The Aero Commander 100, various models of which were known as the Darter Commander and Lark Commander was an American light aircraft produced in the 1960s. It was a high-wing

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

of conventional design, equipped with fixed tricycle

undercarriage Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include: *The landing gear of an aircraft. *The ch ...

Design and development

The aircraft was originally designed by

Volaircraft Volaircraft Inc was a US aircraft manufacturer established in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania in 1958 by Jack Gilberti to produce a light utility aircraft, known as the Volaire. The firm and the rights to its aircraft were purchased by North American Roc ...

, first flying in

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

. The firm marketed the original three-seat version as the Volaire 1035 and a four-seat version with a more powerful engine as the Volaire 1050 before

North American Rockwell North American Aviation (NAA) was a major American aerospace manufacturer that designed and built several notable aircraft and spacecraft. Its products included: the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-8 ...

purchased all rights to the design on July 12, 1965, for production by its Aero Commander division. Production of the Darter Commander version continued until

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

and of the revised Lark Commander until

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

(by which time, Rockwell had dropped the

Aero Commander Aero Commander was an aircraft manufacturer formed in 1944. In subsequent years, it became a subsidiary of Rockwell International and Gulfstream Aerospace. The company ceased aircraft production in 1986. History Aero was formed in Culver City, C ...

brand name). A Volaire 1050 was exhibited at the 1966

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

Air Show and later sold to Finland. Other examples of the type were exported to Australia and Canada. Finding the light aircraft market too competitive for its liking, Rockwell ceased production of the Lark Commander in 1971 and sold the rights to all versions of the aircraft to

Phoenix Aircraft Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), ...

Euclid, Ohio Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an inner ring suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 49,692. History The City of Euclid was originally a part of Euclid Township, first map ...

, but this company never actually put it into production.

Variants

Volaircraft

* Model 10 – prototypes * Volaire 1035 – three-seat production version powered by

Lycoming O-290 Lycoming may refer to the following, most of which are at least partly in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States: Geography * Lycoming, New York, a hamlet * Lycoming County, Pennsylvania * Lycoming Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania * Ly ...

* Volaire 1050 – four-seat production version powered by

Lycoming O-320 The Lycoming O-320 is a large family of naturally aspirated, air-cooled, four-cylinder, direct-drive engines produced by Lycoming Engines. They are commonly used on light aircraft such as the Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee. Different variants ...

Aero Commander/Rockwell

* Aero Commander 100 – alias Volaire 1050 ** Aero Commander 100A – alias Volaire 1035 ** Darter Commander – 100 with revised windows and other minor modifications * Lark Commander 180 – revised aerodynamics, with swept fin and rudder and

Lycoming O-360 The Lycoming O-360 is a family of four-cylinder, direct-drive, horizontally opposed, air-cooled, piston aircraft engines. Engines in the O-360 series produce between 145 and 225 horsepower (109 to 168 kW), with the basic O-360 produc ...

-A2F engine. Production from 1968.Taylor 1971, p. 366.

Specifications (Darter Commander)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70''. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1969. *

External links

The Volaircraft Darter – Aviation History Online Museum
{{Aero Commander aircraft 1960s United States civil utility aircraft 100 High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1960