The ideal Turbo Commander is....

[Adam Frisch]

in my view a hybrid of the 980 and 900.

You'd want the 980:
1. Cabin.
2. Baggage compartment.
3.  -10 engines from factory.
4. Useful load.

...but with the 900:

1. 6.7psi hull and outer skin pressurization.
2. Non-SRL engine controls for better reliability.
3. Higher ceiling.

...and then the Fairchild environmental system from a 690B!

Dream plane! Let's call it the 940! 

[donv]

To each their own, I guess. What you are really asking for is a 980 with a 6.7psi cabin, and that I can get behind.

Incidentally, the SRLs are fine. The people who complain about them don't know what they are talking about, or they heard something from their buddy who heard from his buddy about someone who had a problem with them.

And, as you know, I prefer my Sundstrand with freon air to the environmental system in the 690. But I admit that there, I am in the minority!

[Adam Frisch]

I haven't heard that the SRL's are unreliable, I've just heard there aren't that many people that can work on the computers when they do give up.

[donv]

I'm not so sure about that. I'm sure that, just as with anything else, it's always hard to find someone who is good, but that's a different story. These SRL boxes are not that unusual-- there are thousands (literally!) of Metroliners flying with them, not to mention Jetstreams, Dorniers, etc.

[Steve binnette]

The 980 is the perfect Commander, not question about it. . Simple, fast, efficient, great looking, what’s not to love!

Of course I would take some extra PSI on the differential but not if I had to give up the picture window.

[donv]

The picture window is a big deal. I don't think I've ever had someone new to Commanders who didn't comment on how amazed they were by it.

And I'm sure you couldn't increase the diff by much and keep it, although apparently there is an STC for the 737 for an even bigger window, so with modern materials and engineering, who knows...

I do love my 980, though!

[Adam Frisch]

980 is the best they made.

[donv]

This is the big 737 window:

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/bbj/news/gkn-aerospace-introduce-skyview-panoramic-window.page

It's not that much bigger than the Commander window!

[JMA]

Not that I have any room to talk (I own nothing!)...  but my father (who had owned x2 690's) in 1980 had the ability to purchase ANY model (840/980/1000) and said hands down the 980 was the one to go with.
And here we are 2018 and we still own/fly her... 95008...  Still nothing worth trading to. 

[Steve binnette]

Smart man, your Dad!