Had no idea what this plane was.

[Mcstealth]

On 11/30/2021 at 12:57 PM, neilpilot said:

It also says it's a Lyc O-320.  I've never heard of a 180 HP O-320.

It's 150hp, and let me tell you, it climbs like it is 100.

[Mcstealth]

On 12/2/2021 at 10:56 AM, GeeBee said:

Shoot us a PIREP!

 

Okay. Got an hour of pattern work in this Areo Commander Darter. 

My very first impression was  how foreign the lack of toe brakes was to me. Actually suprised me somewhat. You have to really reach for the hand brake because it is basically under the throttle and low.  Second surprise was how responsive at lift off the tail was to rudder inputs. Treating it like a 172, at take off with left rudder produced a pronounced tail swing. Happened three times in a row for me doing T&G's. Curiously, the rudder seemed normal when up to speed. Third item of note was how low on the floor the manual flap handle actually is. Low enough to where a person with average arm reach like myself had to fully bend at the waist to reach the otherwise easy to use handle. 

Climb out is what you would expect with two 200lb guys and 150hp. Nothing to write home about obviously. Handling I would characterize as nicely neutral. Controls were not mushy. Nice and even roll and pitch. Trim to me seemed fine. 

One thing I need to work on is that the plane does sink more than a 172. On final approach, at 70mph, if I didn't maintain the correct angle, I would start dragging tail and start sinking quickly. It likes a power on approach where on the 172's I have been in, my butt doesn't drop as quickly or start to sink as soon as this Dart. It's probably just me not keeping my approach stabilized? Maybe started my flare early? Definitely different. I didn't bend anything so that was good. 

The seats felt better ergonomicly than Cessnas. The seat adjustment was easier to use also. The door handle is actually further back and I had a hard time opening the door after we were finished. 

The Viking is up next week. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by Mcstealth

[N201MKTurbo]

The only time I flew one was after I moved to Albuquerque. A Bonanza clipped my wing tip while the plane was parked on the ramp. I took the plane to Begels in Greeley Co for repairs. When it was time to pick it up I called one of the airport rats that always hung out in my old airport in Aurora Co and asked him if he would give me a ride from Albuquerque to Greeley. He said “sure” when he showed up, he confessed that he never got a pilots license and said it would be better if I flew the plane. So I did. I don’t remember that much about it, but I do remember with three people in the plane we were climbing all the way to  Ratone Pass To make it over the pass. I remember it was easy to fly.

[201er]

Saw one parked at my airport today. Now I know what it is! 
 

[carusoam]

The aero commander 100 Darter….

Shows up around here every now and then…

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Darter&quick=1

Earlier this year… Jim posted this one…

It seems like a typical knock off… it looks like a Mooney tail… but missed the important hinged detail…   

Best regards,

-a-

[EricJ]

We have one, well, part of one, at Deer Valley as well.    Looks like it might be picked up cheap. 

[A64Pilot]

The Lark, Darter and Quail as well as the Meyers 200D (Commander 200) were built in the Albany Ga plant by Aero Commander, they were all purchased to be manufactured and for whatever reason none were successful. The 114 Commander was also built and Certified there, maybe the 112 also?

Only aircraft that ever was successful from that plant was the Thrush Crop Duster. The yellow Ag plane in this picture is not a Thrush, I don't know what it is, if anyone does I’d like to hear what it is.

I believe they all have at least some steel tubing and all have a reputation of being overbuilt if somewhat heavy.

Edited December 26, 2021 by A64Pilot

[A64Pilot]

4 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Radial powered Pawnee?   Beats me.  I’ve never seen anything like that before.  

I figure some kind of Snow, but as far as I know, none ever had external struts? Being in this picture makes me think Commander at least considered production?

Edited December 26, 2021 by A64Pilot

[Igor_U]

On 12/26/2021 at 12:41 PM, A64Pilot said:

. The yellow Ag plane in this picture is not a Thrush, I don't know what it is, if anyone does I’d like to hear what it is.

 

It looks like it's CallAir B-1. See:

 

http://www.callairmuseum.org/B-1.html

 

[A64Pilot]

15 minutes ago, Igor_U said:

It looks like it's CallAir B-1. See:

 

http://www.callairmuseum.org/B-1.html

 

Your right, it is a Callair. I knew Rockwell owned the Callair TC among others, but was more familiar with the A-9 Callair. I don’t think the B2 was put into production but a derivative of the Snow S-2 called the Thrush was as Aero Commander also owned Snow’s TC’s. Thrush still owns the old Air Tractor TC’s

Rockwell, later Aero Commander built the A9 and called it the Quail. Many of the AeroCommander aircraft were named after birds. The factory Hollywood call sign is “Tough Bird” to this day whatever that’s worth.

[phik]

One of my students owns a Darter, so I have about 20 (mostly hands-off) hours in it now. But whenever I have to demonstrate things, it flies very nicely.

Because of the relatively short dashboard and resulting forward visibility, people who come from the C172 seem to think that its level flight attitude is more nose-down than it really is.

His airspeed indicator is in serious need of recalibration, so I'm fairly certain that the V speeds we settled on (there are none published) are higher than reality.

On 12/5/2021 at 4:48 PM, Mcstealth said:

The door handle is actually further back and I had a hard time opening the door after we were finished. 

Yes, it's kind of wild that it shipped like this. He tied a loop of string from the door latch forward to the fixed handle. Pull the lop to open the door -- much easier!

Agree 100% about the seat and rails being superior to Cessna's.

[Mcstealth]

On 12/2/2021 at 5:38 PM, Igor_U said:

Yes, PIREP please.

I was  considering buying one years ago, just after getting my PPL (N5551M, I think). I always wondered how it flies comparing the C172. I'm also curious about the small fin (rudder) on the nose wheel pants... Could you legally remove wheel pants if that fin is needed for lateral stability?

Did my research. The answer is yes,  some of them can. The later serial numbers can fly without any of the wheel pants. 

Sorry for the late reply. 

[Mcstealth]

On 12/5/2021 at 6:48 PM, Mcstealth said:

Okay. Got an hour of pattern work in this Areo Commander Darter. 

My very first impression was  how foreign the lack of toe brakes was to me. Actually suprised me somewhat. You have to really reach for the hand brake because it is basically under the throttle and low.  Second surprise was how responsive at lift off the tail was to rudder inputs. Treating it like a 172, at take off with left rudder produced a pronounced tail swing. Happened three times in a row for me doing T&G's. Curiously, the rudder seemed normal when up to speed. Third item of note was how low on the floor the manual flap handle actually is. Low enough to where a person with average arm reach like myself had to fully bend at the waist to reach the otherwise easy to use handle. 

Climb out is what you would expect with two 200lb guys and 150hp. Nothing to write home about obviously. Handling I would characterize as nicely neutral. Controls were not mushy. Nice and even roll and pitch. Trim to me seemed fine. 

One thing I need to work on is that the plane does sink more than a 172. On final approach, at 70mph, if I didn't maintain the correct angle, I would start dragging tail and start sinking quickly. It likes a power on approach where on the 172's I have been in, my butt doesn't drop as quickly or start to sink as soon as this Dart. It's probably just me not keeping my approach stabilized? Maybe started my flare early? Definitely different. I didn't bend anything so that was good. 

The seats felt better ergonomicly than Cessnas. The seat adjustment was easier to use also. The door handle is actually further back and I had a hard time opening the door after we were finished. 

The Viking is up next week. 

I have since flown most my current hours in this Darter. I officially like the feel of it better than the 172's though that is me just being a critic. The owner repaired the ILS so we do have precision capabilities. The 430 is non-waas. Getting it IFR certified has been a little quirky. One shop said the Type certificate says its not able to be certified. Another shop said it could, but it needs a heated Pitot tube which the plane doesn't have. And a third tech says it could be certified even without a heated tube.

All said, this Aero Commander is fine for me to get my XC hours accumulated for the IFR requirement. Anyone with moderate to low pilot skills could fly this plane.