Commander Aircraft Company 114b

Single Piston

The Commander 114B represents the refined evolution of Rockwell's original Commander 112 design, a high-performance single-engine aircraft that emerged in the 1970s targeting owner-pilots seeking something faster and more capable than typical four-seat trainers. After Rockwell exited general aviation, the type certificate passed through Gulfstream American and eventually to Commander Aircraft Company, which introduced the 114B variant with a more powerful 260-horsepower Lycoming IO-540 engine and improved systems. The result is a sleek, low-wing tourer capable of 170-knot cruise speeds while maintaining docile handling characteristics and a roomy cabin that genuinely seats four adults in comfort, a rarity among high-performance singles of its era. What distinguishes the Commander 114B from contemporaries like the Bonanza or Mooney is its unusually wide cabin and trailing-link landing gear that forgives less-than-perfect touchdowns, making it popular among transitioning pilots stepping up from trainers. The aircraft's clean aerodynamic design and relatively high wing loading deliver stable instrument platforms and respectable cross-country performance, though at the cost of slightly higher approach speeds than some competitors. Maximum structural cruising speed sits at 169 knots, with a never-exceed limit of 200 knots, conservative figures that reflect the type's emphasis on comfort and safety margins over outright speed records. Production numbers remained modest throughout the type's history, with various ownership changes and production pauses limiting total output to several hundred airframes. Today the Commander 114B occupies a niche among owner-flown singles, valued by pilots who prioritize cabin space and forgiving flight characteristics over the last few knots of cruise speed. SkyMeter has tracked 109 flights across 32 airframes and 32 operators, with JUDD THARON V the largest observed operator.