Grumman AA-5 Operating tips

[Nimrod615]

About to start operating one of these and having only had a couple of hours in one would like to know a bit more about it.

I've read the POH before anyone suggests that.

I'm just after a few personal observations from owners/operators.

Many thanks in advance.

Nim

[RatherBeFlying]

Lucky You, It's a lovely airplane.
Anyway a few cautionary tales:
On one checkout on an AA-5B with long range tanks, the instructor asked if his buddy could come along in the back seat and I said yes. Both were stocky types and my first landing flare resulted in a stall a few knots earlier than I expected. Later review of the POH showed that we were overgross:ouch:

On another AA-5A checkout in Calgary at 3500' on a nice warm Summer day, the instructor demonstrated leaning for best power before take off. Subsequent takeoff went well; on landing did standard checks including mixture full rich; did touch and go; observed gophers diving into their holes while climbing very slowly until flying over dropoff into valley:\

Flew into Philadelphia from Toronto; cleared customs; then departed for small field. Too fast to land on first attempt on shorter runway; second attempt managed landing because latter third of runway had a incline climbing to higher portion:ouch: Remember to adjust approach speed to gross weight after long flight.

Sadly another pilot wrote off the a/c when he forced it on the ground after approaching too fast. Do NOT land on the nosewheel.

Full flaps add a minor amount of drag, but every bit of drag is needed.

I'd advise long runways while you're getting familiar. On shorter runways, if it's not landing at the threshold, take it around.

[OwnNav]

I was told to keep the weight off the nosewheel as much as possible but I was operating from Doncaster (UK) which was an 800m grass strip with a few lumps in it. Nice aeroplane though, only grumble was the sliding hood which allowed everything to get wet if raining which is usual in UK weather !

[Spitoon]

Although it's a very long time ago, I did most of my training in AAs of various descriptions. At the time it had a reputation in the bar for having quirky handling characteristics and being unforgiving of sloppy piloting. Of course, I had nothing to compare it to but I still managed to get a licence. During my training maintaining the correct airspeed was drummed into me, but I'm sure every u/t gets that. Having flown other types since I now realise that it really matters for the AAs, particularly when landing. Get the speed over the threshold right and the flare and landing are quite easy to achieve, a few knots extra and it will bounce and float (and fload), and even if then handled correctly, the speed bleeds off very slowly. As mentioned by others, the nosewheel will fail if you try to land on it or drive it into the ground in some other way. A common accident scenario was to drop the nose when floating along the runway in an attempt to get on the ground - not a good idea, saw it happen once (although, to be fair, the rest of the aircraft is very robust and the only thing injured was pride). In other respects I didn't find it very different to PA28s etc., but I don't think I've ever flown anything with a better view.

[flyingsteve55]

Concur with all spitoon writes. I did my PPL in AA5A. Enjoyed it despite being a'tired' old plane. Absolutely agree getting the approach right and everything will drop into place. One "sage" told me not to take it on grass but have many succesful visits to grass fields, Thruxton, Sandown, Goodwood come to mind. Cross wind landings have always given me a bit more to think about than the PA28, and I can honestly say I still haven't managed one I would want to boast about. The only other thing I have managed is getting the nose wheel to shimmy - I believe this is due to landing too flat. All in all enjoyed the AA5 just a shame it doesn't cart much weight around - really a 2+2 I'd say.

[Nimrod615]

Thanks people.
All pretty much what I thought so far. Especially with the nose-wheel bit. Funnily enough I will be operating from an 800m grass strip. I'll be getting my teeth into her for a few weeks then checking out hirers (100hrs+ only though).
Any more tid bits will be appreciated.
Happy (correct landing attitude) landings :}
Nim

[Yankee]

Nimrod
Assume you have checked out all the usual Grumman sites.
Owners club www.aya.org
Grumman forum www.grumman.net
European Grumman flyers www.grumpygang.org
and as you seem to hale from the Bournemouth area www.echoecho.co.uk
The latter is a Grumman group who have operated a AA5 and two 5B's since 1981 and based at EGHH. If in fact you are locally based PM me for a meet up at the local club.

[gcolyer]

Yep them AA5's like to float if you don't get your speed right.

As for the shimmying it i usualy down to 3 things.

1) Taxying to fast
2) Shot nose wheel bearing
3) Bearing on the caster (if thats what it is called)

The bearings being shot are quiet common on the AA5's.

Other than that great aeroplane. Unfortunatley the mong that fly's mine now and again took the prop and engine out by duffing up a cross wind landing and failing to go around!

[dont overfil]

POH says nothing about using flap for takeoff but I like to use about 10 degrees for grass fields.

[gcolyer]

5-10% flap will be fine for take off. Let her sit in ground effect and build an extra couple of kts before you try to climb though.