Commander Aircraft Company 114

Single Piston

The Commander 114 is a four-seat, single-engine piston aircraft originally designed by Rockwell in the late 1970s as a high-performance touring machine for owner-pilots. Built with a distinctive low-wing configuration and retractable tricycle landing gear, the 114 was engineered to compete directly with Beechcraft's Bonanza and Mooney's M20 series, offering a roomy cabin and respectable cruise speeds around 150 knots on 260 horsepower from its Lycoming IO-540 engine. Rockwell sold the design to Commander Aircraft Company in the 1980s, which continued production with incremental refinements through the 114B and later 115 variants, emphasizing comfort and cross-country capability over raw speed. The Commander 114 occupies a niche in general aviation as a capable IFR platform with good useful load and range—roughly 750 nautical miles with reserves—making it popular among serious private pilots and small charter operators in Australia and North America. Its handling is stable and forgiving, though it lacks the aerobatic pedigree of some competitors. The type never achieved the production volumes of Cessna or Piper singles, but it earned a loyal following for its solid build quality and spacious interior, particularly on longer flights where passenger comfort matters. SkyMeter has tracked 7 flights across 2 airframes and 1 operators, with distinct routes observed.