Turbines
COMMANDER 690A · Checklist
Overview
The Commander 690A checklist provides essential operational information and performance specifications for the aircraft. It covers turbine engine operation, cockpit features, and performance metrics, making it a valuable resource for pilots and operators.
- Turbine inlet temperature (TIT) should be maintained at 850°C for optimal performance.
- The aircraft can achieve a climb rate exceeding 2,500 feet per minute.
- The cockpit is spacious and equipped with advanced avionics.
- The 690B can take off at a gross weight of 10,325 pounds.
- Single-engine operation is facilitated by a negative torque sensing system.
- Takeoff and landing speeds are relatively low, while gear and flap speeds are high.
- The aircraft is designed for both owner-pilots and professional operators.
- Standardization in outfitting can save buyers an average of $80,000.
Document
Source
Originally published by aeroresourcesinc.com. Sprinkle hosts a reference copy with an added summary, specifications and searchable full text.
Document details
- Type ·
- Checklist
- File size ·
- 3.5 MB
- Publisher ·
- aeroresourcesinc.com
- Language ·
- en
Specifications & performance
Extracted from this document.
Specifications
- Engine ·
- 2 Garrett Ai Research TPE 331-5-251 K
- Height ·
- 14.95 ft
- Length ·
- 44.35 ft
- Wing area ·
- 266 sq ft
- Wing span ·
- 46.67 ft
- Propellers ·
- 2 Hartzell 3-blade, 106 in dia
- Empty weight ·
- 6,659 lb
- Gross weight ·
- 10,325 lb
- Fuel capacity ·
- 389 gal
- Baggage capacity ·
- 600 lb
Performance
- Service ceiling ·
- 32,800 ft
- Max cruise speed ·
- 283 kt
- Stall speed clean ·
- 82 kt
- Initial rate of climb ·
- 2,821 fpm
- Stall speed gear flaps ·
- 140 kt
V-speeds
- VY_KIAS ·
- 125
- VNE_KIAS ·
- 200
- VSS_KIAS ·
- 95
Weight & balance
- Zero fuel weight ·
- 8,750 lb
- Useful load basic ·
- 3,716 lb
- Max landing weight ·
- 9,675 lb
What is the Turbines?
The Turbines is a checklist for the COMMANDER 690A.
Where does the Turbines come from?
This copy of the Turbines was originally published by aeroresourcesinc.com and is hosted on Sprinkle as a free, searchable reference copy.
Most owners only have the POH. Here's the essential set for the COMMANDER 690A.
- Pilot's Operating Handbook / AFM
- Checklist
- Maintenance Manual
- Parts Catalog (IPC)
- Systems & Wiring
- Service Bulletins on file
- Type Certificate (TCDS)
More COMMANDER 690Amanuals & documents
In this document
Turbine Operation
The turbine engines should be operated with a TIT of 850°C, with a maximum of 923°C, providing over 700 hp per side.
Cockpit Features
The cockpit is well-appointed with a flight director and a ram's horn control yoke, offering superb visibility and a quiet environment.
Performance Metrics
The aircraft can achieve a climb rate of over 2,500 fpm and has a maximum cruise speed of 283 knots at 17,500 feet.
Single-Engine Operation
The negative torque sensing system aids in single-engine operation, allowing for easier control during critical maneuvers.
Takeoff and Landing
Takeoff distances vary, with ground roll at 1,458 feet and over 50 feet at 2,259 feet, while landing speeds are manageable.
Outfitting Options
The aircraft can be purchased in various configurations, with options for avionics and interior arrangements.
Safety notes
- Care must be taken with condition levers to avoid excessive sink rates during approaches.
- The aircraft is fully equipped for flight into known icing conditions.
- Pilots should be aware of the differences in powerplant operation compared to piston aircraft.
Full document text
Turbines It sure doesn't go like the economy model. There's an enormous pressure at your back as tbe power levers (just like throttles, to be simple) are ad- vanced. Just get the turbine inlet tem- perature (TIT) to 850°C and forget it (923°C is max)-you'll have over 700 hp per side. George Frizzell, our check pilot and Rockwell's manager of distributor sales for the Western United States, had bet we would be through V me (83 knots) and Vss• (95 knots) before we knew it. Pilots will appreciate the well-appointed, roomy cockpit that includes flight director and "veddy British" ram's horn control yoke, We were ready for him, but, sure enough, the airplane was already a mile ahead of us before we were well and truly flying. We managed to find the gear handle and tuck the wheels away by the time the airplane passed V ys. (125 knots) and began to catch up to the crui~e climb of 139 knots. The crew sits at the front end of the long fuselage, well ahead of the wing and the propeller arc. Visibility is superb, and it's quiet. We were at gross for our first leg, with five on board and full fuel. But with those turbine en- gines and big, straight wings the 690B was completely untroubled getting all 10,325 pounds off and flying in a big, smooth rush. This is big-time, serious flying, but it is also fun flying. Later, trying some maximum performance takeoffs, tbe aircraft produced deck angles so steep that we felt more as though we were going up for a hammerhead than climbing out in a businessman's ex- press. Climb rate exceeded 2,500 fpm. Behind the divider, the passengers had their briefcases out and were working in the long, plush cabin, just as people are suppofed to do in this kind of machine, unaware of the good times in the cockpit. This was our first look at Rockwell's price competitor in the turboprop market, which was introduced at the National Business Aircraft Assn.'s an- nual meeting last September. Most pur- chasers of turbine aircraft have a lot of choosing to do to outfit their "green" PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER ROZELLE airplanes-interior decor and seating arrangements, avionics equipment and other accessor;es are se'ected and n- stalled to customer order. Finishing such airplanes is a big business, and a time-consuming process. Outfitting a new aircraft properly can be a bewildering thi!<ket for first- time buyers. While there are standard arrangements for many models, few finished airplanes conform to the standard. Rockwell is happy to sell you a 690B either way: Buy the Executive I, where decisions are limited to King or Col- lins avionics packages, two seating ar- rangements and color selections, or the Executive II (base price $699,500), a green airplane to which you can fit an almost-infinite number of options. The Executive I version is equipped with just about everything needed to go when you feel like it. The aircraft we flew, N57198, is Collins-equipped complete with a big FD-112V Flight continued on page 72 )c. I~ ~. I~J;'IJ \. • 1 •• = COMMANDER 6908 continued Director and a Bendix RDR-1200 radar system. (All versions are fully equipped for fligh t into known icing.) It's a turboprop you really can flyaway from the factory with minimum deci- sions and no additional downtime for completion. And it doesn't look like an economy model, either. The manu- facturer claims that the package plan, or standardization, can save a buyer an average of $80,000 over a custom-fitted model. It might seem ridiculous to call such a large, high-performance, all-weather airplane simple, but it is. Simple enough to be considered an owner- flown airplane, even though most are operated by professionals and most of them with a copilot. Frizzell says that it usually takes from 50 to 100 hours for a pilot with- out turbine, big airplane experience to be really competent and comfortable in the airplane, depending on previous ex- perience. There are a lot of systems- and the checklists are long. But a com- petent and conscientious owner-pilot could go to the factory school (there's one for maintenance people as well as flight crews). For all the sophistication of turbo- props, they are in many ways easier to operate than big, pressurized piston aircraft. Take single-engine operation. The Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-5-251 en- gines are fitted with a negative torque sensing system that takes much of the fuss out of an engine failure. A sensor detects the lack of thrust and the sys- tem moves the propeller towards the feathered, minimum-drag position. The pilot can concentrate on flying the air- plane during critical maneuvers such as liftoff without having to go through the emergency drill immediately. At best single-engine rate-of-climb speed of 113 knots, the airplane will climb at 878 fpm on the good engine. Yaw excursions are minimal, and the failed engine can be identified and shut down after control and positive climb are achieved, almost at leisure. The 690B is very stable and takeoff, approach and landing speeds are quite low. Gear and flap speeds, on the other hand, are high: 200 knots for gear ex- continued on page 75 Passengers in the 690B don't know the fun they're missing up front-but with such airline-type amenities could they care? Engine Propellers Wing span Length Height Wing area Wing loading Power loading Passengers and crew Cabin length Cabin width Cabin height Cabin pressurization Empty weight Equipped empty weight (as tested) Zero fuel weight Useful load (basic aircraft) Useful load (as tested) Payload, full fuel (basic aircraft) Payload with full fuel (as tested) Gross weight Ramp weight Maximum landing weight 389 gal (384 usable) Oil capacity 6 qt per engine Baggage capacity 600 Ib (46.5 cu ft) Performance Takeoff distance (ground roll) Takeoff over 50 ft
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Takeoff over 50 ft-short field Initial rate of climb (gross weight) 2,821 fpm Initial single-engine rate of climb (gross weight) Maximum cruise speed (17,500 ft) Long range cruise speed (96% rpm, 20,000 ft) Long range cruise speed (96% rpm, 31,000 ft) High speed cruise range (with 45-min reserve) Long range cruise (with 45 min reserve) Service ceiling Single-engine service ceiling Absolute ceiling Stall speed (clean) Stall speed (gear and flaps down) Landing over 50 It (no reverse) (with reverse props) 1,458 ft 2,259 ft 1,680 ft 2,100 ft 1,613 It 878 fpm 77 kt (89 mph) 283 kt (326 mph) 284 kt (327 mph) 250 kt (288 mph) 1,036 nm (1,192 sm) 1,467 nm (1,688 sm) 32,800 It 19,600 It 33,800 ft 82 kt (94 mph) Fuel capacity (standard) Rockwell Commander 6908 Executive I Basic price: $769,000 (King Avionics) Price as tested: $779,000 (Collins Avionics) Specifications 2 Garrett Ai Research single shaft TPE 331-5-251 K 3,000 hr TBO derated 717.5 shp 2 Hartzell 3-blade, constant speed full feathering & reversing, 106 in dia 46.67 ft 44.35 ft 14.95 ft 266 sq ft 38.82 Ib/sq ft 7.37Ib/shp 8 to 9 14.25 ft 4.02 ft 4.47 ft 5.2 psi 6,659 Ib 6,659 Ib 8,750 Ib 3,7161b 3,7161b 1,1431b 1,1431b 10,3251b 10,375 Ib 9,675 Ib COMMANDER 6908 continued from page 72 tension; 180 for approach flaps (200); and 140 for full flaps (400). The only difficulty we experienced during approaches and balked landings was the fine line between positive thrust and flight idle on the condition levers. Moving them back too far greatly increases the rate of sink. Once on the runway, though, playing with reverse is almost as much fun as the rapid rush at takeoff. The hydraulic nosewheel steering also is sensitive and takes some getting used to. All in all, flying the airplane is the least complicated part of the 690B. There's a lot of planning and manage- ment and thinking far ahead that takes a lot of work, particularly for the new- comer to turbine equipment-or pres- surized piston equipment, for that mat- ter. There are a lot of differences in powerplant operation that take a bit of getting used to, and many different terms to learn. For pilots with the mission require- ments and the money, going all the way up to turbines is interesting. Even pilots without the capital can find oc- casions to consider it, such as while standing in line at the air carrier ter- minal and finding out that the big kerosene queen is going to be two hours late.-E.G.T. No stodgy businessman's air sedan, the 6908 has scat.