I bought a plane! But I cannot fly it (yet).

MarkH

MarkH

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MarkH
It feels unreal, but I bought my first plane!

I purchased a Grumman AA1C (T-Cat), and I was really looking forward to flying it, only to be foiled by insurance.

My insurance wants a checkout with a CFI with Grumman AA1 or AA5 experience, but the 2 CFIs I know with the experience are both working until Monday or later.

Any CFI with Grumman experience willing to help me out just south of Atlanta?
 
Do get checked out by a Grumman-savvy instructor, but the AA1X series is really easy and safe to fly if you follow the POH. Folks get into trouble by carrying too much speed on final and porpoising them down the runway, or over-running available runway. Because the landing speed is quite a bit faster than, say, a C152, things will happen a little faster during the flare to landing. The AA1X planes are a blast to fly.
 
Congrats, I have an AA1-B and I like her....although I am selling her
 
I might be able to help this weekend, but I won’t know until Friday afternoon. Never flown a -1, but have plenty of time in -5B
 
Awesome man, congrats! Get checked out in it and bring it to GMU on the 14th! :D
 
MarkH said:
It feels unreal, but I bought my first plane!

I purchased a Grumman AA1C (T-Cat), and I was really looking forward to flying it, only to be foiled by insurance.

My insurance wants a checkout with a CFI with Grumman AA1 or AA5 experience, but the 2 CFIs I know with the experience are both working until Monday or later.

Any CFI with Grumman experience willing to help me out just south of Atlanta?
Click to expand...

Congratulations , The thrill of it all ! :)
 
Congratulations on buying Tweety!

Yeah, getting the check out seems to be a "thing" with the insurance companies. I had to do the same with my Sportcruiser. But those 5 hours will go quick and it'll be good to get someone with experience with the aircraft to give you some pointers.

Good luck and blue skies!
 
Awesome! My club has a -5B and it’s my favorite plane to fly. If all your time is in Cessnas it will take a few laps around the pattern to get a feel for the landings. Super easy though once you do.
 
MarkH said:
It feels unreal, but I bought my first plane!

I purchased a Grumman AA1C (T-Cat), and I was really looking forward to flying it, only to be foiled by insurance.

My insurance wants a checkout with a CFI with Grumman AA1 or AA5 experience, but the 2 CFIs I know with the experience are both working until Monday or later.

Any CFI with Grumman experience willing to help me out just south of Atlanta?
Click to expand...

How much experience? Let the CFI take it once around the patch if they don’t specify hours.
 
I flew about 20 hours in a -5B prior to purchasing on -1B. I thought it would be the same plane but its not. The -1B feels faster (even though its not), handles better, better roll rate. The hardest part for me to learn was the takeoff because it doesnt like if you pull back on the yoke. Just apply a little (very little) back pressure and she will fly when she is ready to fly.

Enjoy!!
 
I've actually flown the plane already (.4 hrs, I was covered under non-owned), and I just need a CFI fly with me and sign off (no explicit time is given).

I love the way it flys, and I cannot wait to fly it more.
 
I bought a Tiger before I started training for my ticket. Insurance said the same thing about my CFI. When I pressed them for specifics, they asked that he do a full pattern once. He did it at the purchase, I jumped in and we ferried it home.

I want an AA1 also at some point. Congrats!
 
I did too and didn't realize it would take 18 months to get my medical. I have 102 hrs of dual in a PA-30B lol
 
Thanks to @Dave Theisen, I was able to get my insurance checkout!

I now own a plane that I can fly - if there is a long enough runway. The breaker that feeds power to my flaps failed during the checkout, so I need to replace that before I can use the flaps again.
 
MarkH said:
Thanks to @Dave Theisen, I was able to get my insurance checkout!

I now own a plane that I can fly - if there is a long enough runway. The breaker that feeds power to my flaps failed during the checkout, so I need to replace that before I can use the flaps again.
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Enjoyed flying with you. Good luck with the plane and fly safe.
 
Congrats. Fly the heck out of it--they are roadsters of the sky.

The flaps aren't too big of a deal, they don't lower stall speed by much, but they do add significant drag and lower the deck angle. You will find it easier to overshoot your turn to final and may float a bit more than usual without flaps. Exercise appropriate caution and you'll be fine.

If it turns out not to be the breaker to the flaps, check the cheap limit switches. They have failed more than once on my AA1A and AA5. A limit switch failure will result in flaps being stuck either up or down, depending on which one fails. The plastic housings eventually get brittle and fall apart, resulting in switch failure open.
 
Get yourself an instructor who is willing to learn along with you. That's what I did with my AA1 (no suffix). 5 hours, we both learned a lot, and had fun doing it. His (cfi) attitude was; "it's an airplane, let's take it to altitude and figure it out". We spent the first flight going through the PPL and CPL PTS. and found out just exactly what it is, and is not capable of. We found that at 118 hp it was a bit underpowered, but still flew quite well. A "time builder" CFI probably won't take that approach. But someone who has already got a job with the airlines would do it because they want to learn the fun part of flying. But If you are hellbent on a grumman specific CFI, I can hook you up.
 
Congrats!! I love my AA5A! Great all-around plane.
 
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