Aero Commander 500A vs Piper Aztec

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

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Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Aero Commander 500A
49 ft × 35 ft ⭥ 14 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized
Piper Aztec
37 ft × 31 ft ⭥ 10 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Aero Commander 500APiper Aztec
Stall speed 63 kt64 kt
Approach speed 82 kt91 kt
Cruise speed 188 kt172 kt
Range 1564 nm915 nm
Service ceiling 22500 ft19800 ft
Rate of climb 1400 fpm1490 fpm
Fuel burn 28.3 gph27.4 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Aero Commander 500A Avgas
28.3 gph
Baseline
1,564 nm range 6.6 nm/gal 156 gal usable $184 fuel/hr 5h 30m endurance
Aero Commander 500A: 28.3 gph at cruise, 1,564 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 30 minute endurance, 6.6 nautical miles per gallon.
Piper Aztec Avgas
27.4 gph
Baseline
915 nm range 6.3 nm/gal 144 gal usable $178 fuel/hr 5h 15m endurance
Piper Aztec: 27.4 gph at cruise, 915 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 15 minute endurance, 6.3 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed tank-dry · at this cruise burn

Bars show published still-air range: select a cell to view cruise-hours and fuel usage. Endurance is full tank at the displayed cruise burn rate; the extra is reserve and economy margin. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing ground roll

Density Altitude

Monte cristo

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Hourly direct and annual fixed costs

Scale:
Aero Commander 500A Avgas
$340 /hr
Baseline
Aero Commander 500A: $340 per flight hour — fuel $184, maintenance and reserve $156.
Piper Aztec Avgas
$265 /hr
Baseline
Piper Aztec: $265 per flight hour — fuel $178, maintenance and reserve $87.
Aero Commander 500A Piston
$14,235 /yr Baseline
Aero Commander 500A: $14,235 per year — insurance $4,226, hangar $840, annual inspection $9,169.
Piper Aztec Piston
$10,185 /yr Baseline
Piper Aztec: $10,185 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $7,685, annual inspection $2,500.

Estimates only. Hourly direct operating cost, based on fuel price and reserves; Annual fixed costs (insurance, hangar, and inspection). Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Payload vs useful load limit

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Aero Commander 500A Piston
7 / 7 seats 156 gal / 156 gal fuel 1,014 lbs wet payload 1,950 lbs useful 6,250 lbs MTOW
Piper Aztec Piston
6 / 6 seats 144 gal / 144 gal fuel 1,294 lbs wet payload 2,158 lbs useful 5,200 lbs MTOW

Shows selected occupants against full fuel, within the aircraft's useful-load limit. Fuel weight at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas; pax and luggage are 190 + 30 . Change payload weights in global settings.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: · two fingers to move map

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