Grumman AA-5 Traveler and AA-5A Cheetah Buyer's Guide: The 150-hp Grummans
For budget-minded buyers comparing a 150-hp Grumman with a Cessna 172 or Piper Warrior as a first four-seat airplane.
The AA-5 Traveler and AA-5A Cheetah are the 150-hp members of the Grumman American AA-5 family: low-wing, fixed-gear four-seaters with a sliding canopy and bonded aluminum construction. This guide covers whether one fits your flying, how the two versions differ, what to inspect, and how the loan works on a smaller-dollar airplane. The 180-hp AA-5B and AG-5B have their own Grumman Tiger buyer's guide.
Is a Traveler or Cheetah the right airplane for you?
| Good fit if you… | Poor fit if you… |
|---|---|
| Want the lowest purchase price for a four-seat, fixed-gear airplane | Regularly fly four adults with bags; AvBrief puts Cheetah useful load around 750 lb |
| Fly mostly two people and want more speed than a 172 or Warrior | Fly from short, rough or soft strips |
| Like responsive handling and an open-canopy taxi on warm days | Don't want to learn a castering nosewheel and differential braking |
| Will use a shop or mechanic who knows Grummans | Want any local shop to be able to maintain it without type knowledge |
If you need more climb and payload but like the airplane, step up to the Tiger. If you want the most forgiving and easiest-to-maintain trainer-type airplane, compare the Cessna 172 and Piper Warrior.
AA-5 Traveler vs AA-5A Cheetah: what changed?
| Item | AA-5 Traveler | AA-5A Cheetah |
|---|---|---|
| Built | 1971-1975 (about 834) | Introduced as a 1976 model; built through 1979 (about 900), later years as Gulfstream American |
| Engine | Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 hp | Same |
| Gross weight | 2,200 lb | 2,200 lb |
| Airframe changes | Original design with ventral fin | New cowling and baffling, improved gear fairings, enlarged horizontal tail, no ventral fin |
| Fuel | About 37 gallons (Wikipedia) | More than the Traveler; tank capacity varies with options, so confirm in the POH |
| Gear | Fixed tricycle: fiberglass main legs, spring-steel nose gear tube, free-castering nosewheel | |
Sources: Wikipedia (AA-5); AvBrief Smart Plane Shopper.
Decision rule: for most buyers the Cheetah is worth the premium, because it's faster and carries more fuel on the same engine. A well-kept Traveler with a fresh engine can still beat a tired Cheetah, so compare condition before year.
What do Travelers and Cheetahs cost, and how does the loan work?
Cheetahs on Barnstormers in September 2026 were asking about $65,000 to $97,500, and AvBrief put neglected Cheetahs in the $50,000 range in 2025. Priced Traveler listings were scarce, but they typically sell below Cheetahs. Treat these as asking prices; verify with Vref or Aircraft Bluebook and sold comparables.
The loan is where these airplanes differ from bigger singles. AOPA's lenders ask for at least 15% down on post-1960 singles, but offer 20-year terms only on loans of $75,000 or more. Most Traveler and Cheetah loans fall below that line, so expect 10- to 15-year terms. Small loans also narrow the lender pool, and a larger down payment shrinks the loan further. Rates as of September 2026 generally start around 7% and run to about 10%; the examples use an illustrative 7.75%.
| Example | Price | 15% down | Loan | 10 years | 15 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA-5 Traveler | $60,000 | $9,000 | $51,000 | $612/mo | $480/mo |
| AA-5A Cheetah | $85,000 | $12,750 | $72,250 | $867/mo | $680/mo |
| Term | 7.25% APR | 8.25% APR | 9.25% APR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years (120 mo) | $848/mo | $886/mo | $925/mo |
| 15 years (180 mo) | $660/mo | $701/mo | $744/mo |
Loan amount $72,250. Principal and interest only; excludes insurance, taxes and fees. Illustrative, not a quote.
At an assumed 8 gph and the AirNav national 100LL average of $7.24/gal (September 2026), fuel runs about $57.92 an hour. For the full annual budget, see AA-5A Cheetah cost of ownership or the AA-5 series comparison.
Looking at a Traveler or Cheetah?
Small loans have fewer takers. Share the airplane and your timeline, and a financing specialist will find lenders in our network that fit.
What should you inspect on an AA-5 or AA-5A?
AvBrief's warning is blunt: these airplanes "require specific maintenance… that doesn't always happen." Use a mechanic who knows Grummans and follows a Grumman-specific inspection checklist, and add these items to the general pre-buy checklist:
| Area | What to check |
|---|---|
| Wing spar | Corrosion; AvBrief calls this a priority check |
| Bonded structure | Skin delamination and corrosion at bonded seams on the wings, fuselage and control surfaces, plus any AD-required inspections or repairs |
| Nose gear | Fork corrosion (AvBrief notes the part is no longer made), shimmy (spring washers, axle-nut torque, tire wear), and any prop-strike history |
| Main gear | Fiberglass legs for cracks or delamination; attach points |
| Fuel tanks | Leaks and sealant condition in the wet-wing tanks; fuel stains at the wing roots |
| Canopy | Tracks, seals, warping and latch function. A bent canopy can jam, which matters for getting out. |
| Flaps | Flap switch operation; AvBrief reports switches that can snap back and retract the flaps |
| Engine and prop | O-320 time since overhaul (see SMOH vs TBO), compressions, borescope; propeller model and hub inspection history |
ADs to ask about. AvBrief lists ADs AA-5 buyers will see in the records: a 100-hour aileron inspection that can be eliminated through an approved alternative method of compliance, a recurring hub inspection for certain McCauley propellers, fuel-tank sealant, and a 2020 AD on bonded-fuselage delamination for the AA-5 Traveler. Treat that as a starting list, not a complete one. Have your mechanic run a full AD search for the airframe, engine and propeller serial numbers. See reading aircraft logbooks.
How much will insurance cost on a Grumman AA-5?
A fixed-gear, 150-hp airplane is at the affordable end of the market, and the 2026 market has been stable to softening. There's no verified 2026 Grumman premium benchmark. For context only, BWI's March 2026 figures for a Cessna 172 show $1,200-$2,500 a year for a 250+ hour private owner with an $80,000-$150,000 hull, and $2,000-$3,500+ for a pilot under 150 hours with a $100,000 hull (BWI). Expect the underwriter to ask about low-wing and Grumman time, and plan on a checkout with a Grumman-experienced instructor. Lenders require hull coverage naming them as loss payee.
Under MOSAIC, some AA-5 and AA-5A airplanes may qualify for sport pilots; check the POH for the clean stall speed (VS1) at maximum weight in calibrated airspeed. See MOSAIC light-sport rules and financing.
First-year ownership notes for a new Grumman owner
- Get a Grumman checkout. Practice approach speed control, since excess speed turns into float, and differential-brake taxiing.
- Find your parts sources early. The type certificates sit with True Flight; FletchAir and the used market supply many parts. Type clubs such as the Grumman Owners and Pilots Association and the American Yankee Association are the best source of type knowledge.
- Watch for fuel stains and canopy leaks after rain and after fueling; both are easier to fix early.
- Use a Grumman-specific checklist for the first annual, ideally with the same mechanic who did the pre-buy.
- Register the airplane. Registration is valid for seven years and costs $5; the temporary "pink copy" is valid within the U.S. only until the certificate arrives.
How this guide differs from related guides
This page covers the buying decision for the 150-hp AA-5 and AA-5A. Specs and payment examples by model are on the AA-5 Traveler and AA-5A Cheetah pages. The annual budget is on the Cheetah cost of ownership page, and the Traveler, Cheetah and Tiger are compared on the AA-5 series cost page. For lender requirements on any airplane, see aircraft loan requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Grumman Cheetah have retractable gear?
No. The AA-5A Cheetah, like the AA-5 Traveler and the AA-5B Tiger, has fixed tricycle gear: fiberglass main gear legs and a free-castering nosewheel steered with differential braking. With a fixed-pitch propeller and a 150-hp Lycoming O-320, it needs no complex or high-performance endorsement.
What is the difference between the AA-5 Traveler and the AA-5A Cheetah?
Both use the 150-hp Lycoming O-320-E2G and a 2,200 lb gross weight. The Cheetah, introduced as a 1976 model and built through 1979, added an aerodynamic cleanup: a redesigned cowling and baffling, better gear fairings, a larger horizontal tail and no ventral fin, plus more fuel capacity. It is faster on the same fuel and usually priced higher.
How much does a used Grumman Cheetah cost?
Cheetahs listed on Barnstormers in September 2026 were asking about $65,000 to $97,500, depending mostly on engine time and condition. AvBrief described neglected examples in the $50,000 range in 2025. Travelers generally sell for less. Treat these as asking prices and confirm with Vref or Aircraft Bluebook and a pre-buy.
Can I get a 20-year loan on a Grumman AA-5?
Usually not. AOPA's lenders offer 20-year terms on single-engine loans of $75,000 or more, and most AA-5 and AA-5A loans are smaller. A $72,250 Cheetah loan at 7.75% is about $680 a month over 15 years or $867 over 10 years, principal and interest only.
Are Grumman AA-5s hard to land?
They are not difficult, but they are different. The clean airframe floats if you are fast on final, and landing on the nosewheel can start a porpoise. The castering nosewheel takes practice with differential braking on the ground. Get a checkout with an instructor who knows Grummans before you solo one.
Can a sport pilot fly a Grumman Cheetah?
Possibly. Since October 22, 2025, sport pilots may fly airplanes with a clean stall speed (VS1) of 59 knots CAS or less at maximum takeoff weight, with up to four seats but only one passenger. Some AA-5 and AA-5A airplanes may qualify; check the POH stall-speed data, converted to calibrated airspeed, for the specific model.
Last reviewed September 27, 2026. Rates and rules change; see our editorial standards.