GA-7 Cougar
Role	Personal and trainer aircraft
Manufacturer	Gulfstream American Aviation
First flight	1977
Introduced	1978
Produced	1978-1979
Number built	115
Developed from	AA-5 series

A GA-7 Cougar on the ramp at Les Cedres Quebec, May 2005

The US Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar is an all-metal, 4-seat, light twin-engined aircraft.

The Cougar was a twin-engine development of the Gulfstream American AA-5B Tiger and traces its lineage to the AA-1 Yankee Clipper and the Bede BD-1.

[edit] Development

Following Gulfstream Aerospace’s purchase of Grumman’s American light aircraft division in 1977 the company embarked on a policy of aircraft model development. During this time the other aircraft in the line, including the AA-1B Trainer and the AA-5B Tiger underwent extensive redesign.

The aircraft line Gulfstream then fielded included the redesigned AA-1C Lynx two seater, the Gulfstream American AA-5A Cheetah and the Gulfstream American AA-5B Tiger single engine aircraft. The line had good market acceptance and depth. The next obvious step was to develop a twin-engined aircraft to complete the line.

Gulfstream American’s engineering team designed the new twin based on the same honeycomb and bonded metal construction that had been the hallmarks of the line since the BD-1. The result was designated the GA-7 (for Gulfstream American) and was given the name Cougar in keeping with the existing Lynx, Cheetah and Tiger aircraft in the company's line.

The Cougar was intended for the flying school twin-engined trainer market and also as a personal use aircraft. The Cougar was powered by a pair of wing-mounted Lycoming O-320-D1D engines of 160 hp. It would carry four people at 160 knots cruise speed and was certified under US FAR Part 23.

Production of the Cougar ran for just two model years, 1978 and 1979 before production was halted. Just 115 Cougars were delivered.

Today the Cougars that are still flying are prized for their combination of speed, range, simplicity of construction and ease of operation as well as their aesthetic appeal.

In 1995 the type certificate for the GA-7 was sold to SOCATA of France.^[1][2] SOCATA developed the aircraft, installing more powerful Lycoming O-360 engines and renamed it the TB 360 Tangara. Despite SOCATA's plans to put the Tangara into production this never occurred.^[2]

[edit] Aircraft Type Club

The GA-7 Cougar, along with the other American Aviation, Grumman American and Gulfstream American single engined aircraft are supported by an active aircraft type club, The American Yankee Association.

[edit] Specifications (Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 29 ft 7 in (9.0 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m)
• Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.1 m)
• Wing area: 184 ft² (17 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,569 lb (1,163 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,800 lb (1,721 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Lycoming O-320-D1D flat four engines, 160 hp (119 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 160 knots (184 mph, 296 km/h)
• Range: 972 miles (1,555 km)
• Service ceiling: 17,400 ft (5,307 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,160 ft/min (354 m/min)
• Wing loading: 20.65 lb/ft² (101 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.14 kW/kg)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The American Yankee Association.

[edit] See also

Related development

• Bede BD-1
• Grumman American AA-1
• Grumman American AA-5
  

Comparable aircraft

• Beechcraft Duchess
• Piper Seminole