Target Audience:
Private pilots, flight schools, rental operators, and DIY aircraft owners
Intended Use:
Primary training, personal transportation, and light utility flying
Key Advantage:
Stainless steel roll cage and bonded aluminum structure giving high strength-to-weight
Handling Character:
Docile, stable handling well suited to students and low-time pilots
Main Rivals:
Cessna 152/172, Piper PA-28 Cherokee series
Performance Advantage:
Slipper wing design delivers efficient cruise speed relative to installed horsepower
Structural Advantage:
Bonded aluminum honeycomb construction reduces rivet count and corrosion points
Economy Advantage:
Low fuel burn and simple fixed-gear design reduce operating cost
Airframe:
All-metal, semi-monocoque bonded structure
Wing:
Grumman American 'slipper' wing with fixed tricycle landing gear
Visibility:
Large cabin glass area with wraparound windshield
Control System:
Pushrod and cable aileron controls for direct response
Manual Type:
Service, repair, and workshop manual for owners and licensed maintenance personnel
Coverage Areas:
Airframe, powerplant, systems, electrical, maintenance procedures, and inspection data
Page Count:
N/A - page count shown at checkout for this download
Delivery Method:
Instant digital download
Requirements:
PDF reader on computer, tablet, or smartphone; printable
Engine Section:
Lycoming O-320 / O-360 series operation, disassembly, inspection, and overhaul data
Fuel System:
Wing tanks, fuel selector, strainer, and carburetor servicing
Lubrication System:
Oil sump, cooler, filter, and pressure relief components
Ignition System:
Magnetos, harness, spark plugs, and timing procedures
Propeller Group:
Fixed-pitch propeller installation, inspection, and tracking
Landing Gear:
Main gear, nose gear, oleo struts, and wheel/brake servicing
Flight Controls:
Aileron, elevator, rudder, trim system rigging and cable tension data
Electrical System:
Battery, alternator, starter, wiring schematics, and circuit protection
Avionics and Instruments:
Pitot-static system, gyro instruments, and panel layout
Environmental System:
Cabin heat, defrost, and ventilation ducting
Inspection Procedures:
100-hour and annual inspection checklists and acceptance criteria
Structural Repair:
Skin, spar, and bonded structure repair limits and methods
Rigging Procedures:
Control surface travel limits, angles, and rigging instructions
Torque Values:
Fastener and nutplate torque tables
Troubleshooting Charts:
Engine, electrical, fuel, and landing gear fault isolation
Alignment and Rigging Checks:
Engine mount alignment and landing gear alignment procedures
Servicing Data:
Fluid capacities, tire pressures, and servicing intervals
Illustrations:
Exploded views, schematics, and detail drawings
Level:
Workshop-level detail for A&P mechanics and qualified owners
Specifications:
Complete limits, tolerances, and fits where published by the manufacturer
Special Tools:
Identified where required for specific procedures
Companion Documents:
Use with current FAA-approved service bulletins and AD compliance records
Part Identification:
Component names and reference designations used in assembly views
Part Numbers:
Manufacturer part numbers included where published in the manual
Parts Source Guidance:
N/A - order current illustrated parts catalog separately for sourcing
File Format:
PDF (searchable, bookmarked, zoomable)
Compatibility:
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android — any device with a PDF reader
Requirements:
A PDF reader application (e.g. Adobe Acrobat Reader, free)
Searchability:
Fully text searchable for fast lookup of any topic
Print Quality:
High-resolution digital pages, printable at full clarity
Binding Type:
N/A — digital download, no physical binding
Paper Type:
N/A — digital download, no physical paper
Engine Model:
Lycoming O-320-E2G (Traveler) / O-320 series (Cheetah) / O-360-A4K (Tiger)
Configuration:
Four-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed, direct drive
Displacement:
319.8 cu in (5.24 L) O-320; 361 cu in (5.9 L) O-360
Rated Power:
150 hp (O-320-E2G); 180 hp at 2700 rpm (O-360-A4K)
Cruise Speed (Traveler):
Approximately 122 mph / 106 kt at 75% power
Cruise Speed (Tiger):
Approximately 145 mph / 126 kt at 75% power
Rate of Climb (Traveler):
Approximately 660 fpm at sea level
Service Ceiling:
Approximately 12,650 ft (Traveler)
Fuel Grade:
100LL avgas (originally 80/87 or 100/130 depending on engine stc status)
Total Fuel Capacity:
24 US gal (two 12-gal wing tanks); Tiger approximately 51 gal optional
Usable Fuel:
22 US gal (Traveler standard tanks)
Fuel Delivery:
Gravity-fed carburetor system with fuel strainer
Carburetor:
Marvel-Schebbler MA-4SPA float-type
Wingspan:
31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
Length:
21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
Height:
7 ft 11 in (2.41 m)
Wheelbase:
Approximately 6 ft 9 in nose-to-main axle
Wing Area:
103.2 sq ft (9.59 sq m)
Standard Empty Weight (Traveler):
Approximately 1,202 lb (545 kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight:
2,200 lb (998 kg); 2,400 lb (Tiger with gross weight kit)
Useful Load (Traveler):
Approximately 998 lb
Max Baggage:
Approximately 80 lb aft of seats (per placard)
Crash Test Data:
N/A - light general aviation aircraft are not consumer crash-test rated
Structural Design:
Stainless steel roll cage and cabin structure designed to protect occupants
Flight Controls:
Dual control wheels in most trainer configurations
Brakes:
Hydraulically actuated toe brakes on rudder pedals
Restraints:
Lap belts (shoulder harnesses per installed STC/configuration)
Fuel Tank Location:
Inboard wing tanks with limited impact exposure
Stall Characteristics:
Predictable stall with docile wing-drop behavior
Standard Equipment (Era):
Analog airspeed, altimeter, VSI, compass, and engine gauges
Radio:
Period-installed VHF nav/com equipment (type varies by aircraft)
Audio:
N/A - no entertainment audio system in this aircraft type
Driver Assistance / Flight Aids
Autopilot:
Simple wing-leveler/position-hold units installed by option only
GPS:
N/A - not fitted at factory; after-market installations vary by aircraft
Transponder:
Mode C transponder on most example aircraft
Annual Inspection:
Required by FAR 91.409 for all aircraft; every 12 calendar months
100-Hour Inspection:
Required if used for hire or flight training for compensation
Oil Change:
Every 50 hours of operation or 4 months, whichever comes first
Spark Plug Service:
Clean, gap, and rotate every 100 hours
Engine Oil:
Aviation grade per Lycoming specification; viscosity per ambient temperature chart (e.g., 15W-50 or 100 grade)
Brake Fluid:
MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid
Shock Strut Fluid:
MIL-H-5606 per maintenance manual capacity data
Known Issues / Common Wear
Corrosion Points:
Bonded joint edges and lower wing skin areas should be inspected for corrosion
Nose Gear:
Nose strut servicing and shimmy damper maintenance are frequent items
Exhaust System:
Cracks in muffler and stack welds - inspect each annual/100-hour
Control Cables:
Check cable tension and wear at pulleys per rigging section
Fuel Selector:
Stiff operation in older aircraft - inspect and lubricate per manual
Manufacturer:
Grumman American Aviation Corporation (formerly American Aviation Corporation)
Heritage:
Derived from the American Aviation AA-1 Yankee design family
Successor Brands:
Design rights later passed to Gulfstream American, then American General, and Tiger Aircraft
AA5 Traveler (1971-1975):
Original 150 hp four-seat model
AA5A Cheetah (1976-1979):
Updated 150 hp variant with revised wing and interior
AA5B Tiger (1975-1979):
180 hp O-360-powered high-performance variant
Production Total:
Approximately 3,300 AA5-family aircraft built in the 1970s
Assembly Plant:
Savannah, Georgia, USA (Grumman American facility)