N789GD

The airframe bearing tail number N789GD is a 1974-built example of the Rockwell S-2R Turbo Thrush Commander, manufacturer Rockwell International, with serial number 2020R. Ownership records identify the registered owner as having no published name or type and being located in California, US; the aircraft is listed on the US civil registry. The build year and serial tie this airframe to late-production agricultural/utility restorations; no notable registry actions or ownership events have been published. Condition and valuation notes are not published in the available data.

This specific Thrush Commander is configured with a single‑pilot sealed safety pod in the cabin, with an optional tandem forward second seat for training; most examples operate in the single‑seat configuration. Avionics fit and specific mission radios for this registration are not published. Typical missions for this airframe type include agricultural operations, aerial application and utility tasks, and in some examples pilot training when the optional tandem seat is fitted; for N789GD, operator basing is in California, US, suggesting regional operations consistent with West Coast agricultural and utility profiles. Maintenance considerations for this airframe would reflect its single‑engine, fixed‑wing agricultural lineage and the sealed safety pod configuration, which affects ingress/egress and inspection access; detailed maintenance status is not published.

The Rockwell S-2R Turbo Thrush Commander occupies a niche as a turboprop-converted agricultural and utility single‑engine aircraft, offering robust low-speed handling and payload capacity for chemical or utility loads while also being capable of higher-altitude ferry flights up to its service ceiling. Competing types in the specialized ag/utility sector include other turboprop conversion airframes and purpose-built ag aircraft; demand tends to be by agricultural operators and private utility contractors. Resale and maintenance considerations for this 1974 serial 2020R reflect age-related corrosion control, parts availability for Rockwell-origin components, and the influence of any supplemental type certificates for turboprop modifications.