The Aero Commander 500 is the first in a series of light twin-engine aircraft originally built by the Aero Design and Engineering Company in the late 1940s. It later became the Aero Commander division of Rockwell International. The initial production version was the Aero Commander 520. Versions manufactured after 1967 are known as the Shrike Commander.

The company's first prototype flew on April 23, 1948. That aircraft was named the Aero Commander Model L3085. The aircraft accommodated up to five people and was powered by two piston engines. It was an all-metal high-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage.