Ramp Appeal: Grumman Traveler

That’s a rare accomplishment for any general aviation airplane. Grumman was justifiably proud of its newly introduced Traveler. The inclusion of a competitively powered and fuel-efficient engine in a low-drag airframe produced great performance for the money.

The Traveler’s airframe was a dramatic departure from traditional GA aircraft of the time. Most airplanes were constructed by riveting aluminum panels to bulkheads and ribs. The drawback was that thousands of exposed rivet heads added parasite drag, significantly reducing top speed. Grummans are rivet free, instead employing bonded aluminum wing skins and fuselage panels; aircraft-grade structural adhesive replaces the rivets. The Traveler’s cruise speed advantage is noticeable: 7 knots faster than a Cessna 172 and 5 knots faster than a Piper Cherokee 140 using the same 150 horsepower.

But the real joy of the Traveler is its flying experience. You enter the cockpit through a sliding canopy (yup, just like fighter jets). Visibility is outstanding in all directions. The control yokes are small with rakish angles, and control pressures are delightfully light during flight. Oh, and it’s easy to land. This combination of features makes for a great traveling machine. The Traveler’s fixed-pitch prop, free castering spring steel nose wheel and fiberglass main landing gear makes it a simple and robust training airplane.

A total of 834 Travelers were built between 1972 and 1975. They remain rare and sought-after airplanes owing to their speed, simplicity, reasonable cost, and innovative design.

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Spec sheet

Grumman Traveler AA-5

Specifications
Powerplant: Lycoming O-320- E2G, 150 hp, fixed- pitch prop
Length: 22 ft
Wingspan: 31 ft 5 in
Seats: 4
Empty weight: 1,271 lb
Gross weight: 2,200 lb
Useful load: 929 lb
Fuel capacity: 37 gal
Performance
Cruise spee;d 122 kt
Range: 430 nm w/45 min reserve