Aero (1) Commander 560
The Commander 560 followed the original 520 in 1954 as the next step in Ted Smith's Aero Commander line, fitted with more powerful engines than its predecessor while keeping the same twin-tail, high-wing layout. Refined again as the 560A and 560E through the late 1950s, it bridged the gap between the modestly powered early Commanders and the larger 680-series aircraft that followed. Like its siblings, it used geared and often supercharged engines to reach cruise speeds up to around 190 knots, brisk for a 1950s piston twin, with deicing boots and other big-airplane touches unusual on light twins of its day.
.jpg){kind=link}
Did you know?
The Commander 560 kept the original 520's high-wing, twin-tail layout, stepping up with geared, supercharged engines for 1950s twin speed.
Specifications
| Length | 10.7 m (35 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 15.1 m (50 ft) |
| Height | 4.2 m (14 ft) |
| Persons on board | 9 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 3.4 t |
| Range | 1,510 NM (2,797 km) |
| Service ceiling | 21,000 ft (6,401 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 17,000 ft (5,182 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,400 ft/min (7.1 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 390 m (1,280 ft) |
| Landing distance | 430 m (1,411 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 840 l |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Aero (1) Commander 560 starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Aero (1), the Commander 560 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.