12. Are AA1-A's a good idea for a low time (~70hr) pilot, or should I stick with what I know? gear brackets and nose gear fittings. [1][4][5], The AA-1 was certified under FAR Part 23 on August 29, 1967, with the first production AA-1 flying on May 30, 1968. a big thing, but more labor costs. This cruise propeller accounts for the increase in top and cruise speed plus about 30 additional miles in total range; however, the Tr-2 suffers in the climb department with a 660-fpm capability compared to the Trainers 705-fpm climb speed. It also lacked enough rudder to get out stay-on-the-airport-runway airplane; the original design might have been The AA-1 had been spin-tested as part of its certification, but in 1973 the FAA issued Airworthiness Directive 73-13-07 ordering the aircraft placarded against spins. They The fuel gauges are sight tubes in the cockpit. Because the Cheetah looked very much like the Traveler externally, Grumman's marketing department created a "leaping cheetah" emblem to differentiate it from the earlier AA-5. New fiberglass tail cone. (My Smith Miniplane does the same thing, Taxiing is easy. Unfortunately, you are almost obliged to purchase one of the auxiliary tank mods (which add about 10 gallons total), further eating into the useful load. to have a "push your Yankee backwards" competition without using a tow bar!). Your current browser cannot run our content, please make sure your browser is fully updated or try one of the browsers below. the mains stay on the ground while the airspeed builds. It's much more capable operating out of shortish grass strips and for sight seeing. What a Resprayed with single stage polyurethane in 2012 . The Trainer is factory fitted with a climb prop, 71 inches in diameter with a 53-inch pitch. Do a few calculations: 185 lbs pilot plus An oil cooler became standard with the AA1C, but it can be retrofitted to the earlier models. 1. ADS-B compliant. Fuel Burn at 75% power in standard conditions per hour. Fuel pressure is registered on a gauge in the engine gauge cluster. I said intentionally because when Stall mph 60. Sounds like the Grumman, not so much. You can opt for higher compression for the earlier AA1s, giving 115 or 125 hp. The three of us range weigh 170/210/270. As far as needing a super Grumman experienced CFI, not really. 2023 FLYING Media. If that's true, your airplane isn't set up properly -- something an AYA PFPI would have detected right from the start. The company designated the redesigned aircraft the AA-1 Yankee Clipper. Brand new Bruce's cover included. Standard fuel is 22. The nose comes up but A weight and balance was done at it's last annual. An AA-1A's dirty stall is 60mph (clean is 63, the flaps are fairly useless), while a 152's is 48mph. Maybe the Yankee isn't as "hot" as some want you to believe? Cruise Speed: . Most insurance companies will require about ten hours dual before they In It was marketed in two versions, differentiated by the avionics fitted and the external trim package. Owners say this is a good investment. pleasure quotient is tremendous. 5, and 10 fame) as the Bede 1. The Grumman American AA-1 series is a family of light, two-seat aircraft. Any thoughts on the safety of the AA-1B/C? After reading about AA1-A's, it seems that they are a lot faster than a 150 without giving up useful load or endurance. Gulfstream American. This is good practice for Make sure they work, are not plugged, and that But while chasing birds and Im assuming he is referring to the rumors that swirl around that if you get too slow they fall out of the sky and if you get in to spin it is not recoverable. Complete logs. While this did tame the AA-1's sharp stall, it also reduced the cruise speed compared to the original AA-1 by 10mph. Maintain ground effect until you get past 70. none. Fiberglass main-gear legs conspire with a steel nosewheel strut to absorb landings good and bad. Initial climb rate 660. On a cool, sea-level departure, a maximum-gross-weight Yankee will do well to hit 500 fpm. Following are a few things to look for. I want something to build hours in - mostly sightseeing and short cross countries. Listen for any noise from the nose gear to indicate This first model was one of All of the AA-1's, AA-1A's and AA-1B's were powered by the Lycoming O-235-C2C low-compression engine, designed for 80/87 Avgas, which produced 108 hp. Over 1770 aircraft were built Line up on the centerline, if it really was); it wasn't designed for long cross-country. off at about 65. Beautiful Grumman AA-1B with 0 time overhauled engine and 0 time overhauled prop . 132 lbs for fuel equals 317 lbs. Precise Flight Stand-by Vacuum System We were looking at the W&B numbers yesterday. a lot of runway to get in the air. Speaking of alterations, the entire AA1 series seems to have become a modifiers dream come true. The original AA-1 had a book cruise speed of 117 knots; the later versions ranged from 107 to 116 knots, depending on whether the plane had a cruise (high pitch) prop and/or wheel pants. instructors who feel the "demanding habits" of the Yankee make it a better The type certificate for the AA-1 family of aircraft are currently held by True Flight Holdings LLC who bought the assets of Tiger Aircraft on August 2, 2007. strips, but it will make you feel like you're flying off the deck of a carrier! The rest is basic aircraft construction. Narco Nav122 VOR with Glideslope (rebuilt 2019) Sign in to continue reading 1971 Grumman American Trainer AA1A By Staff Updated February 22, 2016 Save Article Also, the Tr-2s 64 pounds of instruments, avionics, and decor items limit its useful load (with 22 gallons of fuel) to 389 pounds, while the Trainers payload with the same fuel is 435 pounds. Landing distance (50) 1,100. Major mechanical problems are rare with the AA1s, and the number of service difficulty reports is relatively low. Scan this QR code to download the app now. 1 - 7 . loose. Today, the AA1s failure in the trainer market is a blessing in disguise, because fewer of the airplanes have been exposed to the ravages of primary training. to remove the nose bowl cowling, it means removing the propeller Patterns are the same, As a result, Bede was ousted by his business partners and the company renamed American Aviation. Controls are simple, and well placed. With a maximum gross weight of 1,500 pounds on all but the last models, and a typical empty weight of 1,050 pounds, the full-fuel payload is less than two FAA-typical 170-pounders, without a single speck of baggage. These were all different from the other school aircraft in use in that era and took some adaptation by instructors and students alike. Carpet and seats on good condition. As long as you dont expect to haul anvils or fly out of a 1,200 foot long mountain strip, the AA1 could fit your needs. Diamond. Santa Rosita State Park, under the big 'W', N Central FL and GTC Bahamas when off work, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. Yeah, I was referring to the higher stall speed and spin issues. The US Aviator Magazine Home Page!!! aircraft was repainted, check to see if it was a total strip and repaint. runway and at 60 indicated, start lifting the nose. Rate of climb: 660 FPM. On hot days or with high density altitudes you can forget it though. The nose gear on the early AA1 needs to be changed to the AA5 nose gear for Gaining useful load, a few knots, and the pluses listed above. USA's Much appreciated. The re-contoured leading edge produced softer stall characteristics and permitted lower approach speeds. The straight AA1 (as opposed to the A, B, and C models that followed) remains the fastest of the bunch, even though the AA1C received a more powerful, 115-hp engine. It won't go in and out of the short grass The Max cruise, 74% power (2,700 rpm) at 5,000 ft: 112 kts. The AA-1B was produced until 1976. Every time I fly my airplane with two people I am over weight and have never had an issue. The lack of wing washout, necessitated by the wing interchangeability requirement, meant that stall strips had to be installed to produce acceptable stall characteristics for certification. Back Stall Speed: 50 KIAS. fitness for any purpose is made or implied. No BD-1 kits were ever sold. Much higher stall speeds and prone to spinning. but they can be hard to see. Once off the ground the left tank went past With an empty weight of about 1000 lbs and a gross of 1500 lbs, the useful These names were chosen to position the aircraft in the Gulfstream American line which, at that time featured the Cheetah, Tiger and the Cougar. Try to lookinside the cowling and in the cockpit at the construction. I've reviewed too many AA-1-series takeoff accident reports to agree with that. Up for sale a nice "74 Grumman AA1B. I bought mine cheap. [3][4][9], The original American Aviation AA-1 Yankee developed a poor reputation for safety in its first years of production (196971). Moreover, the airplanes clean wing builds drag quickly with low airspeed and high angle of attack. That company division completed a major redesign of the AA-1B, resulting in the AA-1C. hold the brake, and the Yankee turns around! fuel STC, the trips will be short. unit, steering is by differential braking. Some people have tons of experience in all sorts of planes and can feel their way into flying a new type. softer stall characteristic. American Aviation, by then Grumman, quickly saw that the Yankees quirky handling qualities were hurting sales and set about designing fixes. It requires plenty of speed to get off so don't pull it off early. King KN64 DME Roll the direction you want to As far as needing to be exactly on speed, not really, I've bailed out plenty of student mistakes. 585 useful load with a 1560 MGW suggests the plane weighs 975 empty. I understand the AYA has a transition program that I would definitely take advantage of. conversion Verify that the stuff under the cowl and behind the propeller works. The Grumman light aircraft line was then acquired by Gulfstream Aerospace in 1977 who formed it into their light aircraft division, Gulfstream American, in Savannah, Georgia. The bright colors also help the aircraft overcome LED Landing and Position Lights, KX155 Nav/Com with JI209 with Glideslope The differences between the AA-1B and AA-1C include engine, enlarged tailplane, and twin shock absorbers in the nose gear. Subscriptions/Orders: 800-356-7767. mechanic. I wouldn't want to land it over weight but it flys just fine and mine is the original AA1. Inspect the seal around the windshield and check out the locks. No matter the model, the airplanes in the AA1 series share mechanical simplicity and durability. The 1973 model was the AA1B, which offered the The Yankee and its four-seater siblings, the AA-5 series, feature a unique bonded aluminum honeycomb fuselage and bonded wings that eliminate the need for rivets without sacrificing strength. So lets say we have an opportunity to pick up a Grumman AA1B for great price, recently overhauled engine, fresh annual, and fine history. All rights reserved. [1][4][5][6], Powered by the same 108hp Lycoming O-235 engine as the Cessna 152, the original Yankee cruises twenty percent faster thanks to the cleaner wing and better aerodynamics. trainer, helping students develop more high-performance skills. For its high cruise velocities, the AA1 pays dearly in climb performance.
