Grumman GA7 question

[siucavflight]

I fly one as well, and got me ME in a Duchess BE-76

The GA7 flies better than the Duchess, much more docil during an engine failure, due to that huge rudder. Vmc is actually below Vso. The engines are counter rotating.

I flew it for 3.0 yesterday and put 44 gallons in it. This might be a little conservative though due to the fact that we were practicing engine outs.

 

[bigD]

The engines are counter rotating

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.

 

[siucavflight]

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.

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.

 

[BoilerUP]

Do you fly that GA7 in the Chicago area owned by the flying club? I've seen that one down in LAF a time or two being flown by some Ninety Nines members.

Ron Levy on the AOPA boards has owned a GA7 for years, that might be a good place to look for info if you are an AOPA member.

 

[ms6073]

I know parts are a lot harder to find, making them more expensive. But it didn't seem to be a very troublesome airplane.

Parts may be a problem for the Cougar as to my knowledge, Fletcher Aviation in Houston (http://www.fletchair.com/) is one of only a few companies left with PMA for parts (like engine and flight control linkages) for the Gruman aircraft like the Cougar.

 

[FutureTEDpilot]

I have owned several hotrod aerobatic planes, Extra's/Pitts's/Eagles's

For a spam can you cannot beat the Grumman line, not to mention it was really easy to sell one, mostly I would have my AA1-C Sold before it went to print in Trade-a-Plane. Same with the Tiger and Cheetah I had.

 

[erj-145mech]

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?

According to the Type Certificate Data Sheet for the GA-7, the inboard spar assy 1W10201-1 has a service life of 47,674 hours. Shouldn't be too much of a factor unless you put 40,000 hours on it.

 

[NuGuy]

Parts may be a problem for the Cougar as to my knowledge, Fletcher Aviation in Houston (http://www.fletchair.com/) is one of only a few companies left with PMA for parts (like engine and flight control linkages) for the Gruman aircraft like the Cougar.

This is true. The other thing is that EADS Socata bought the Cougar type certificate from the estate of the last defunct American General (last owners of the old Grumman certificates...NOT the people who own those types now). I haven't heard of them doing anything with it, including doing any kind of parts support.

You might try the American Yankee Association, as they are the type club for all Grumman birds (www.aya.org). Those type clubs, like the Cessna Pilots Association, are always tied right into the parts scene, and if they can't help, probably no one can.

Nu

 

[TIS]

The engines are counter rotating.

Uhh, no they're not - not on a GA-7.

 

[siucavflight]

Uhh, no they're not - not on a GA-7.

See post 18.

 

[TIS]

Oops. Missed that one. Sorry.

TIS

 

[siucavflight]

Oops. Missed that one. Sorry.

TIS

No problem, sometimes I have so many different planes and numbers floating around in my head that I forget which one is which.

 

[Steve]

According to the Type Certificate Data Sheet for the GA-7, the inboard spar assy 1W10201-1 has a service life of 47,674 hours. Shouldn't be too much of a factor unless you put 40,000 hours on it.

Thanks for looking that info up.

Do you have any experience fixing light twins after gear up landings? I am looking at a GA-7 that had a gear up (pilot error, just didnt put the gear handle down) and was wondering what a ballpark would be? I'd assume the props are trash and the engines would need complete rebuilds?

 

[erj-145mech]

I've repaired several airplanes that have bellied in. The one that I hated was on a brand new Piper Seneca, 15 hours on the clock. New owner was getting checked out, and pulled the gear control breaker to silence the horn while doing single engine maneuvers. They had the nav lights on so the gear indicator lights were dim, threw the handle down on downwind, and made such a pretty landing, real short though.

The problem with repairing a Cougar is that its an orphan, the mechanic will most likely have to fabricate formers and skins from sheet stock. Check the motor mount tubular structure for cracks and buckling also. That energy from the prop strikes has to be transferred somewhere. There's a new Lycoming AD Note out to replace the crank gear bolt on prop strikes too. You might get away with leaving the pistons in the cylinders on the engine teardown and just tackle the bottom end of the engine, depending on the time on the engine.

 

[Steve]

I've repaired several airplanes that have bellied in. The one that I hated was on a brand new Piper Seneca, 15 hours on the clock. New owner was getting checked out, and pulled the gear control breaker to silence the horn while doing single engine maneuvers. They had the nav lights on so the gear indicator lights were dim, threw the handle down on downwind, and made such a pretty landing, real short though.

The problem with repairing a Cougar is that its an orphan, the mechanic will most likely have to fabricate formers and skins from sheet stock. Check the motor mount tubular structure for cracks and buckling also. That energy from the prop strikes has to be transferred somewhere. There's a new Lycoming AD Note out to replace the crank gear bolt on prop strikes too. You might get away with leaving the pistons in the cylinders on the engine teardown and just tackle the bottom end of the engine, depending on the time on the engine.

I thought that there would be issues finding parts. This is the Cougar I was looking at
http://www.dodson.com/grumman_cougar.htm

Not sure if its worth the trouble and if the numbers would make it a good deal or not.