training.
My mission is 200-300 NM trips for me and my wife (in our 50’s). Value comfort over speed.
Have found low time (<3000 hrs TT) 112A Commander. Price is right with great maintenance records. Only downside I can find about Commander is scarcity of parts. Any Commander owner out there that can share their perspective? Thanks in advance.
 
Not a Commander owner myself, but have two close friends that are/were owners. One has owned his 114 for more than 20 years.

The other owned a 112TC for some years before selling it to buy a Mooney (which his wife considers a major downgrade due to the single door and tight confines, and now refuses to go on any long cross country trips in it).

Both say the Commander Owners Group (the type club) is by far the best source for information and parts.
 
I recently sold my 114-B to buy a twin. There is really nothing from a parts perspective that is not obtainable. I would strong suggest joining the Commander Owner’s Group (COG) as you will find there is not a better resource for the Commander owner.

Jim
 
Commander owner and first time plane owner. There is nothing hard to get unless you bend metal.

Maintenance is very straight forward and the Commanders Owners Group has a how to on jus about everything with part numbers and suppliers.

What’s your budget? Details of the plane your looking at? The most important thing when buying a commander is buying from someone who maintained it like a commander.
 
0c70f636f4387bc09d215db03e1caa76.jpg


4253fdcd3edccc637fa18109c45ac324.jpg
 
Wow! Very nice Commander!!
 
Jamie Kirk said:
0c70f636f4387bc09d215db03e1caa76.jpg


4253fdcd3edccc637fa18109c45ac324.jpg
Click to expand...
That panel hurts my head. Let me spend a bazillion dollars on multiple EFIS, an engine monitor and huge GPS, but I'll leave in the 40 year old nav/comm and a portable GPS. There's certainly no lack of redundancy there.
 
Salty said:
That panel hurts my head. Let me spend a bazillion dollars on multiple EFIS, an engine monitor and huge GPS, but I'll leave in the 40 year old nav/comm and a portable GPS. There's certainly no lack of redundancy there.
Click to expand...

The old NAV/COM ties into the GTN750 nicely to monitor ATIS/Emergency. It also came in handy when the GTN had an issue with the coax coming loose and I couldn’t transmit.

Aera 660 is nice because it can be removed and my wife/daughter hold it to checkout flight route, weather, traffic etc.

It all gets used on every flight
 
Jamie Kirk said:
The old NAV/COM ties into the GTN750 nicely to monitor ATIS/Emergency. It also came in handy when the GTN had an issue with the coax coming loose and I couldn’t transmit.

Aera 660 is nice because it can be removed and my wife/daughter hold it to checkout flight route, weather, traffic etc.

It all gets used on every flight
Click to expand...
Wasn't really criticizing, just hurt my head a bit. I think I'd have pulled some of the redundant manual gauges and instruments to simply things, but no criticism for not doing it.
 
Do some density altitude calculations. Our club (based in Phoenix) was looking at a Commander, but running the takeoff distance calculations at the Grand Canyon at typical summer temps sunk the idea.
 
I have 200 hours or so in a 112. Got my commercial in one way back in the day. Nice solid airframe. Great IFR platform. With 4 people anything more than a 2.0 - 2.5 hour flight and you’ll max out the payload (800-ish useful). That’s about 300 NM range. If your 90% mission profile falls within 300 NM and 4 passengers then you are set. If you need to take full advantage of all 68 gallons and all 4 seats then I’d only consider a 114 (1000-ish useful). 114 obviously burns more fuel but it also goes faster (150 KTAS vs. 135 KTAS on the 112) so they essentially offset one another. Only issue I ever had was on a short IFR hop from one airport to the other here in Dallas/Fort Worth while being vectored by TRACON I lost all electrical power. Since it was a short hop I didn’t even bother to look at the wx charts and thus I had not a clue where the closest VFR airport was. Took up an approximate direct heading to the airport on the whiskey compass and was fortunate to get it right and find a hole near the airport and spiraled through. Light gun signals, a manual gear drop (worked as advertised) to a no flap landing. Battery cable lead popped off on the crappy-rough takeoff runway. I learned a lot from that one. Wouldn’t be the last lesson I learned on the fly the hard way. I actually used to even take the Commander into a grass strip without any difficulty. If ramp presence matters, and a big comfortable cabin matters, and performance not so much, then you’ll do well with a Commander. In fact I’m shopping for one myself.
 
Shane Kelley said:
oh, and I’m a new guy here. ATP, 6000 TT, a couple handfuls of type ratings or so.
Click to expand...

Michael T said:
I am a low time VFR (~300 hrs) looking to purchase first plane for IFR training.
My mission is 200-300 NM trips for me and my wife (in our 50’s). Value comfort over speed.
Have found low time (<3000 hrs TT) 112A Commander. Price is right with great maintenance records. Only downside I can find about Commander is scarcity of parts. Any Commander owner out there that can share their perspective? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Welcome. To both of you!
 
GMascelli said:
Recently purchased our Commander 112A with the help of Judi Anderson. As others mentioned the Commanders Owners Group (COG) is an excellent place to start. Judi is the Commander queen, she pretty much has the history on most commanders out there, a great resource.

View attachment 77171
Click to expand...

Listen to Gary. He knows of what he speaks.

I had a 112TC, sold it a couple of years ago. Judy did a great job with the sale - including arranging the local resources for pre buy and training. Mine was one of the few planes she didn't have a lot of info on - she does now.

dans2992 said:
Do some density altitude calculations. Our club (based in Phoenix) was looking at a Commander, but running the takeoff distance calculations at the Grand Canyon at typical summer temps sunk the idea.
Click to expand...

Correct, especially with the normally aspirated 112. The 114s were better, but you still neede to watch loads. The TC versions of either should be at least on par or better than other aircraft. I had my TC out of Vegas, Henderson, Phoenix, and Palm Springs several times (with fuel stops in NM and AZ) without any real problem other than a slow IFR climb out of HND one 115-degree day due to engine temperatures. YMMV.

Shane Kelley said:
I have 200 hours or so in a 112. Got my commercial in one way back in the day. Nice solid airframe. Great IFR platform. With 4 people anything more than a 2.0 - 2.5 hour flight and you’ll max out the payload (800-ish useful). That’s about 300 NM range. If your 90% mission profile falls within 300 NM and 4 passengers then you are set. If you need to take full advantage of all 68 gallons and all 4 seats then I’d only consider a 114 (1000-ish useful). 114 obviously burns more fuel but it also goes faster (150 KTAS vs. 135 KTAS on the 112) so they essentially offset one another. Only issue I ever had was on a short IFR hop from one airport to the other here in Dallas/Fort Worth while being vectored by TRACON I lost all electrical power. Since it was a short hop I didn’t even bother to look at the wx charts and thus I had not a clue where the closest VFR airport was. Took up an approximate direct heading to the airport on the whiskey compass and was fortunate to get it right and find a hole near the airport and spiraled through. Light gun signals, a manual gear drop (worked as advertised) to a no flap landing. Battery cable lead popped off on the crappy-rough takeoff runway. I learned a lot from that one. Wouldn’t be the last lesson I learned on the fly the hard way. I actually used to even take the Commander into a grass strip without any difficulty. If ramp presence matters, and a big comfortable cabin matters, and performance not so much, then you’ll do well with a Commander. In fact I’m shopping for one myself.
Click to expand...

Yep, look at the loading and W&B on any prospective aircraft - varies quite a bit depending on the specific airframe. I do agree about the 114 - my 112TC met my needs (90% ot the time just me, the remainder was one passenger) and did well based in Ohio, South Texas, and Virginia. Never had a bit of electrical issue, but there's a post here somewhere that I mention a crack in the exhaust just before the TC that was hard to find. Otherwise we maintained it well, and stayed ahead of problems. Like any complex plane, you do need to keep ahead of things.


Shane Kelley said:
oh, and I’m a new guy here. ATP, 6000 TT, a couple handfuls of type ratings or so.
Click to expand...

Welcome! I sold my 112TC to an airline pilot...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top