Aero Commander 200

Overview

The Aero Commander 200 is the final production form of the Meyers 200, a hand-built, high-performance four-seat single developed by Al Meyers from the late 1940s. The design reached its definitive configuration as the 200D in 1965, when the IO-470 was replaced by the Continental IO-520-A and the wings received flush riveting. The result was an honest 183-knot cruise from a 285 HP normally-aspirated engine. Aero Commander (a division of North American Rockwell) acquired the type certificate in 1966 but ceased production in 1968, unable to manufacture the hand-fitted steel-tube and aluminium composite structure economically. Sources cite total production figures between 122 and 135 across all variants; fewer than 100 remain flying. The type has one of the most remarkable accident records in GA. Aviation Consumer’s 35-year search found only 20 accidents across the entire fleet.

Key Features for GA Buyers

• Exceptional speed. 183 knots at 75% power from a 285 HP IO-520-A. Faster than contemporary V-tail Bonanzas and roughly 10 knots ahead of the Cessna 210 Centurion of the same era.
• Steel-tube structure. The fuselage and wing carry-through are framed in 4130 chrome-moly steel running from firewall to aft cabin and crosswise through the gear attachment points. This structure is credited with the type’s outstanding accident survivability record.
• Safety record. Arguably the best of any comparable GA single. No recorded gear-up landings, no loss-of-control on rollout, no VFR-into-IMC across 35 years of fleet history.
• Wraparound cabin windows. Near-360-degree visibility from a raised canopy section; a distinctive and practical design feature.
• Engine accessibility. The IO-520-A installation allows the engine to swing out for maintenance access, similar to the Jacobs installation in the Cessna 195.
• Upgrade path. Earlier 200A/B/C models can be brought to effective D specification via IO-520-A STC. IO-550 upgrades are also available.

Trade-offs

• Effective two-place cross-country machine. Full fuel (80 gallons total, 74 usable) and full seats is not realistic. Aero Commander completed testing to raise gross weight to 3,350 lbs but never submitted the paperwork to the FAA.
• Fuel system complexity. Four tanks, one gauge. Fuel mismanagement is one of only two recurring accident causes across the entire fleet history. Requires disciplined fuel management on every flight.
• Parts and maintenance. Out of production since 1968. Landing gear components in particular can be difficult to source. The composite steel-tube/aluminium structure requires a mechanic familiar with the type.
• Tiny fleet. Fewer than 100 flying examples worldwide means a thin resale market, limited type-specific maintenance expertise outside of the owner community, and elevated insurance costs relative to more common types.
• Insurance. Low-volume vintage retractable with a bespoke structure: expect elevated premiums and scrutiny of pilot experience.

See Also

• Beechcraft V35B Bonanza – direct V-tail Bonanza contemporary; similar cruise, more common, retractable single. Compare
• Beech Bonanza A36 – later straight-tail Bonanza variant with more payload flexibility. Compare
• Cessna 210 Centurion – higher-volume retractable single contemporary; slower but better parts availability. Compare
• Piper PA-24 Comanche – direct contemporary four-place retractable single with broader market presence. Compare
• Bellanca Viking – vintage retractable single contemporary with wood-and-fabric construction. Compare