This is my grandpa Dale’s plane and I’ve spent countless hours in it since I was a little boy. It’s sad that that time has come to an end but it makes me happy to see such a nice video put together about it. Thank you!
I was a Grumman salesman/demo pilot in the late 70's out of Atlanta Fulton County. I went down to Savannah at the very end as Grumman was getting out of the single business. Our dealership bought some of them pretty cheap since Grumman had a field of them and wanted them gone asap. They were and still are fine airplanes. Thanks for the chance to reminisce.
@@nunyabidness3075 Great question. Tight money policy to stem inflation preceded the recession in 81'. Interest rates in 80' were 13.74% & rose to 16.63% in 81'. This effectively killed spending on luxury vehicles like light aircraft. Also, like the post WWII period, general aviation had overbuilt. The supply of new and used planes was greater than demand in a period of recession.
Got almost all my private hours in Cheetahs at Fletcher Aviation at Hobby airport in Houston. Maybelle Fletcher gave me my Private Pilot check ride on my birthday in 1992. She was one of the original 99s. I have probably 85 hours in Grummans. Love these little speedsters.
Back in the 80s I flew all the GA planes. Lynx, Cheetah, Tiger, and the Cougar twin. I loved all of them. The visibility from the cockpit was amazing to someone coming from J-3s and Cessnas. They weren't aerobatic but did handle somewhat like little fighter planes.
Owned a 1979 Tiger, absolute joy to fly. I would take it into LAX to work on it in a hangar I had access to. Initially ATC was a bit perplexed but when I flew final at 115 knots not compromising traffic flow they had no problem and welcomed me with open arms.
Thanks for the tour, Mark. Gained my PPL learning in both the Cheetah and the Tiger at Blackbushe with Cabair in the 90's. Beautiful aircraft. Brought back memories.
In the mid-late 1980's used to own a share in a Grumman AA5A 'Cheetah'. Lovely aircraft. Fast (for its modest horsepower). Frugal fuel consumption. Roomy cabin. Good leg room in the rear. Loads of baggage space (the rear seats folded away to reveal an armoured floor onto which luggage / cargo can be strapped). But the best bit of all was its helicopter-like forward visibility. There's a lot of good to be said about Grumman singles. Happy days.
Just watched the video. Nice job. I have owned both a Cheetah and my current Tiger since 1999. Couple of other items to note. After about mid 1975, the Cheetahs all came with 52 gals. Also, the rear seats of both the Cheetah and Tiger do fold down to make for a very large cargo area. I have heard of some owners actually sleeping back there in a sleeping bag. Just don't sit up to quickly!
Hi Mark. Over my 37 years of flying light aircraft the Grumman Tiger was one of the nicest. Excellent visibility, handling and speed. Great all rounder.
Mark, I really enjoy watching your videos. my friend Jason Scholten and I just brought back a 1973 Grumman Traveler from what was potentially a sad end to a beautiful airplane.
My condolences to Dale, I love to see the pride of ownership in a well maintained and loved plane. Many thanks to Dale for keeping it up so well. I’m the caretaker of a Comanche which I hope to pass onto the next loving caretaker when I reach that time.
Was building a Vari Eze in late 70s. Used to drive out to Mojave airport on Saturdays to have my smaller parts inspected by BURT RUTAN himself. He was just starting to sell his kits. Saw him at the Watsonville Fly-In in 1977 with his Vari Eze. It sure attracted pilots like bees to honey. So I started to build one. Getting to my point. Parked next to his hanger was his Tiger. I figured that was a pretty endorsement. Never had enough money for one. And stopped building my Vari Eze when I got married.
Great video. I like the HUD instruments for the viewer. I've always liked the look of Tigers, lovely aeroplane, useful too, great visibility, good fuel burn, what's not to like. Thanks for sharing 👍😊✌️💜
Thank You Mark and Dale! What a sharp little aircraft. Your videos are always a treat Mark. They do make me miss my home state of California though. I grew up in Glendale (Los Angeles), but my wife and I moved to Kentucky in 1995. Still would love to hear your story Mark, how you came to be in the States, your aviation journey, number of types flown, Etc… I’m not even a pilot and find it all interesting. Keep up the great stuff Mark.
That is In very nice condition, obviously loved and cherished by the owner over the years. Had the privilege of flying in one with friend. Beautiful plane.🇦🇺🇺🇸👍
The new HUD is awesome! Your videos are pretty much all anyone would need to pick wich aircraft they plan to buy... or plan to dream about for years. Nicely done.
Just watched this video and I like the superimposed flight instrument details during the flight sequences. I'm looking at buying a Traveler at the moment and although very different in power and age, I have gained a lot of information just by watching this. Greetings from Willy Buist, Rustenburg, South Africa.
I have several hours in N1194Z, the production line “sister” to this airplane. Flew 94Z out of Eglin AFB Aero Club back in ‘97. They had a couple more Tigers, all 93-94 models at the time. Great cross-country airplane and very fun to fly.
11:18 That is called "A Run Up Mixture Test". We did them at the flight school in the 1990's. Found some airplanes were too rich or too lean mixture. My CFI invented that and put it in his 1995 EFATO 5 kinds video. Even taught that to the test pilot of The Wasabi and T51's and others, i forgot his name now. Do Full Power Mixture test too but with engine not too hot. We did them every Monday as a rule on the school. So if we found something wrong we could send the airplane to the shop with a few days to fix before the busy weekends..
Tiger is one plane I really like but have never got to fly. Seems kinda similar to the vans rv series in handling and style. I flew an RV6a and it was really fun to fly. Maybe one day I will get a chance to fly a tiger although not too many of them around. Great video and a great looking plane!
Never flew the Tiger, but flew a good number of hours in Travelers and Cheetahs. Always wanted to own a Tiger. Loved how responsive the Cheetah is compared to Cessna. And yes, it does get very windy with the canopy open in flight. Love your videos.
Man I love these videos and that plane. My favorite is the one you did on the warrior comparing to the Cherokee. I learned a lot about my warrior . Thanks a lot!
Sorry, but the Traveller was also a 4-seater. It was the 1st 4-seater (AA5) til end of 1975 when the modified AA5A came to the market as the Cheetah. The 2-seater are called yankee clipper, or trainer, or even other names. The Tiger is the AA5B til 1979 when they stopped production. Then in 1989 American General restarted production of the TIGER as AG5B til 1993. In 1999 Tiger aircraft started another line of AG5Bs basically unchanged. There even were a few of AG5Bs with G1000 panels made. Tiger aircraft went bankrupt in 2006. Today all is owned by True flight holdings but no aircraft is being produced so far. They are trying for years to put an 200hp IO-360 with c/s-prop but that’s sort of stalled. I had a 1990 AG5B for a few years. Liked it! Traded it for a Bonanza. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of the Tiger. Especially when it comes to refueling and maintenance… 🙈😉
Mark, thanks for all your videos as they are so well done. That being said and having flown and owned Grummans from their initial introduction, Timm Holzhauer's stated history of the line is entirely accurate and complete. As Timm indicates, you stated in the video that the Traveler is a 2 seat airplane. it is in fact a 4 seat airplane with a 150 hp 0320 Lycoming which later morphed into the Cheetah. Thanks and keep up the good work. I always look forward to your videos.
I have 100+ hours in the cheetah working on my ratings out of Falcon Field in Mesa in the mid 70's. Loved it. Good instrument platform. ILS approaches were a snap, over the outer marker, full flaps, power back, trim and it'll basically fly itself down the glide slope. Hot day in PHX?, roll the canopy back a bit, lol!
I worked on the AG production run in Greenville, MS. It should be noted that there are some rivets on-board, at each end of a bonded joint. THese are anti-peel rivets that stabilize and strengthen the airframe by removing one of the modes that a glue joint can fail. The bonded structures make it a simple plane to build. So simple they were considering offering it as a kit. Any homebuilder would be able to tackle the assembly. THere were some interesting ideas around to develop the airframe. There was one partial airframe sitting in a corner that had been intended to fly on 6 cyl to possibly go after military training. But that was not to be.
Pretty looking Tiger Mark! Many of the aircraft you feature here on the channel I've flown at one time or another. I concur that Grumman Tigers fly nicely and fast!
Had two of 'em. A real pleasure, and a Traveler which was notably less so with the shorter horizontal stab and bull-dozer nose. One correction.... The Traveler, 150hp, was a four seater (a Cheetah w/o the aero clean-up), before LoPresti waved his magic wand. It was the Yankee (ex Jim Bede) that was the two-seat trainer.
The AA5 is my favorite GA single. Points like a little fighter. The Rudder feels a lot stiffer than the Cherokee or 172 since it is short coupled. I've flown Travellers and Cheatahs and other than top speed there is very little difference in how they handle. In Texas that canopy is great...in rainy climes not so much. You can fold all of the seats down and an adult can sleep in it (I have not tried it personally). Fantastic plane.
As a young lad, when I would buy flying magazines, I was always excited when an issue had a Grumman on the cover. Unlike Cessna 172’s and 182’s, which looked like, well, Cessnas, the Grummans looked like little WWII fighter planes. Too bad they didn’t sell better.
A couple of corrections for Mark. One, the Traveler / AA-5 was 150 hp and four seats. Second, the Cheetah / AA-5A was also 150 hp, though some have been modified to 160 hp. The two seaters were all AA-1s, AA-1 to AA-1C. The Tiger is a AA-5B.
love the new "taxi the tiger and show the logo" animation! some smart design features- bonded honeycomb, latches on the engine cover. and now you're telling me it has RV-level of responsive controls? nice. "yes this is a road" is the number one FAQ for this channel.
The Traveler is a 4 seater with an O-320 Lycoming. Same as the Cheetah but the Cheetah and Tiger share a different horizontal tail and cleaner aerodynamics. That’s a good looking plane you’re showing.
One extra thing I just remembered when the owner was on a test flight there were 4 adults on board and the performance was great.@@skywagonuniversity5023
Great video. I have almost 500 hours in Tigers. You should also mention that the rear seat backs are removable and the frames fold forward like a station wagon, giving tremendous volume for cargo. Also, being short, the plane is susceptible to PIO unless you keep the speed under control on landing. Other than that, it’s an incredibly fun and useful aircraft.
As others have noted, the Traveler was the '72-75 150hp four-seater, then aerodynamic improvements turned it into the '76-up 150hp Cheetah (which could have the standard small OR the optional larger fuel tanks) Built earlier were the 2-seat AA1- series, Lynx, Trainer with a standard 108hp, but many of those have since been STC'd to re-engine with 150hp. BTW, the initial design of the Grumman AA1 was the work of Jim Bede, and intended to be a kit-built, who later sold it to Grumman.
It was the late 80's (I was in my mid 40's). I decided I wanted my pilot's license and was getting it. We flew out of Lincoln (just down the hill from you in Placerville, a bit north of Sacramento). Most of the training was in Cessna 152's. But we had a Gruman Tiger. I was doing my second solo cross country. They said 'want to take the Tiger?'. Well, of course I did! The trip was a cross country, including a landing at Livermore (in the rolling hills towards the SF Bay area). I was NOT a very good pilot (student with few hours), and had never been to Livermore. I was flying with radios, charts and ground (freeway) sightings. I thought I knew where I was, but I was 'just a little' off. When I called the tower at Livermore, I did not realize that I was already practically on the airport threshold. But in I came (I believe they gave me a straight-in approach) ---- very hot! Being a novice, I pushed the plane onto the ground ----- and porposed the plane several bumps onto the ground (especially bad with that springy front nosewheel strut). VERY embarrassing. Even tho it was two strikes against me (a late call to the tower and the botched landing), they did not make fun of me (to my face anyway). But it was a great learning experience --- I guess sometimes you learn more by screwing up than being perfect. What a great plane, and very special indeed!
iF FLOATING, just cut the flaps, that will cut the lift. But dont let the nose pull up. keep at 2 feet over runway. Low wingers tend to raise the nose when you cut the flaps, high wingers tend to LOWER THE NOSE INSTEAD.
Actually, the Traveler also has 4 seats and 150/160hp and was the direct basis for the Cheetah/Tiger. The Tiger Vertical and Horizontal fins are the same size as a Cheetah.
I own a traveler, you almost right....:) my cruise is 115mph/120mph 104kts on an lycoming o320 150hp, at 7.5 to 8.5 gallons per hour, best low budget airplane and when its hot as hell that canapy is great, and unlike cessna 172s you don't need hardly any right rudder, the fuel tanks leak like a SOB...but I love mine.
Thanks for another fun video, Mark! Missed the cockpit tour, guessing something happened with the video, stuff happens. Enjoy the HUD too, but seemed like the turn and bank was still turning long after you had rolled out. One suggestion/request: would love it if you mentioned the asking price of the airplanes you’re reviewing that are for sale. Would be fun to know. Thanks again!
The data I used for the overlay comes from the GoPro camera and it isn't 100% accurate. I try to match it up, but yeah ... the turn coordinator looks like it has a meth habit. - Don the Camera Guy.
I'm assuming Grumman intended to sell these to the Navy as trainers. Oh well their loss (the Navy I mean). These seem like such great planes. I love the sliding canopy and smooth lines. Beautiful plane.
Hi JabariHunt! We use an app called Telemetry Overlay. It uses the GPS data from the GoPro to create an approximation of the actual instruments. It isn't 100% accurate, but it does give you a good representation. - Don the Camera Guy.
Thanks Mark and Dale. I’m shopping for a Tiger right now but I’ve never flown one (I got my first airplane ride at 10 years old in a Cheetah). I’ve flown a Cherokee 180 and this appears similar but faster and cooler in the summer. What’s the back seat leg room like compared to a Cherokee 180 or Archer? Are there any disadvantages compared to the Archer? Intended mission is 3 people and baggage x-country touring.
The Traveller is a AA5. Tiger is AA5B. I flew a 172 out of Wellington once and happy to say I learnt to fly at Kapiti. The turbulence out of Wellington was horrific. I admire anyone that learnt to fly there.
@@petersmith8134 Absolutely right. Soloed with the Wellington Aero Club at Paraparaumu in the Grumman, then defected for cost reasons to Gold Coast Air run by Gus Pyper and John Harward and Richard Bull. Finished my PPL on a Bolkow 208 Junior CJH. Late ‘70s.
@@oscarharriet7030 I think I remember a Richard. Red hair? i don't remember Wellington Aero Club being at Paraparaumu. I was at Kapiti District AC early 80's.
@@petersmith8134 weren’t allowed to solo at Wellington so we did so at PPM. Bill Coulter sent me solo there. Gold Coast was further east towards the main highway end of the airport and had the Bolkow, Cherokee 180 DEX, and I think a 182RG. Did my tailwheel in the Gliding club Cubs.
Amazing. Thank you for sharing. I have a 74 Grumman traveler and I love the experience. Question: How do you get the heads-up display on your videos? Thank you and keep doing what you're doing my friend.
180hp in a small package sure makes for a speedy plane. The canopy is reminiscent of a WWII fighter like a P51. If I buy this plane I'd paint my own WWII style noseart. Speedy Gonzales I'd call it, complete with the cartoon character running in a cloud of dust. Arriba!! Arriba!! Andale!! Andale!! And then I'd buy another Grumman Tiger. Except the nose art would feature Sylvester the Cat! 😂
This is my grandpa Dale’s plane and I’ve spent countless hours in it since I was a little boy. It’s sad that that time has come to an end but it makes me happy to see such a nice video put together about it. Thank you!
It is a privilege to help Dale sell it.
I'm sure grandpa Dale would be so happy to see it go to a loving home and pilot. Mark would definitely see to that.
I was a Grumman salesman/demo pilot in the late 70's out of Atlanta Fulton County. I went down to Savannah at the very end as Grumman was getting out of the single business. Our dealership bought some of them pretty cheap since Grumman had a field of them and wanted them gone asap. They were and still are fine airplanes. Thanks for the chance to reminisce.
You should have put a couple in a hangar for the future.
In your opinion, what caused the end of the days of piston planes being sold in great numbers around 1980?
@@nunyabidness3075 Great question. Tight money policy to stem inflation preceded the recession in 81'. Interest rates in 80' were 13.74% & rose to 16.63% in 81'. This effectively killed spending on luxury vehicles like light aircraft. Also, like the post WWII period, general aviation had overbuilt. The supply of new and used planes was greater than demand in a period of recession.
Ever heard of Mobley's Aviation?
@@nunyabidness3075 It was due to falling demand during the 80's Reagan economic boom.
Love my 1978 Tiger ! Painstakingly restored over the last five years. New everything including a Garmin panel.
Got almost all my private hours in Cheetahs at Fletcher Aviation at Hobby airport in Houston. Maybelle Fletcher gave me my Private Pilot check ride on my birthday in 1992. She was one of the original 99s. I have probably 85 hours in Grummans. Love these little speedsters.
Back in the 80s I flew all the GA planes. Lynx, Cheetah, Tiger, and the Cougar twin. I loved all of them. The visibility from the cockpit was amazing to someone coming from J-3s and Cessnas. They weren't aerobatic but did handle somewhat like little fighter planes.
Owned a 1979 Tiger, absolute joy to fly. I would take it into LAX to work on it in a hangar I had access to. Initially ATC was a bit perplexed but when I flew final at 115 knots not compromising traffic flow they had no problem and welcomed me with open arms.
Thanks for the tour, Mark. Gained my PPL learning in both the Cheetah and the Tiger at Blackbushe with Cabair in the 90's. Beautiful aircraft. Brought back memories.
In the mid-late 1980's used to own a share in a Grumman AA5A 'Cheetah'. Lovely aircraft. Fast (for its modest horsepower). Frugal fuel consumption. Roomy cabin. Good leg room in the rear. Loads of baggage space (the rear seats folded away to reveal an armoured floor onto which luggage / cargo can be strapped). But the best bit of all was its helicopter-like forward visibility. There's a lot of good to be said about Grumman singles. Happy days.
Excellent demonstration!!!
Glad you liked it!
Just watched the video. Nice job. I have owned both a Cheetah and my current Tiger since 1999. Couple of other items to note. After about mid 1975, the Cheetahs all came with 52 gals. Also, the rear seats of both the Cheetah and Tiger do fold down to make for a very large cargo area. I have heard of some owners actually sleeping back there in a sleeping bag. Just don't sit up to quickly!
Thanks for all this info. Interesting.
Instructed at a small Grumman dealership. Teaching people how to fly in an AA-1B was like teaching a person how to drive in a Corvette. Loads of fun.
Hi Mark. Over my 37 years of flying light aircraft the Grumman Tiger was one of the nicest. Excellent visibility, handling and speed. Great all rounder.
I can see why.
Love the instrument panel overlay!!
Thanks. That is all Don the Cameraman
@@skywagonuniversity5023 Thanks for the interesting video. Wich source/connection/interface does he use for the instrument overlay?
My first ride was in a cheetah and I’ve been hooked ever since. I can’t thank the pilot and Grumman enough for getting me into aviation.
First flights are always influential.
Mark, I really enjoy watching your videos. my friend Jason Scholten and I just brought back a 1973 Grumman Traveler from what was potentially a sad end to a beautiful airplane.
Ole Jim Bede had a lot of great ideas. This one had the longest legs. Remember him well.
My condolences to Dale, I love to see the pride of ownership in a well maintained and loved plane. Many thanks to Dale for keeping it up so well. I’m the caretaker of a Comanche which I hope to pass onto the next loving caretaker when I reach that time.
The next owner will enjoy it.
Perfect trainer as it lets you experience all facets of flight.
Tiger owner.
Australia
And it's "convertible"
Was building a Vari Eze in late 70s. Used to drive out to Mojave airport on Saturdays to have my smaller parts inspected by BURT RUTAN himself. He was just starting to sell his kits. Saw him at the Watsonville Fly-In in 1977 with his Vari Eze. It sure attracted pilots like bees to honey. So I started to build one. Getting to my point. Parked next to his hanger was his Tiger. I figured that was a pretty endorsement. Never had enough money for one. And stopped building my Vari Eze when I got married.
I learned to fly in the AA1B and loved every minute of it. I feel it made me a better pilot than learning in a 150
Great video. I like the HUD instruments for the viewer. I've always liked the look of Tigers, lovely aeroplane, useful too, great visibility, good fuel burn, what's not to like. Thanks for sharing 👍😊✌️💜
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank You Mark and Dale! What a sharp little aircraft. Your videos are always a treat Mark. They do make me miss my home state of California though. I grew up in Glendale (Los Angeles), but my wife and I moved to Kentucky in 1995. Still would love to hear your story Mark, how you came to be in the States, your aviation journey, number of types flown, Etc… I’m not even a pilot and find it all interesting. Keep up the great stuff Mark.
You missed the crimina mess they have in dirty L A lately.
That is In very nice condition, obviously loved and cherished by the owner over the years. Had the privilege of flying in one with friend. Beautiful plane.🇦🇺🇺🇸👍
Thank you.
Flew checks in a Tiger back in the day. Love that bird.
The new HUD is awesome! Your videos are pretty much all anyone would need to pick wich aircraft they plan to buy... or plan to dream about for years. Nicely done.
HUD? The tiger doesn't have one, never did, and Mark wasn't using one. Do you mean the camera overlay?
I understood what you meant. We are very glad you like our videos. - Don the Camera Guy.
Just watched this video and I like the superimposed flight instrument details during the flight sequences. I'm looking at buying a Traveler at the moment and although very different in power and age, I have gained a lot of information just by watching this. Greetings from Willy Buist, Rustenburg, South Africa.
Hi Willy. Good to hear from you in South Africa. Grummans are great.
You do an amazing job with these videos. Nice plane too.
I talk and fly and Don does all the editing and drone flying.
I have several hours in N1194Z, the production line “sister” to this airplane. Flew 94Z out of Eglin AFB Aero Club back in ‘97. They had a couple more Tigers, all 93-94 models at the time. Great cross-country airplane and very fun to fly.
another of one of the 181 made in that run.
11:18 That is called "A Run Up Mixture Test". We did them at the flight school in the 1990's. Found some airplanes were too rich or too lean mixture. My CFI invented that and put it in his 1995 EFATO 5 kinds video. Even taught that to the test pilot of The Wasabi and T51's and others, i forgot his name now. Do Full Power Mixture test too but with engine not too hot. We did them every Monday as a rule on the school. So if we found something wrong we could send the airplane to the shop with a few days to fix before the busy weekends..
Tiger is one plane I really like but have never got to fly. Seems kinda similar to the vans rv series in handling and style. I flew an RV6a and it was really fun to fly. Maybe one day I will get a chance to fly a tiger although not too many of them around. Great video and a great looking plane!
Never flew the Tiger, but flew a good number of hours in Travelers and Cheetahs. Always wanted to own a Tiger. Loved how responsive the Cheetah is compared to Cessna. And yes, it does get very windy with the canopy open in flight. Love your videos.
I sure do envy your excellent memory. I think you are a walking dictionary of all things aviation 😎🎩♠️
I literally look like I know nothing compared to my Ex-Boss and Mentor.
That was fun Mark, particularly like having my own HUD. Thx!
The HUD is great. That is all Don the Cameraman.
Great little aeroplanes the Tigers, great vis, super controls and quick for a fixed prop.
Yes they are!
Beautiful aircraft.
It sure is!
Man I love these videos and that plane. My favorite is the one you did on the warrior comparing to the Cherokee. I learned a lot about my warrior . Thanks a lot!
Thanks.
Tiger N81078 thank you for 32 great years.
Nice poetry Mark. And Don......
Thanks for listening
@@skywagonuniversity5023 Don's poetry 19:04 .........
Thank you for noticing! - Don the Camera Guy!
Thanks Mark! Love the onscreen graphics! Good stuff all around!
Sorry, but the Traveller was also a 4-seater. It was the 1st 4-seater (AA5) til end of 1975 when the modified AA5A came to the market as the Cheetah. The 2-seater are called yankee clipper, or trainer, or even other names.
The Tiger is the AA5B til 1979 when they stopped production. Then in 1989 American General restarted production of the TIGER as AG5B til 1993. In 1999 Tiger aircraft started another line of AG5Bs basically unchanged. There even were a few of AG5Bs with G1000 panels made. Tiger aircraft went bankrupt in 2006. Today all is owned by True flight holdings but no aircraft is being produced so far. They are trying for years to put an 200hp IO-360 with c/s-prop but that’s sort of stalled.
I had a 1990 AG5B for a few years. Liked it! Traded it for a Bonanza. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of the Tiger. Especially when it comes to refueling and maintenance… 🙈😉
Mark, thanks for all your videos as they are so well done. That being said and having flown and owned Grummans from their initial introduction, Timm Holzhauer's stated history of the line is entirely accurate and complete. As Timm indicates, you stated in the video that the Traveler is a 2 seat airplane. it is in fact a 4 seat airplane with a 150 hp 0320 Lycoming which later morphed into the Cheetah. Thanks and keep up the good work. I always look forward to your videos.
Yeah, caught that immediately. The Traveler was a 4 place, precursor to the Cheetah. The 2 seat trainer was the GA T-Cat (previously the Yankee).
I have 100+ hours in the cheetah working on my ratings out of Falcon Field in Mesa in the mid 70's. Loved it. Good instrument platform. ILS approaches were a snap, over the outer marker, full flaps, power back, trim and it'll basically fly itself down the glide slope. Hot day in PHX?, roll the canopy back a bit, lol!
Very cool!
What a neat little plane! - Loved the upgraded intro and, as a Crunchie lover, loved the Crunchie reference - top stuff Mark!
Glad you enjoyed it
I worked on the AG production run in Greenville, MS.
It should be noted that there are some rivets on-board, at each end of a bonded joint. THese are anti-peel rivets that stabilize and strengthen the airframe by removing one of the modes that a glue joint can fail.
The bonded structures make it a simple plane to build. So simple they were considering offering it as a kit. Any homebuilder would be able to tackle the assembly.
THere were some interesting ideas around to develop the airframe. There was one partial airframe sitting in a corner that had been intended to fly on 6 cyl to possibly go after military training. But that was not to be.
Thank you, interesting inside info.
Because of the strength of the design, could it be refitted with the new small turbine engines for GA?
Pretty looking Tiger Mark! Many of the aircraft you feature here on the channel I've flown at one time or another. I concur that Grumman Tigers fly nicely and fast!
Look at you Mark with that fancy intro taxi graphic, you've reached the big leagues of production buddy
"Big leagues of production ..." You made me laugh with that one! Thanks for the compliment! - Don the Camera Guy
@@skywagonuniversity5023 your graphic is awesome.. check spelling of university.
Love this with the view of your airspeed and altimeter and rate of climb your vertical instrument
In my defence, I may have been drinknig. - Don the Camera Guide.
@@hummelaircraft good eye
Had two of 'em. A real pleasure, and a Traveler which was notably less so with the shorter horizontal stab and bull-dozer nose. One correction.... The Traveler, 150hp, was a four seater (a Cheetah w/o the aero clean-up), before LoPresti waved his magic wand. It was the Yankee (ex Jim Bede) that was the two-seat trainer.
I own a 77 Grumman Tiger and I LOVE IT! Best bang for the buck!
I would love a ride I live in Modesto,CA I'm a RC pilot love aviation!! Good job!!
Love this channel, you give the perfect amount of information.
Glad you enjoy it!
The AA5 is my favorite GA single. Points like a little fighter. The Rudder feels a lot stiffer than the Cherokee or 172 since it is short coupled. I've flown Travellers and Cheatahs and other than top speed there is very little difference in how they handle. In Texas that canopy is great...in rainy climes not so much. You can fold all of the seats down and an adult can sleep in it (I have not tried it personally). Fantastic plane.
Thank you.
Thank you! That is an interesting plane.
Love this airport you fly out of. Beautiful scenery.
It is an island in the trees.
mARK, YOU DO A WONDERFUL JOB ON ALL OF THESE...tHANK yOU !
Thank you.
Loved flying them Mark
As a young lad, when I would buy flying magazines, I was always excited when an issue had a Grumman on the cover. Unlike Cessna 172’s and 182’s, which looked like, well, Cessnas, the Grummans looked like little WWII fighter planes. Too bad they didn’t sell better.
They were supposedly too twitchy as a primary trainer, but I did not find it as such at all.
beautiful......
Thanks a lot
A couple of corrections for Mark. One, the Traveler / AA-5 was 150 hp and four seats. Second, the Cheetah / AA-5A was also 150 hp, though some have been modified to 160 hp. The two seaters were all AA-1s, AA-1 to AA-1C. The Tiger is a AA-5B.
Yes, Thank you. There is so much to remember.
love the new "taxi the tiger and show the logo" animation!
some smart design features- bonded honeycomb, latches on the engine cover. and now you're telling me it has RV-level of responsive controls? nice.
"yes this is a road" is the number one FAQ for this channel.
I can't believe these aren't being built today. Everybody seems to want one.
True.
great video and plane thanks
Thanks for watching!
The Traveler is a 4 seater with an O-320 Lycoming. Same as the Cheetah but the Cheetah and Tiger share a different horizontal tail and cleaner aerodynamics. That’s a good looking plane you’re showing.
Thanks for the info!
the aero club had a trial of one of these and I did a cross country in one.
Did you like it?
Yes it was an easy plane to fly. @@skywagonuniversity5023
One extra thing I just remembered when the owner was on a test flight there were 4 adults on board and the performance was great.@@skywagonuniversity5023
Great video. I have almost 500 hours in Tigers. You should also mention that the rear seat backs are removable and the frames fold forward like a station wagon, giving tremendous volume for cargo. Also, being short, the plane is susceptible to PIO unless you keep the speed under control on landing. Other than that, it’s an incredibly fun and useful aircraft.
I did not know about the rear seats. Interesting. It was the first Tiger I'd flown.
Owned a 76 tiger paid $43 thousand, light controls felt like fighter but easy to fly and land. Reasonable range and cruise speed. Great aircraft.
Exactly.
Sold those brand new for 16k full IFR then. Crazy
As others have noted, the Traveler was the '72-75 150hp four-seater, then aerodynamic improvements turned it into the '76-up 150hp Cheetah (which could have the standard small OR the optional larger fuel tanks) Built earlier were the 2-seat AA1- series, Lynx, Trainer with a standard 108hp, but many of those have since been STC'd to re-engine with 150hp. BTW, the initial design of the Grumman AA1 was the work of Jim Bede, and intended to be a kit-built, who later sold it to Grumman.
Thank for the info.
Very nice. New pilot looking for a plane. I've looked at some tigers, this makes me want one.
Go for it!
@@skywagonuniversity5023 I went and looked. If i miss this one, I may contact you to help me look.
It was the late 80's (I was in my mid 40's). I decided I wanted my pilot's license and was getting it. We flew out of Lincoln (just down the hill from you in Placerville, a bit north of Sacramento). Most of the training was in Cessna 152's. But we had a Gruman Tiger. I was doing my second solo cross country. They said 'want to take the Tiger?'. Well, of course I did! The trip was a cross country, including a landing at Livermore (in the rolling hills towards the SF Bay area). I was NOT a very good pilot (student with few hours), and had never been to Livermore. I was flying with radios, charts and ground (freeway) sightings. I thought I knew where I was, but I was 'just a little' off. When I called the tower at Livermore, I did not realize that I was already practically on the airport threshold. But in I came (I believe they gave me a straight-in approach) ---- very hot! Being a novice, I pushed the plane onto the ground ----- and porposed the plane several bumps onto the ground (especially bad with that springy front nosewheel strut). VERY embarrassing. Even tho it was two strikes against me (a late call to the tower and the botched landing), they did not make fun of me (to my face anyway). But it was a great learning experience --- I guess sometimes you learn more by screwing up than being perfect. What a great plane, and very special indeed!
iF FLOATING, just cut the flaps, that will cut the lift. But dont let the nose pull up. keep at 2 feet over runway. Low wingers tend to raise the nose when you cut the flaps, high wingers tend to LOWER THE NOSE INSTEAD.
William Blake - The Tiger ... Always great videos on multiple levels. Thank you!
Sp[der. Spider. Burning Bright
In the forests of the night.
Nice! Might have to come check this out!!!
Cool graphic at start of video!!
I'm glad you like it
@@skywagonuniversity5023 yeah, your editor rocks! Cannot help but to notice his awesome progression!
Looks like it is easy to land. Really cool airplane.
lands itself nearly.
Somebody beat me to it regarding models, but they’re spot on. Cool intro with the logo!
Very nice Tiger...fighter like
Nimble.
Actually, the Traveler also has 4 seats and 150/160hp and was the direct basis for the Cheetah/Tiger.
The Tiger Vertical and Horizontal fins are the same size as a Cheetah.
Where was this video made? Beautiful country.
Placerville, CA. KPVF. It really is beautiful here.
I own a traveler, you almost right....:) my cruise is 115mph/120mph 104kts on an lycoming o320 150hp, at 7.5 to 8.5 gallons per hour, best low budget airplane and when its hot as hell that canapy is great, and unlike cessna 172s you don't need hardly any right rudder, the fuel tanks leak like a SOB...but I love mine.
Thanks for another fun video, Mark! Missed the cockpit tour, guessing something happened with the video, stuff happens. Enjoy the HUD too, but seemed like the turn and bank was still turning long after you had rolled out. One suggestion/request: would love it if you mentioned the asking price of the airplanes you’re reviewing that are for sale. Would be fun to know. Thanks again!
The data I used for the overlay comes from the GoPro camera and it isn't 100% accurate. I try to match it up, but yeah ... the turn coordinator looks like it has a meth habit. - Don the Camera Guy.
@@skywagonuniversity5023 hey, it’s all good as long as the turn and bank in the airplane doesn’t have a meth habit!!
@@skywagonuniversity5023Heisenberg has entered the chat. 😂
Great plane. Needs an io-390 and a constant speed prop.
Beautiful aircraft that flies remarkably well. Who makes replacement parts for the Grummans these days and are they reasonably affordable?
Fletchair has spares.
I'm assuming Grumman intended to sell these to the Navy as trainers. Oh well their loss (the Navy I mean). These seem like such great planes. I love the sliding canopy and smooth lines. Beautiful plane.
Grumman never intended to market these to the Navy I assure you!
The traveller was always my pick .
The Traveler was 4 seat 150 HP predecessor to the Cheetah.
I have plenty of hours in Tiger's and a few in Cheetah's. Very straight forward simple aircraft to fly and maintain.
need to do Cutlass and Cardinal!
I have a Cutlass here on the field that we might be able to do.
Thanks for rhe video! What app do you use for the 5 pack on screen?
Hi JabariHunt! We use an app called Telemetry Overlay. It uses the GPS data from the GoPro to create an approximation of the actual instruments. It isn't 100% accurate, but it does give you a good representation. - Don the Camera Guy.
Seems like a kind of predecessor to the Columbia 400/cessna ttx.
I took my initial flight training in Grumman.....all 3!
Wow how bought a piper pacer or 150 tail dragger.Cool what we say in Alaska.
A 150 Taildragger is going to be in the next few weeks. Straight tail too.
Great looking plane. You sell it yet?
Yes. It was sold very quickly.
Ironically, i was LITERALLY jsut starting to look at one of these. Looking for something that would be a good time builder.
They are very good trainers and then fast and practical enough to keep afterwards.
Thanks Mark and Dale. I’m shopping for a Tiger right now but I’ve never flown one (I got my first airplane ride at 10 years old in a Cheetah). I’ve flown a Cherokee 180 and this appears similar but faster and cooler in the summer. What’s the back seat leg room like compared to a Cherokee 180 or Archer? Are there any disadvantages compared to the Archer? Intended mission is 3 people and baggage x-country touring.
It is about the same size as a Cherokee, Narrower and shorter and sportier. Same everything else like fuel burn and engine type but it is faster.
@@skywagonuniversity5023 Thanks Mark
Don, mad editing skills with that logo reveal intro!
Thank you, Karen! - Don the Camera Guy
I had a TR2 9999L two-place, very nice planes
Excellent review of an excellent a/c.. soloed in a 150hp AA5B Traveller at Wellington Aero Club. Wonder how wide the cabin is?
The Traveller is a AA5. Tiger is AA5B. I flew a 172 out of Wellington once and happy to say I learnt to fly at Kapiti. The turbulence out of Wellington was horrific. I admire anyone that learnt to fly there.
@@petersmith8134 Absolutely right. Soloed with the Wellington Aero Club at Paraparaumu in the Grumman, then defected for cost reasons to Gold Coast Air run by Gus Pyper and John Harward and Richard Bull. Finished my PPL on a Bolkow 208 Junior CJH. Late ‘70s.
@@oscarharriet7030 I think I remember a Richard. Red hair? i don't remember Wellington Aero Club being at Paraparaumu. I was at Kapiti District AC early 80's.
@@petersmith8134 weren’t allowed to solo at Wellington so we did so at PPM. Bill Coulter sent me solo there. Gold Coast was further east towards the main highway end of the airport and had the Bolkow, Cherokee 180 DEX, and I think a 182RG. Did my tailwheel in the Gliding club Cubs.
@@petersmith8134 Tony Harcourt instructing then?
I got the feeling that this guy knew very little about the Tiger or any other plane in the line.
Watch some other videos and then start a RUclips channel of your own to do a better job.
Your statement sadly shows that you lack any knowledge. Embarrassing yourself, imho, but … to each their own.
Amazing. Thank you for sharing. I have a 74 Grumman traveler and I love the experience.
Question: How do you get the heads-up display on your videos? Thank you and keep doing what you're doing my friend.
The heads up display comes from the Go-Pro info. Don the cameraman does it all.
Great plane for a Jim Bede design 🙂
Is that really who designed it?
@@skywagonuniversity5023 Yes, it was the BD-1 which became the Yankee and the rest is history.
The Tiger seems to have such well harmonised control and is very responsive. What aerobatics is it capable of please?
It's not specifically an aerobatic plane.
Hi Mark, do you have a Cherokee six 300 you could talk about?
Great video!
We have already done a Cherokee six, Lance, Saratoga and all the PA 28's. Look under Skywagon University.
180hp in a small package sure makes for a speedy plane. The canopy is reminiscent of a WWII fighter like a P51. If I buy this plane I'd paint my own WWII style noseart. Speedy Gonzales I'd call it, complete with the cartoon character running in a cloud of dust. Arriba!! Arriba!! Andale!! Andale!! And then I'd buy another Grumman Tiger. Except the nose art would feature Sylvester the Cat! 😂