Super Commander owners

[vrchandran]

I would like to know the experience of commander owners who have installed the new Lycoming 580 engine.

 

[janderson]

Re: Super Commander owners

Hi Ravi; not sure too many active COG members own one to comment. saw you enroute to BVT in Nov.
/should be exciting seeing your '95 114TC going thru the change now. Do you hv work-in-progress pics?

Judi

 

[rrolland]

Re: Super Commander owners

Ravi:

There is plenty of information on the Super Commander if you do a search. Echoing Todd:

I would be happy to answer any specific question that you have.

Richard

 

[vrchandran]

Re: Super Commander owners

My old engine is with aerodyme, and it has about 1865 hrs. I am a maintenance freak, and the old engine is well maintained. It has new magnetos (less than 50 hrs), new harness and spark plugs. Anybody interested, I can furnish logbook entries and photos.
I am interested in the following about the new super commander with IO 580:
1. Average cruise speed at Rop and lop.
2. Rate of climb observed at SL versus posted specifications.
3. Climb performance to 14,000 ft.
4. Does it really climb all the way to 25000 ft?
5. Fuel burn at 10,000 ft, lop and rop.
6. Never exceed speed
Any other interesting observations.
Thanks.

 

[todd92]

Re: Super Commander owners

My old engine is with aerodyme, and it has about 1865 hrs. I am a maintenance freak, and the old engine is well maintained. It has new magnetos (less than 50 hrs), new harness and spark plugs. Anybody interested, I can furnish logbook entries and photos.
I am interested in the following about the new super commander with IO 580:
1. Average cruise speed at Rop and lop.
2. Rate of climb observed at SL versus posted specifications.
3. Climb performance to 14,000 ft.
4. Does it really climb all the way to 25000 ft?
5. Fuel burn at 10,000 ft, lop and rop.
6. Never exceed speed
Any other interesting observations.
Thanks.

1. Depends on altitude and OAT, but typical in the 'happy' cruise altitudes of 8-12K is 157 KTS LOP, sorry I never operate ROP but I guess it would be 4 KTS faster.
2. Again, depends very much on OAT, but standard day 2000 ft/min initial if you want to raise the nose that high, but 1500 seems to be the number I aim for until 3000 AGL.
3. Again, OAT dependent, but standard day 14K doable in 20 minutes.
4. I have no idea, the highest I have been is 15K and I typically don't cruise above 12K.
5. 157 TAS 10K 14.5 GPH LOP
6. Don't have the POH handy, but the 580 doesn't change VNE, or any other V speeds for that matter. Never have VNE come into play anyway?

 

[JimParker256]

Re: Super Commander owners

Ravi,

I'm a new Commander owner (pick her up in 6 days!) and am also based at KTKI. And I used to live in Lucas - just moved to Farmersville about 5 years ago when they build the new high school practically in my back yard, and the baseball fields on the other side of our house. Could no longer see stars at night, due to all the lights, so it was time to move.

Anyway, glad to learn of another Commander based at KTKI.

 

[carllee]

Re: Super Commander owners

My old engine is with aerodyme, and it has about 1865 hrs. I am a maintenance freak, and the old engine is well maintained. It has new magnetos (less than 50 hrs), new harness and spark plugs. Anybody interested, I can furnish logbook entries and photos.
I am interested in the following about the new super commander with IO 580:
1. Average cruise speed at Rop and lop.
2. Rate of climb observed at SL versus posted specifications.
3. Climb performance to 14,000 ft.
4. Does it really climb all the way to 25000 ft?
5. Fuel burn at 10,000 ft, lop and rop.
6. Never exceed speed
Any other interesting observations.
Thanks.

7. Useful load?

 

[pjdavis67]

Re: Super Commander owners

3. Again, OAT dependent, but standard day 14K doable in 20 minutes.

14k in 20 min, 700fpm?
I really thought rate of climb of the Super Commander was the big selling point.

I wonder if our 112 hotshots can get up to 16K faster than a Super Commander ... Carl, can they?

 

[todd92]

Re: Super Commander owners

While maintaining some semblance of forward speed. I don't climb to cruise altitude at Vy, do you? With a NA engine, there is no hurry to get 'up', like with a turbo or turbine.

 

[pjdavis67]

Re: Super Commander owners

The 112 hotshot's climb at 90 KIAS is roughly 600fpm from SL to 16K, so, the climb to 16K is roughly 26 minutes.

I know the Super is normally aspirated, so, that's why I asked if it would beat a 112 hotshot to 16k.

 

[jrichards]

Re: Super Commander owners

Hi All,

Here's some 580 Super Commander actual flight data:

Note the weight, OAT, and tailwind conditions for Jeff's 10K cruise climb over the Sierra Nevada's in 25 nm.

The climb to 22K was my Vy climb test flight in Vermont to determine service ceiling, tagging 14K DA at 12 minutes elapsed on the way up, and arriving overhead Plattsburgh at 22K in 17 nm.

Jim

 

[rrolland]

Re: Super Commander owners

1. Depends on altitude and OAT, but typical in the 'happy' cruise altitudes of 8-12K is 157 KTS LOP, sorry I never operate ROP but I guess it would be 4 KTS faster.
2. Again, depends very much on OAT, but standard day 2000 ft/min initial if you want to raise the nose that high, but 1500 seems to be the number I aim for until 3000 AGL.
3. Again, OAT dependent, but standard day 14K doable in 20 minutes.
4. I have no idea, the highest I have been is 15K and I typically don't cruise above 12K.
5. 157 TAS 10K 14.5 GPH LOP
6. Don't have the POH handy, but the 580 doesn't change VNE, or any other V speeds for that matter. Never have VNE come into play anyway?

I normally get 161 to 162 knots TAS between 9K and 11K if running ROP. I run WOT with RPM at around 2350 which is a smooth setting for my combination airframe/engine/prop. Fuel burn is around 16 to 16.5 USG. Note that this is in southern FL where we are usually ISA + 10 and above.

My aircraft is equipped with the tail mod (Superstream).

 

[Lonnie Steverson]

Re: Super Commander owners

my speed and fuel burn resemble Richards also I see about 165-168 true at same altitudes. I normally climb at more than 1500 feet all way up but all said and done with the altitude when I level off at 9 or 10 it comes out about 1300 feet per minute on a normal climb. I can pull it back and really climb hard but seldom do unless making smoke run on deck and aiming for the moon at end of the runway!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

 

[rrolland]

Re: Super Commander owners

For the fun of it, I timed my climb to 9K yesterday on my way back to Miami.

Conditions:

50 USG in the tank at startup. Alone on board. Light Luggage in the back (around 40 Lbs).

QNH 3009

ISA + 5 on the gound (20 C)

ISA + 20 at 8K (strong inversion)

Departure elevation 100'.

Timer ran from brake release.

Airspeed by 90 IAS for most of the limb. I lowered the nose a couple of times to acquire traffic visually which reduced the rate for a few seconds.

Time to level at 9K: 7 minutes and 14 seconds.

Rate of climb was still 1000 FPM just below 9, even with the high ISA.

Pretty good....

 

[atjudge]

Re: Super Commander owners

"There are no problems that more horsepower can't fix" Tim "the tool man" Taylor