Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Steve said:Thanks for the info bigD. Do you know anything about the airframe? Ive readt that it is bonded (glued) together and has almost no rivets, is this correct. I though I read something about an AD on the glue a few years back.
FutureTEDpilot said:My dad had a Grumman Cougar in 1979. Flew it from our farm in South Dakota to MSP for his trips (NWA Pilot)
Always loved that plane, may buy one in the future, heck maybe I will buy it from you when you are done? I had a BE-55 last year, little nicer but $$$$ to operate!
Good luck
bigD said:Yes - it is bonded, and the airframe is smooth. I think this is how Grumman managed to get Seminole/Duchess like performance on less horsepower and a wider airframe. Unfortunately I can't say about an AD on the glue, although I have been told that there are no recurring AD's for the airframe. Don't know if that's true or not - I didn't verify for myself.
Another interesting tidbit about the Cougar is that it doesn't have a Janitrol heater in the nose - it uses the same exhaust shroud method that most singles use. I was told way back when learning to fly twins that the Janitrol was necessary because by the time you piped the heat from the nacelles and into the cabin, the air has already cooled off. Wrongo - you'll cook inside that cabin with the heat on. It's pretty impressive, and one less MX item to deal with as well (although of course beware of CO).
pilotmiketx makes an interesting point - if you're just buying this airplane for time building (meaning you won't be holding on to it for a long period of time), you may want to consider the fact that a GA-7 might be harder to sell down the line.
Steve said:I am looking to hold onto it for at least a few years and use to travel for business. I also read that the inner spar is life limited to around 5,000 hours? Is that a life ending part like it is in the Seminole?
pilotmiketx said:If you want to keep $50K in the bank, you could always spring for a nice Apache. You won't have any choice, but to build time.![]()
Steve said:Thanks for the info bigD. Do you know anything about the airframe? Ive read that it is bonded (glued) together and has almost no rivets, is this correct. I though I read something about an AD on the glue a few years back.
siucavflight said:The engines are counter rotating
You are right, I was thinking about the Duchess, the Cougar is not counter rotating, damn it is too early in the morning, nice catch.bigD said:You sure about this? The one I flew had two O320-D1D's on it. I don't think Grumman built other GA-7's any differently.
bigD said:I know parts are a lot harder to find, making them more expensive. But it didn't seem to be a very troublesome airplane.