TYPE: Four-seat lightplane.
PROGRAMME: Original two-seat BD-1 designed by Jim Bede; prototype first flown 11 July 1963; developed into AA-1 by American Aviation (later bought by Grumman and then by Gulfstream American), which built 461 AA-1s, 470 AA-1As, 680 AA-1Bs and 211 AA-1Cs. Four-seat AA-5 certified 12 November 1971 and 3,054 built before designs sold to American General Aircraft in 1989. Updated AG-5B Tiger first flown 21 April 1990; certified 21 September 1990; company sold to Teleflex in early 1992 but later field for bankruptcy in January 1994 after building 89 examples.
First Tiger Aircraft AG-5B (N999TE) made maiden flight 9 July 2001. Symbolically delivered to new owner, Herb Hortman, 26 July 2001 at AirVenture 2001. Certification completed 3 December 2001, when first three aircraft handed over. In late 2002 Tiger Aircraft was negotiating with Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation (CAC) of China with a view to licensed assembly of the AG-5B for Chinese commercial pilot training schools.
CUSTOMERS: 41 orders by July 2001. Total of 14 delivered in 2002; 90 planned in 2003, of which 13 had been delivered by 30 September.
COSTS: US$219,500 (2002), including pilot training (to IFR standard if already holder of PPL) and first annual inspection.
DESIGN FEATURES: Conventional low-wing monoplane with constant-chord wings and tailplane and moderately sweptback fin with fillet. Extensive use of honeycomb and adhesive bonding throughout the structure.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual with adjustable tab on each aileron and rudder. Electrically operated flaps, maximum deflection 45°.
STRUCTURE: Semi-monocoque fuselage of aluminium honeycomb. Cantilever low wing with tubular single spar, section NACA 642415 (modified), clad in aluminium skin. Dihedral 5°, incidence 1° 25'.
LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type; fixed. Mainwheels 6.00-6, tyre pressure 2,34 bar (34 lb/sq in); nosewheel 5.00-5, tyre pressure 1.72 bar (25 lb/sq in). Cleveland hydraulic brakes.
POWER PLANT: One 134 kW (180 hp) Textron Lycoming O-360-A4K flat-four, driving a two-blade fixed-pitch Sensenich 76EM8S-10-0 propeller. Fuel in two wing tanks, combined capacity 199 litres (52.6 US gallons; 43.8 Imp gallons), of which 193 litres (51.0 US gallons; 42.5 Imp gallons) are usable. Oil capacity 7.6 litres (2.0 US gallons; 1.7 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot and three passengers in individual pairs of leather seats; baggage area behind rear seats. Fixed wraparound windscreen; entry to cockpit via sliding canopy.
SYSTEMS: 24 V electrical system.
AVIONICS: Full Garmin IFR panel standard.
Comms: Dual GNS 430 com/nav with VOR/LOC/GPS/GPS-LOC; GMA 340 audio panel with marker beacon and four-place intercom system; GTX 327 digital transponder, and ground clearance system.
Flight: Dual Garmin 106A glideslope indicators; S-Tec 30 two-axis autopilot with altitude hold.
Instrumentation: Sigma/Tek electronic instrument cluster comprising vacuum, load amp, oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel pressure and CHT gauges; Davtron M800 chronometer and Datcom Hobbs meter.
EQUIPMENT: Standard equipment includes leather interior; leather-wrapped control yokes, machined aluminium instrument panel with backlit instruments and panel/instrument light dimmers, cabin dome light, map light, and flush-mounted anti-collision beacons and landing lights.
