Why the Grumman American 1978 AA5A Cheetah is one of the best aircraft to fly.

[@vanderleipagliarinidealmei9229]

I bought this plane in 1975 -Sao Paulo-Brazil. I flew more than 600 hours, very economical, consumption 25 liters per hour, easy to fly, silent. Big plane. I visited the line of this device in the Grumman company in America.

[@JMpilot17]

Having flown the usual Cessnas, Pipers, Cirruses, and a handful of taildraggers, first time I flew a Grumman I called it the Miata of the skies- just perfect inputs, sporty handling, and a convertible! Miss flying them You nailed the description on how these under appreciated planes are to fly!

[@SirDrifto]

You couldn't have said it better 🤙

[@bemch1988]

I learned to fly in 388c and that one. Aspen is great.

[@wntu4]

Love the paint and interior.

[@SirDrifto]

It's quite stunning in person

[@gordonfeliciano4315]

Nice to see a fellow Grumman flying out of KBJC. I know that Cheetah you were flying.. belongs to the Aspen Flying Club and it visits KBJC quite often. The other Grumman that was mentioned is also an Aspen/WAFA club aircraft. My cousin James flew that thing while getting his private rating a few years back. My son and I own a 77 Grumman Tiger AA-5B based out of KBJC - N951MK. It has the Lycoming 0-360-A4K engine that puts out 180HP. Full fuel is 51 gallons, 25.5 each wing tank. Gross weight is 2400 lbs. Our plane has a 980 lb. payload. We typically fly at tabs in summer, which gives us 19 gallons per tank, 38 total. I burn 7.5 GPH in cruise running 50 ROP, but I also have a SureFly electric magneto, which helps, Also, I have the Sensenich prop mod which eliminates the 2200 RPM restriction. Typical cruise at ISA temps and 8,500' MSL are around 135 to 140 KTAS. One of the perks that we love is the "air conditioning system", i.e. the sliding canopy. We've owned it since 2016 and we love it. My son got his PPC, instrument, commercial and CFI in that bird. If you're ever around, come by and say hi. We park on the WAFA ramp and usually are out flying during the evenings or on Saturday afternoons. Fly safe and fly often!

[@SirDrifto]

That's awesome! Will definitely say hello.

[@gman68137]

Thanks for sharing. I live near KAPA...will keep an eye out for you both. I hadn't seen the Cheetah, but looks like a good 2-seat plane.

[@SirDrifto]

It's a pretty dang good looking plane

[@dojoswitzer]

@@SirDrifto What is in the place of your 2nd row of sets?

[@AV8OR51]

I own a Tiger! Love it!

[@SirDrifto]

Oh man you have the fast version

[@barrywinslow9798]

Good vid.....I flew of a 3000ft by 33ft wide with trees close....love it. It does make one a better pilot.

[@scubastevedan]

I saw one of our air tankers on the ramp, I couldn't see which one it was though. I travel with the air tankers a lot. Next time I come to Jeffco Tanker Base I'll have to keep an eye out for your cheetah. Nice looking plane!

[@SirDrifto]

Oh man I’ll take you for a spin in the open cockpit for a tour of the tanker

[@scubastevedan]

@@SirDrifto Deal! I'll be on Tanker 10 in Colorado Springs from mid May to mid June. If you catch one of us at the fence we accommodate tours when able, I love showing off the plane! Just need permission from tanker base personnel.

[@mauricioliscano847]

my first solo was in a Cheetah, in stalls it always dropped a wing first so you had to be ready for it but it felt so different to flying a 172 or Cherokee.

[@ryancrazy1]

There's a guy at an airport near me that has The Cheeto Cheetah on the tail of his Cheetah. I'd love to take a ride in it haha.

[@SirDrifto]

Definitely do it

[@rcclark8818]

I soloed in a Grumman Trainer, and checked out in the Cheetah and Tiger. You can fly with the canopy wide open at slower speed.

[@SirDrifto]

Very cool!

[@gregmeadors9624]

I owned a 1979 Cheetah and the canopy could not be open more than about six inches during flight regardless of speed. Having it open during takeoff definitely affects your takeoff distance!

[@frankbeck3890]

own a 72 traveler bases at keik great video

[@SirDrifto]

i'll have to come say hello sometime!

[@JustPlaneSilly]

I miss my Grumman

[@SirDrifto]

Time for another!

[@JustPlaneSilly]

@@SirDrifto I wish. I sold it to buy a Comanche to accommodate my growing family. The Grumman was way more fun to fly. If I am ever in a position where I can have a 2nd aircraft, the Grumman is at the top of the list.

[@stuartbrown3444]

Need to check the center section spar for corrosion. Otherwise nice airplane.

[@MrTriath1337]

Cool little plane, but 2-300 fpm and 100kts?

[@SirDrifto]

It was a hot day in the planes defense 😄

[@michellahaie574]

I climb at 500-800 fpm and cruise at 115 kts. Maybe because mine ha 160 hp and a great prop.

[@scotabot7826]

The AA1 had a wicked stall and sadly got a lot of people in bad trouble. Of course by the time the AA5 series came around all of the aerodynamic goblins had been taken care of. The early Yankees made darn good pilots once they were flown correctly. They were nothing like the Cessnas or Pipers. Could be why so many people got into trouble back in the day!!

[@arthurfoyt6727]

I trained in the AA1 and AA1B. The stall was normal. Only issue was when C150 pilots would rent them and think that they would float in like a kite or forget that you needed to switch tanks. Lots of C150 pilots dropped them in hard or "ran out of gas" with one wing full. The plane was not the problem.

[@garymiller5624]

Really did not have a wicked stall. You could walk that plane stalled with rudder in complete control. The plane makes a good pilot because you need to fly it not let it fly you,ala nifty 150😊

[@MrBuddyLuv]

KBJC

[@SirDrifto]

Sure is

[@bodake2557]

Kind of a slow take off for a Grumman

[@SirDrifto]

Welll density altitude that day was pretty high

[@yamilrx]

Prices are way off, the cheetah is in the 80-100k range, the cheaper traveler can be found for 50k+. Pretty cool airplane that doesn't get as much attention but well worth it.

[@tamugrad2007]

I did almost all my initial flight training in the AA5A at Fletcher Aviation at Hobby Airport in Houston. Maybelle Fletcher, a Houston aviation icon, gave me my PP check ride in 1992. These little hod rods are really fun and easy to fly.

[@AlfradiusRodriguez]

Me as well.

[@Gruntos]

I had 280 hrs in the aa5 before getting my vtail and did my IFR training in one. Get the STC upgrade to the cylinders and don’t 30,000 hrs on the wing spars

[@yamilcabrera2111]

Cool plane but you can’t touch a cheetah today for less than 60k and that’s looking hard. I almost bought a traveler which is cheaper about 2 yrs ago for 35k, even those are in the 40-50k range now. I like my warrior a lot but really wanted one one these but price was almost double when I got my warrior July 2021.

[@SirDrifto]

Airplane prices in general are crazy these days

[@KutWrite]

I'm finishing a short story about an adventure I had flying a romantic couple from Fullerton, CA to Catalina in a Gheetah.

[@SirDrifto]

Very cool!!

[@s13whitesilvia]

I flew that exact airplane!!!! I had to double take that tail number. It was a Trainer in Dallas Texas with SlipStream Aviation. I sadly never got to finish my flight training due to being a young college kid. But The AA5A is a super solid airplane and i would always choose it over a Cessna. Thank you for the video man thats a blast from the past

[@SirDrifto]

Small world! Thanks for watching.

[@Agislife1960]

Had a good friend with a Tiger back in the 80's, sliding the canopy back in flight can be addictive

[@SirDrifto]

Great planes

[@SoDakSpeedShop]

Good lord, that’s a sidewalk!!! lol, good video!

[@SirDrifto]

Thanks for watching

[@bobthompson4918]

Got my PPL in these great planes back in 1981. Flew other aircraft (Piper, Cessna etc) but loved the Cheetah and Tiger Grummans the best 😎👍

[@SirDrifto]

There is something cool about these little birds

[@tigerflyer4285]

ProFlight at KAPA? Cecil reimer, Bob Doriss?

[@benjammin1001]

If you like the viz in the AA-5s, you should see what the viz is like in the AA-1 models. (We can also open the canopy. And with the O-320 powered AA-1s, they are even more sports-car like.) kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3mXc5iEh6tpb7c

[@SirDrifto]

I've heard they move

[@benjammin1001]

@@SirDrifto - I guess it depends on what "moving" is.. While Wikipedia says about 121kts -- it's more common for people to have speed mods like gear fairings and other cleanup items putting them around 130-135kts. My 2seater was also upgraded to an O320 and while achieving the same speeds would be easy for me, I have a modest prop pitch on mine to help me get off the ground in the summer. So in cruise, I do about 125kts. And then there are the really modded Grummans with tail-wheels and O-360 engines that do like 160-180kts. They're far fewer in number though.

[@arthurfoyt6727]

@@SirDrifto They HAVE to move! The elevator/stab is just under 8' from tip to tip. The wing on each side is basically just 10'. You have to whisle the AA1 in for landing and take all day to take off. They DO offer great vis in the pattern. Fun to make a tight pattern and see teh runway over your shoulder.

[@tomrodgers6629]

I trained and got my license in one of those. I love the pull over canopy like a jet fighter that is one of the reasons I chose it over the 172 not a huge high wing fan. Love the paint job.

[@SirDrifto]

great plane to get a ppl in!

[@stevepope5484]

I met a nice guy at Paulding County Airport/ he was flying one of these. Flew from Virginia to Dallas Ga.and picked up his passenger.Then back to his starting point. He really spoke highly of that plane's performance/ due to Mainly the lack of drag etc.

[@ianj1851]

Would tall pilots be able to fit in this airplane? I am Interested in buying one. Am 6'3 for reference (longer legs)

[@SirDrifto]

Yes they are quite spacious. I know Craig is 6ft.id definitely recommend just sitting in one and getting a feel. Make sure your knees don't hit the panel

[@SharonBrundage]

@@SirDriftoI owned a cheetah aa5a previously and now own a tiger aa5b. I am 6 foot 8 and I fit comfortably. It is the main reason I decided to purchase a Grumman. Great for tall people. When I sit in a Cherokee 140 my knees bump the throttle too much but not in a Grumman. Tons of head room also.

[@dojoswitzer]

Where are you seeing these sell for $20-50k? I am seeing AA5s listed closer to $70. Are they selling for much less than asking?

[@SirDrifto]

Usual ones with older avionics and high airframe time

[@dojoswitzer]

@@SirDrifto What do you consider older and higher, because I am looking at planes from the 60’ & 70’s with analogue instruments?

[@genxpilot69]

Grumman Traveller with 180-hp conversion, please.

[@wckoek]

This is a good one. The canopy advantage is similar to Socata Rallye I am comparing to. A yoke vs stick on the Rallye makes it a better tourer, much faster and better range as well. Only I suspect that ground handling not as good, but not much opportunity to land in the rough nowadays anyway. What is the T/O and landing distance for the AA5A? Was it a good IFR platform, autopilot?

[@SirDrifto]

It’s a great bird indeed

[@scoutty146]

I have 13 hours in 297 hahaha shame it got messed up in the storm.

[@68orangecrate26]

No airplane is “affordable”…

[@danielchurchill9004]

Solo in this aircraft and loved it!

[@wurlitzer895]

Loved this video. Brought back many memories as I learned to fly, and went 'solo', in a AA5A at the ex-Battle of Britain airfield at Biggin Hill in the UK. The free castoring nosewsheel took some getting used to, for a novice at least. Happy days!!! Thanks so much for uploading this video!! Peter A :) :) :)

[@SirDrifto]

That sounds like a great place.

[@wurlitzer895]

@@SirDrifto Thank you, Sir Drifto. It has a lot of history, as you can imagine, and there are a few reminders of the old airfield still extant, if you know where to look. You may be interested in this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2XXon96j5h1hq8 With all good wishes and kindest regards, Peter A :) :) :)

[@coloradod3649]

I thought I recognized that Grumman from Aspen Flying Club at KAPA.

[@SirDrifto]

It’s a good looking bird

[@chrisr4804]

Density altitude of 8,500 ft to start! wow. That poor plane.

[@SirDrifto]

She's a trooper

[@lynnkramer1211]

Bede did a great job on this, but Fred Weick did better with the Ercoupe 415C. The two aircraft are similar, but the Ercoupe is simpler and and more efficient.

[@SirDrifto]

I'm a sucker for the Ercoupe aswell, they've aged like a fine wine!

[@bjorn1449]

Ercoupe is nice, but similar to AA-5, not so much.

[@GeneralSirDouglasMcA]

The only thing about owning a Grumman is parts availability and finding an A&P qualified to work on them.

[@tigerflyer4285]

Parts available from Fletchair in Texas. An A&P can work on them if they can read and comprehend the Maintenance Manual and Parts Manual, although an experienced Grumman light plane mechanic is preferable. Most common parts needed are on-the-shelf things like batteries, starters, tires, filters, etc.

[@GeneralSirDouglasMcA]

@@tigerflyer4285 Cool. Also, you mention that it cruises at 100 kts at 8.7 gph. For a Cherokee 140/150, that’s pretty decent. But for a Cheetah, not so much. Does this one have a climb prop?

[@arthurfoyt6727]

Parts are cheaper than any plane you'll ever own, thanks to FletchAir and others. Any mechanic can work on them for general maintenance.

[@mzaite]

That's a great looking paint job on that Cheetah!

[@SirDrifto]

Agreed!

[@Glyn69]

Cracking video , thanks for posting

[@SirDrifto]

thanks for watching!

[@2016-m1h]

I like the manual flap lever

[@SirDrifto]

It's a good kind of old school

[@scottnathan2912]

Can you fly it, with the canopy open? open canopy style. lol

[@flowerpowerj485]

Have done all my training in a cheetah

[@SirDrifto]

How did you like it

[@flowerpowerj485]

@@SirDrifto great airplane! A little more sporty than a 172 and the canopy makes summer time flying/taxiing a lot more bearable as you can keep it cracked. Very easy plane to land too like most trainers My favorite thing about the grummans my school has is that they are cheaper to fly and faster than a 172

[@jonwilliam3597]

I had a 1/3 share in an AA5B or tiger back in the early 80's in the UK and loved it. Based at Biggin Hill in Kent I flew virtually everywhere in Europe, did the Malta Air Rally and flew into N. Africa. It was a great aircraft, handled responsively, had good short and rough field performance, good fuel economy for a 180hp engine and you could rely on a 5hr endurance with reserves, wind and weather permitting. Ours was airways equipped with a King KNS80 area nav. which was state of the art at the time. No particular flaws in handling, stalls were easy to correct. The only vice was the torsion bar nose leg. You had to ensure on take off and particularly landing that you kept the weight off the nose gear and did not land on nose gear first or it could result in a ground loop. Other than that highly recommended. I swopped it for another Grumman, the GA7 or Cougar, again a delight to fly but was only 4 seats and could have done with slightly larger engines for a twin. Apparently was going to have larger engines and six seats but never materialized.

[@SirDrifto]

Sounds like a great plane