American Aviation
Grumman American |
American Aviation Corporation was an American
History
The company was formed in 1964 to build a production version of the Bede BD-1, a two-seat light aircraft designed and built by Jim Bede and first flown on July 11, 1963.[1][2]
During the development of the BD-1 there was conflict between Bede and the other shareholders, and in 1965, Bede was removed from the company. Attorney and former Marine fighter pilot
The BD-1 was re-designed for production with a lengthened fuselage, greater wingspan and larger engine, the company also introduced metal-to-metal bonding of components, a new technique in general aviation.[1] The new aircraft was named the AA-1 Yankee and first flew on March 2, 1967, gaining type certificate approval from the FAA in July 1968.[4]
The Grumman Corporation had taken an 80% share in American Aviation and in 1972 the company was renamed the Grumman American Aviation Corporation.[1]
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Aviation AA-1 Yankee Clipper & AA-1A Trainer | 1967 | 1,820 | Two-seat general aviation aircraft |
| American Aviation AA-2 Patriot | 1970 | 2 | Four-seat general aviation aircraft |
| American Aviation AA-5 Traveler | 1971 | 3,282 | Four-seat general aviation aircraft |
References
Notes
- ^ a b c Simpson 1991, pp. 24–25.
- ^ Davisson, Budd: "Bede's BD-4," March, 1991, Air Progress, (as OCR-scanned and posted on the author's website as "Jim Bede's High-speed Packing Crate: the BD-4: A classic, fast mover," retrieved June 24, 2023
- ^ Harris, Richard. "Yankees & Cats: A quick history of Grumman/American Aircraft." Aviation History & Industry, May 10, 2012. Retrieved: December 20, 2014.
- ^ Keck, Gary. "Gulfstream Tiger/Cheetah AA-5B/A." grumman.net. Retrieved: December 20, 2014.
Bibliography
- Simpson, R.W. Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1991. ISBN 978-1-85310-194-6.
External links
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