Its always interesting to contemplate general aviations boom-and-bust cycles. While exceptions certainly abound, it seems every other decade since the 1930s has included introduction of new aircraft or new technologies that further advance the state of the art. The 1970s were an upswing, avocado-green vinyl upholstery and Continentals Tiara engine notwithstanding. In addition to the iconic taper-wing Piper Cherokees, Cessnas original Citation and Beechs Model 200 Super King Air, the 70s also ushered in the Rockwell Commander 112/114 series of four-seat piston singles. For years, what was then called North American Rockwell had been trying to find the right mix of ramp appeal, performance and features to enter the general aviation market in a big way. Early attempts-the Lark and Darter, and efforts to revive the Meyers 200-didnt work out as the company hoped. But in 1972, the FAA granted Rockwell a type certificate for an all-new design, the Model 112, which emphasized cabin volume, ingress and egress ease, and aggressive styling. A series of model changes ensued and original production ended in 1979. Since then, the design has been in and out of several hands, one pair of which actually produced some 200 updated models during the 1990s. And like any good GA design, the Commander 112/114 line may again be resurrected. Meanwhile, airplanes already in the field have a loyal following, along with several features making them the right choice for pilots turned off by the standard fare for one reason or another.
Designed with a mission
As mentioned, the Commander single series began life as the Rockwell 112, a 200-HP retractable designed to compete against Cessnas Cardinal RG, Pipers Arrow and Beechs Sierra. During its development, Rockwell conducted elaborate studies of pilot preferences. Even aviation journalists (Aviation Consumer editors included) were invited to take a look at preliminary designs and make suggestions. The result made its debut in 1972 at a base price of $24,750 and an average equipped about $12,000 more. It emphasized looks, cabin room and comfort over raw performance.
Despite the big cabin, the 112 was quite deficient in useful load, resulting in the 112A model, which came out in 1974. The 112A featured an increased gross weight-from 2550 to 2650 pounds-but only an additional 77 pounds or so in useful load. Owners tell us an early 112 can benefit from the 112As increased gross weight after applying a service bulletin and a few dollars.
Squeezing even more load carrying ability out of the airframe, Rockwell delivered the 112B in 1977, still powered by the same 200-HP Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 as earlier models. The 112B featured 16-inch wingtip extensions, which allowed