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Hello!

T

Tanker_Pilot

New member
Hi! I just wanted to introduce myself. I've been looking for a 4-place single for a couple of years now, and have seriously been looking at Commanders hard for the past year or so (I should have joined this forum sooner) I've actually narrowed down my search to a 114 or Socata TB20 or 21 since these aircraft seem to be the best blend of performance, style, reliability, comfort and price. I'm not sure if anyone has any experience with the Socata's. This would be my first airplane ownership experience. I am a CFII/MEI and have roughly about 2000 flying hours (most of which is jet multi-engine time). I'm currently stationed in Wichita, KS and would be looking for something to take out on $100 BBQ trips to KC, weekend trips to Dallas or 600 mile legs to west TX to visit my family a couple of times a year.

If anyone has any advice on what to ask for when purchasing an aircraft I'd very much appreciate it. Other than engine time, compressions, prop time, damage history, annual due, IFR due, AD's complied with, and a pre-purchase inspection I'm not sure what other details to inquire about. I would prefer to find a 76-79 114 with low entry cost that may need a little work in terms of avionics, paint, and interior and would prefer to take care of those things myself over time.

Currently N4742W is on trade-a-plane, does anyone know that aircraft? Finally, are there any owners in the Wichita area? I very much appreciate any advice and look forward to soon becoming a member of the Commander family. Thanks!
 
Re: Hello!

Hi Leo,

Reach out to Judi Anderson on the board here as she is a Commander broker and knows every Commander on the planet pretty much.

I have been a Commander owner in my third year now ( first aircraft purchase ) and have looked at the Socata's but cannot offer any comparative. From what I know, I believe the TB20 is the par to the 112 and the TB21 is to the 114 ( IO360 vs IO540 ). I think they are extremely close in how they are configured ( two doors, low wing etc ).

I think the TB looks like it is dragging its arse compared to the high stance of the Commander and I am not a big fan of the panel configuration. Looks chock o block put together but it is probably way easier to access due to the sectioned nature of it to get behind it.

I don't know if the TB has a web board following like the Commander does and that alone is a great reason to consider a Commander. The experience and assistance you will get here is tremendous and a huge community for sourcing those rare tidbits that pop up due to the orphaned nature of the aircraft. It seems to me from slumming through TB ad's on Controller that they are generally more expensive than the Commander and I think the cabins are slightly smaller.

Sooo... no real value aside from my opinion here but I did want to welcome you to the board.

There are definitely some low entry priced Commanders available for sale and you will want to determine how much useful load you are going to want to haul to decide on whether a 112 ( about 860# ) or a 114 ( about 1100# ) is what you need and then you will want to look at normally aspirated, turbocharged or turbo normalized (lots of discussions right now about the differences). There is a nice 114 (normally aspirated) and 112TC turbocharged commander on Controller in the 75-80 range. Tyler Britten on the board has his 114 for sale on Controller for just under $ 100 that has fresh paint and an Aspen PRO / new Garmin touch screen gps/radio that would be all the airplane one could want !

Lots of choices.

Welcome to Commander.org and ask away.

Regards, Tony
 
Re: Hello!

Leo,

I'll second Tony's comments about Judi Anderson. She has book on just about every Commander in the fleet, and will save you a ton of time and potentially a lot of grief in helping you select the appropriate Commander for your needs and $$$.

Best of luck in your search and welcome to the COG.
 
Re: Hello!

I sure wish I had known her when I was searching, but that was a long time ago!. Judi is the best.
 
Re: Hello!

wow.. thank you guys! I hv 22 yrs. with Commanders. there are approx. 800 on US Registry and I hv info. on about half the fleet. :)

Judi
 
Re: Hello!

Leo welcome. I purchased my 114B last year (first aircraft) and I cannot say in words how much I love it. I too was looking at various models and decided on Commander 114B because of spacious cabin, comfort, looks, durability, etc. you want to consider hangared v. not, time left until engine overhaul, inspect logs carefully. Look to see if plane was flown or sitting. Call Judi for a history report. Be sure to do a title search to sniff out any lingering or non-closed liens. Do not be afraid to walk away after a pre-buy if seller won't repair what is needed, or the deal doesn't seem right for you. Consider the costs of ferrying plane to your home field. Have any necessary financing in order first and look into insurance before making a final commitment, as the requirement vary per carrier, plane and pilot. Most require 10-20 hours instruction. Your experience though may count. AOPAs a great place for both. If you decide on a Commander, parts are readily available through various sources and the members of this group are very wiling to help you out. Good luck and happy hunting....
 
Re: Hello!

I owned a TB-20 as well as the Commander 112 I now own. $ for $, go with the Commander. PM me with your contact info and I will happy to discuss.
 
Re: Hello!

I don't own any aircraft but, like you I've been looking... more like browsing. As far as the Socatas, I think the major factor is your height. I'm 6'5" and when sitting in a Gen One TB-21, my head hit the top of the cabin without any headset on. Not only touched it, but I couldn't straighten my neck. Probably at least 2" too short for me, even without headset.

The Gen Two was slightly better. I could sit straight without bending the neck, but my head still brushed the top of the cabin. And the GT's were much more expensive.

No such issues in the Commander I sat in. Plenty of head room. (Well, plenty when compared to almost anything else.)

If you're tall, make sure you sit in a Socata. You might be able to eliminate it from consideration just based on that alone.
 
Re: Hello!

when doing your homework on history, keep in mind any accident or incident doesn't necessarily make it to an 'official 337'. so when you do your NTSB/FAA-accident/incident
checking you'll need to know any/all prev. N#s. all reports are filed by Reg. #, so if it has been changing over the course of time, it won't show up. also, a thorough review of
the airframe logs for repairs that may hv been done w/o a 337 or an official report.

Judi
 
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