GRUMMAN/AMERICAN GENERAL

The Grumman American AA-5 series is a group of all-metal, four-seat, light aircraft designed for touring and training purposes. The line comprises the American Aviation AA-5 Traveler, 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.
In 1969, American Aviation achieved success with its two-seat light aircraft AA-1 Yankee Clipper. As a result, the company decided to produce a four-seat plane and began designing the American Aviation AA-2 Patriot. However, the AA-2 design failed to meet its performance goals during test flights, and only one was built. In need of a four-seat aircraft to fill its product line, the company opted to enlarge the external and cabin dimensions of the AA-1 Yankee to create the four-seater. The new aircraft, named the American Aviation AA-5 Traveler, featured a Lycoming O-320-E2G engine of 150 horsepower and would carry four people at a cruise speed of 121 knots (224 km/h), certified under US FAR Part 23. Production had begun in 1971 when American Aviation was sold to Grumman, which continued production of the Traveler. Production of this model ceased in 1975 after 834 units were built. A redesign in 1974 resulted in the 1975 model Traveler, featuring an aerodynamic cleanup of the engine cowling and main landing gear fairings, but the tail section remained unchanged. Consequently, the 1975 Traveler had a cruise speed of 127 knots (235 km/h). The Traveler was succeeded by the further refined AA-5A Cheetah in 1976.