page_title: Aero Commander 500 family
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: Aero Commander 500 family / Variants
caption_attribution_description: English: Aero Commander L-26C of the United States Army in flight.
context_page_description: The Aero Commander 500 family is a series of light-twin piston-engined and turboprop aircraft originally built by the Aero Design and Engineering Company in the late 1940s, renamed the Aero Commander company in 1950, and a division of Rockwell International from 1965. The initial production version was the 200-mph, seven-seat Aero Commander 520. An improved version, the 500S, manufactured after 1967, is known as the Shrike Commander. Larger variants are known by numerous model names and designations, ranging up to the 330-mph, 11-seat Model 695B/Jetprop 1000B turboprop.
context_section_description: Aero Commander L.3805
  Prototype, one built, Lycoming O-435-A engines.
  Aero Commander 520
  First production version, a developed L.3805 with a taller fin and larger cabin with two 260 hp Lycoming GO-435-C engines, 150 built.
  Aero Commander 560
  Model 520 with swept tail, increased takeoff weight, seven seats and more powerful engines (two 270 hp Lycoming GO-480B engines), 80 built.
  Aero Commander 560A
  New undercarriage, stretched fuselage and other numerous refinements, 99 built.
  Aero Commander 560E
  Larger wings and greater payload, 93 built.
  Aero Commander 560F
  Powered with 350 hp Lycoming IGO-540 engines.
  Aero Commander 360
  Lightened version of the 560E with four seats and two 180 hp engines, one built.
  Aero Commander 500
  Economy version introduced in 1958, a 560E with 250 hp Lycoming O-540-A engines, 101 built.
  Aero Commander 500A
  First Aero Commander model – new nacelles to house 260 hp fuel-injected Continental IO-470M engines, 99 built.
  Aero Commander 500B
  500A with 290 hp fuel injected Lycoming IO-540 engines, 217 built.
  Aero Commander 500U/Shrike Commander
  500B with pointed nose and squared off tail, two 290 hp Lycoming IO-540 engines, replaced 500A, 500B, 560F and 680F, 56 built.
  Aero Commander 500S/Shrike Commander
  500U with minor changes, 316 built.
  Aero Commander 680 Super
  Development of 560A with supercharged 340 hp Lycoming GSO-480-A engines and increased fuel capacity, 254 built.
  Aero Commander 680E
  Lightened 560E and 560A type undercarriage, 100 built.
  Aero Commander 680F
  680E with new undercarriage and supercharged, fuel-injected 380 hp Lycoming IGSO-540 engines and new nacelles, 126 built.
  Aero Commander 680FP
  Pressurized version modified from 680F, 26 built.
  Aero Commander 680FL Grand Commander
  680F with stretched fuselage and larger tail, 157 built. After 1967 known as the Courser Commander.
  Aero Commander 680FL/P Grand Commander
  Pressurized version of 680FL, 37 built.
  Aero Commander 680T Turbo Commander
  680FL/P with Garrett TPE331-43 turboprop engines, 56 built.
  Aero Commander 680V Turbo Commander
  680T with increased takeoff weight and slightly improved cargo capacity, 36 built.
  Aero Commander 680W Turbo II Commander
  680V with pointed nose. squared off fin, one panoramic and two small cabin windows and weather radar, 46 built.
  Aero Commander 695A Turbo Commander
  Built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  Rockwell 681 Hawk Commander
  680W with improved pressurisation, air conditioning system and nose, 43 built.
  Rockwell 681B Turbo Commander
  Marketing designation for economy version of the 681, 29 built.
  Rockwell 685 Commander
  690 powered by two 435 hp Continental GTSIO-520K piston engines, 66 built.
  Commander 690
  681 with new wing centre section and engines moved further outboard, two Garrett AiResearch TPE331-5-251K turboprops, 79 built.
  Commander 690A
  690 with changed flightdeck layout and increased pressurisation, 245 built.
  Commander 690B
  690A with improved soundproofing and internal lavatory, 217 built.
  690C Jetprop 840
  690B with increased wingspan, wet wing fuel tanks and winglets, two 840shp TPE331-5-254K turboprops, 136 built.
  690D Jetprop 900
  Similar to 690C with internal rear cabin extension, improved pressurisation and five square cabin windows, 42 built.
  695 Jetprop 980
  Similar to 690C with 735shp TPE331-10-501K engines, 84 built.
  695A Jetprop 1000
  690D with higher takeoff weight and more powerful TPE331-10-501K engines, 101 built.
  695B Jetprop 1000B
  695A with minor changes, 6 built.
  Aero Commander 720 AltiCruiser
  Pressurized version of 680, 13 built.
  YL-26 → YU-9A
  Aero Commander 520 evaluated by the US Army, 3 built.
  YL-26A
  Aero Commander 560 evaluated by the US Air Force, 1 built.
  L-26B → U-4A
  Aero Commander 560A sold to the US Air Force, 14 built.
  L-26B → U-9B
  Aero Commander 560A sold to the US Army, 1 built.
  L-26C → U-4B
  Aero Commander 680 Super sold to the US Air Force, 2 built.
  L-26C → U-9C
  Aero Commander 680 Super sold to the US Army, 4 built.
  RL-26D → RU-9D
  Commander 680 for US Army aircraft fitted with SLAR (side looking airborne radar), two built.
  NL-26D → NU-9D
  O
caption: L-26C
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