jackmcgo210 In Memoriam
Grumman American AA-5B Tiger
Specifications (2005 model Tiger Aircraft AG-5B Tiger)
General characteristics
Crew: one, pilot
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 22 ft 0 in (6.7 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
Height: 8 ft 0 in (2.4 m)
Wing area: 140 ft² (13 m²)
Empty weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,400 lb (1090 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,400 lb (1090 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-360-A4K air-cooled, 4-cylinder, horizontally-opposed piston engine, 180 hp (134 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 143 knots (163 mph, 265 km/h)
Range: 686 nm (789 mi, 1,270 km)
Service ceiling: 13,800 ft (4,200 m)
Rate of climb: 850 ft/min (259 m/min)
Wing loading: 17.1 lb/ft² (83 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.12 kW/kg)
The US Grumman American AA-5 series is a family of all-metal, 4-seat, light aircraft used for touring and training. The line includes the original American Aviation AA-5 Traveler, the Grumman American AA-5 Traveler, AA-5A Cheetah, and AA-5B Tiger, the Gulfstream American AA-5A Cheetah, and AA-5B Tiger, the American General AG-5B Tiger, and the Tiger Aircraft AG-5B Tiger.
AA-5B Tiger
The final variant of the AA-5 line is the AA-5B Tiger. The Tiger was designed by Grumman engineers and was first produced in late 1974 as the 1975 model.
The Tiger was the outcome of the same redesign work on the AA-5 Traveler that resulted in the 150 hp (110 kW) Cheetah and it was originally little more than the same aircraft with a Lycoming O-360-A4K 180 hp (130 kW) engine, resulting in a 139-knot (257 km/h) cruise speed. Gross weight was increased from the AA-5/AA-5A's 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) to 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) on the Tiger. Externally the Tiger looked much like the AA-5 Traveler and AA-5A Cheetah so once again Grumman’s marketing department came up with a distinctive decal package to differentiate the design – this time a "galloping tiger".
While the earlier AA-1s and AA-5s did not change much from year to year the AA-5B Tiger underwent almost continual improvement. As with the AA-5A, the AA-5B was continued in production by Gulfstream when they purchased Grumman's American division. Gulfstream ceased production of all piston-engined aircraft in 1979 and the highly successful Tiger design went out of production after 1323 aircraft had been delivered.
[edit] AG-5B Tiger
For eleven years the design was not produced and then in the late 1980s a new company was formed to produce the Tiger. American General Aviation Corporation carried out further design improvements including introducing a new split nose bowl (engine cover) that could be removed without removing the propeller, a new instrument panel and improved exterior lighting, a new fuel quantity indication system, a 28 volt electrical system replacing the older 14 volt system, a new style throttle quadrant and improvements to the heat and ventilation systems. Aerodynamic improvements raised the optimal altitude cruise speed from 139 knots (257 km/h) true airspeed to 143 knots (265 km/h) TAS. The redesigned aircraft was put into production under an amended type certificate as the American General AG-5B Tiger. The new company had considered producing AA-1s and AA-5A Cheetahs, but those plans were never fulfilled before it closed its doors in 1993. American General produced Tigers for model years 1990-93 and delivered 181 aircraft in that time.
The design has a strong following amongst pilots and aircraft owners and so in 1999 a new company was formed to put the Tiger back into production. Tiger Aircraft LLC started production of the AG-5B Tiger in 2001 at their plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Tiger Aircraft did not produce any other models of the AA-1 or AA-5 family, although they owned the type certificates for the complete line of aircraft. Between 2001 and 2006 Tiger Aircraft produced 51 AG-5Bs. By the middle of 2006 Tiger Aircraft was experiencing financial problems and production of AG-5Bs had been halted and production workers laid off. [1] [2] Tiger Aircraft filed for bankruptcy in January 2007.[3]
On August 2, 2007 The Federal Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of Tiger Aircraft assets to True Flight Holdings LLC. True Flight has indicated its intention to produce parts and also return the AG-5B Tiger to production as soon as possible at a planned 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) facility on a 13 acre lot at the Valdosta, Georgia Airport.[4][5][6]
If True Flight Holdings does put the Tiger into production, they will be the fifth manufacturer to do so.
Grumman American AA-5B Tiger
Specifications (2005 model Tiger Aircraft AG-5B Tiger)
General characteristics
Crew: one, pilot
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 22 ft 0 in (6.7 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
Height: 8 ft 0 in (2.4 m)
Wing area: 140 ft² (13 m²)
Empty weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,400 lb (1090 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,400 lb (1090 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-360-A4K air-cooled, 4-cylinder, horizontally-opposed piston engine, 180 hp (134 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 143 knots (163 mph, 265 km/h)
Range: 686 nm (789 mi, 1,270 km)
Service ceiling: 13,800 ft (4,200 m)
Rate of climb: 850 ft/min (259 m/min)
Wing loading: 17.1 lb/ft² (83 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.12 kW/kg)
The US Grumman American AA-5 series is a family of all-metal, 4-seat, light aircraft used for touring and training. The line includes the original American Aviation AA-5 Traveler, the Grumman American AA-5 Traveler, AA-5A Cheetah, and AA-5B Tiger, the Gulfstream American AA-5A Cheetah, and AA-5B Tiger, the American General AG-5B Tiger, and the Tiger Aircraft AG-5B Tiger.
AA-5B Tiger
The final variant of the AA-5 line is the AA-5B Tiger. The Tiger was designed by Grumman engineers and was first produced in late 1974 as the 1975 model.
The Tiger was the outcome of the same redesign work on the AA-5 Traveler that resulted in the 150 hp (110 kW) Cheetah and it was originally little more than the same aircraft with a Lycoming O-360-A4K 180 hp (130 kW) engine, resulting in a 139-knot (257 km/h) cruise speed. Gross weight was increased from the AA-5/AA-5A's 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) to 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) on the Tiger. Externally the Tiger looked much like the AA-5 Traveler and AA-5A Cheetah so once again Grumman’s marketing department came up with a distinctive decal package to differentiate the design – this time a "galloping tiger".
While the earlier AA-1s and AA-5s did not change much from year to year the AA-5B Tiger underwent almost continual improvement. As with the AA-5A, the AA-5B was continued in production by Gulfstream when they purchased Grumman's American division. Gulfstream ceased production of all piston-engined aircraft in 1979 and the highly successful Tiger design went out of production after 1323 aircraft had been delivered.
[edit] AG-5B Tiger
For eleven years the design was not produced and then in the late 1980s a new company was formed to produce the Tiger. American General Aviation Corporation carried out further design improvements including introducing a new split nose bowl (engine cover) that could be removed without removing the propeller, a new instrument panel and improved exterior lighting, a new fuel quantity indication system, a 28 volt electrical system replacing the older 14 volt system, a new style throttle quadrant and improvements to the heat and ventilation systems. Aerodynamic improvements raised the optimal altitude cruise speed from 139 knots (257 km/h) true airspeed to 143 knots (265 km/h) TAS. The redesigned aircraft was put into production under an amended type certificate as the American General AG-5B Tiger. The new company had considered producing AA-1s and AA-5A Cheetahs, but those plans were never fulfilled before it closed its doors in 1993. American General produced Tigers for model years 1990-93 and delivered 181 aircraft in that time.
The design has a strong following amongst pilots and aircraft owners and so in 1999 a new company was formed to put the Tiger back into production. Tiger Aircraft LLC started production of the AG-5B Tiger in 2001 at their plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Tiger Aircraft did not produce any other models of the AA-1 or AA-5 family, although they owned the type certificates for the complete line of aircraft. Between 2001 and 2006 Tiger Aircraft produced 51 AG-5Bs. By the middle of 2006 Tiger Aircraft was experiencing financial problems and production of AG-5Bs had been halted and production workers laid off. [1] [2] Tiger Aircraft filed for bankruptcy in January 2007.[3]
On August 2, 2007 The Federal Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of Tiger Aircraft assets to True Flight Holdings LLC. True Flight has indicated its intention to produce parts and also return the AG-5B Tiger to production as soon as possible at a planned 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) facility on a 13 acre lot at the Valdosta, Georgia Airport.[4][5][6]
If True Flight Holdings does put the Tiger into production, they will be the fifth manufacturer to do so.