Section I

Description of Systems & Structures

The Model AA-5 is a four place, all metal, low-wing monoplane. It is powered by 150 horsepower Lycoming four-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine with fixed-pitch metal propeller.

Airframe components such as wings, fuselage and tail assemblies employ high-strength adhesive bonding of aluminium sheet metal to ribs and bulkheads. The cabin area is constructed primarily of bonded aluminium honeycomb panel.

Cabin Description

1. Cabine Dome Light

A cabin dome light is provided for illuminating the seating area and baggage compartment. It is controlled by a 3-position rocker switch wich is located on the fuselage side panel to the left of the pilot´s control wheel. This location provides easy operation by the pilot when in flight, and also convenient access from the outside when entering the aircraft at night. The switch forward position illuminates the front cabin area, the center position is off, and the aft position illuminates both the front and rear cabin areas. It is energized directly from the battery regardless of the master switch position.

2. Seat and belts

Contoured front seats are individually adjustable fore and aft using the adjustment levers located on the outboard side of each seat. The front seat backs fold forward for easy access to the rear seat.

Note
Shoulder belts are provided for your safety. Be sure to use them.

The shoulder belt fastens to the end of the outboard lap belt., allowing both belts to be fastened or removed in one operation. Lap and shoulder belts may be neatly stowed by hanging them on the side panel supports provided.

Lap belts should be adjusted to lie low on the hips, without any slack. Shoulder belts should lie over the outer shoulder and across the chest, with just enough slack to reach all controls comfortably.

3. Cargo configuration

The rear seat and seat back may be folded forward to provide a large cargo area. Both front seats should be in the full forward position to swing the rear seat bottom up and fold it forward.

Note
When the rear seat bottom is folded forward, the rear seat back must be folded down.

The rear seat shoulder harness may be removed and used to secure items in the cargo area when the rear seats are folded down in the cargo configuration. These harnesses may be hooked to any of the exposed lap belt attachement points as shown in the cargo belt diagram in Section 4.

A baggage door is provided on the left side of the fuselage for access to the baggage compartment (74 models & on). The baggage door latch is key operated from the outside and can be opened from the inside ba a simple slide handle.

Consult Section 4, Weight and Balance, for loading instructions to load the ariplane with cargo.

4. Instrument Panel

The instrument panel employs a unique "eybrow" design wich shields the windshield from panel reflections during night flights. The eybrow also houses the instrument panel lights wich are controlled by a switch rheostat (ON-OFF and INTENSITY) located just above the throttle. Other panel switches are also the rocker type.

5. Console

The center console serves as a front seat divider, provides storage for the microphone, houses the microphone jack, the flap switch, flap position indicator, trim wheel, trim position indicator, ash tray, cigarette lighter, fuel selector valve, and fuel gauges.

Flight Controls

The control surfaces ae operated by a combination of trorque tubes and conventional cable systems. Teh elevator trim tabs are located on the elevator trailing edges and are anti-servo tabs. These trim tabs are actuated manually by the trim wheel located on the center console. Ground adjustable tabs on the rudder and the ailerons provide a simple method of djusting directional and lateral trim.

Electrivally operated flaps provide a full range of setting by means of a spring-loaded, three position switch. The flap actuator switch is held down until the flap postion indicator shows the desired flap angle; when released, it returns to neutral, and flap travel stops.

(Caution: abruptly realeasing the switch may cause it to snap through the neutral detent, into the retract position.) To retract flaps, push the switch forward and release it; the flaps retract fully with no further attention, and the flap drive motor dhuts off automatically.

Engine Controls

The push-pull throttle control, located in the lower center instrument panel, is equipped with a friction lock to prevent creeping (but wich can be overridden manually). The mixture control and carburator heat control, to the right and left of the throttle, respectively, are also of the push-pull design.

Fuel System

The AA-5´s fuel system (Figure 1) consists of two tanks located just outboard of the wing root fairing, two sump tanks (one in each wing root fairing), independent fuel gauges and a fuel selector valve. The fuel tanks are vented and equipped with two main fuel lines in each tank, located to assure fuel supply in all normal flight attidudes. The flush mounted fuel tank vents are located in the bottom of the outboard wing panels, just forward and inboard from the wing tie downs. A mechanical fuel pump mounted on the engine transfers fuel from the tanks to carburetor.

An auxiliary electric fuel pump supplements the engine-driven pump. Fuel preddure is indicated on a gauge in the engine instrument panel. The electric pump should be turned on if the engine-driven pump fails as noted bya loss of fuel pressure. The electric fuel pump can also be used to provide fuel pressure redundancy during low altitude operation, such as during take-off and landing.

There are four fuel drains on the airplane. One is located in each fuel tank, and one in each sump tank. They can be reached under the front side of the wing at the wing route on each side of the airplane. A drain cup is provided (in the glove box) for draining dfuel wich should be inspected for water or sediment contamination.

Heating and Ventilation

Cabin heat and defrost air are supplied by a heat exchanger on the engine exhaust system. The supply of warm air for the heater and defroster is controlled by the cabin heater control on the right side of the instrument panel.

Fresh air ventilation is provided by adjustable vents located just below the instrument panel, with the air supply being ducted in from inlets in the fuselage. Maximum ventilation can be obtained by sliding the cnopy open to the placed marker on the canopy track at speeds up to 130 MPH.

Fresh air ventilation for the rear cabin area (optional), is provided by adjustable vents located just forward of the rear arm reats. Thea are operated by a twisting motion and air may be directed by positioning the vent in the desired direction.

To obtain warm defrost air, pull out the cabin heat control (on the right side of the instrument panel) and slide open the defroster vents near the lower edge of the windshield. The freh air vent also provides good defrost action when partially opened with the louvera directed towards the side canopy.

When cool and high humidity conditions exists, do not use partial defrost as the windshield may fog rapidly on take-off. Always check defroster position before flight.

Note
The heater system and fresh air system can be turned on simultaneously during cold weather operations to provide a comfortable cabin atmosphere.

Electrical System

The electrical system (Figure 2) uses a 14-volt, 60-amp alternator with internal power diods wich delivers DC power to the main bus through a 60-amp circuit breaker. An external voltage regulator controla the alternator output voltage and automatically adjusts the battery charging rate to maintain proper charge. The electrical system ammeter is located in the engine instrument cluster and indicates current charge (+) and discharge (-) of the battery.

The master switch is a split rocker type wich serves two functions. One side (master) energizes the battery circuit fro engine starting and operating electrical systems with the engine OFF. The other side (alt) energizes the alternator field circuit wich produces the electrical field in the alternator. With the electrical field energized, the alternator supplies all of the required current for the system loads through the bus bar.

In the event of alternator failure, as indicated by a battery discharge indication on the ammeter, the alternator side of the master switch can be turned OFF and the aircraft systems then operate on the existing battery voltage. To conserve the battery voltage, only the necessary electrical systems should be ON when operating from the battery.

The alternator circuits are protected by a 60-amp alternator circuit breaker and a 5-amp alternator field circuit breaker. Should either of these breakers open due to exessive current in the system, they should be reset after waiting at least 15 seconds. If either breaker continues to open, the alternator side of the master switch should be turned OFF and the aircraft system then operated on existing battery voltage.

Fuses and circuit breakers for the electrical systems are located on the lower right side of the instrument panel, and spare fuses are mounted in the right side of the glove compartement. Electrical switches for enterior lighting and accessories are located at the right of the pilot´s wheel.

The engine´s dual-magneto ignition system is completely independent of the aircraft electrical system,and will continue to operate in the event of an electrical failure.

Landing Gear

The FACE SAVER main landing gear struts are of tough, laminated fiberglass to achieve outstanding shock absorption and good ground stability. The nose gear is free-castering to 90° on either side of the center line, wich gives good maneuverability on the gound.

Brakes

The brakes are toe-operated, single-disc hydraulic systems with integral parking brakes. The brakes provide all steering control while taxiing at speeds up to 15 to 20 MPH, where the rudder becomes effective and the brakes and the rudder can be used together. The parking break is set by pressing the toe brakes; then pulling the parking break knob; then releasing break pedal pressure. To release, push the parking break knob in, then press the toe-brakes firmly. Parking breaks are operated from the left side only.

Emergency Locator Transmitter

(Factory installed Model)

The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) is a self contained battery powered radio transmitter wich emits a signal (121,5 / 243,0 MHZ) to assist in locating a downed aircraft. The ELT consists of a transmitter located in the aft fuselage section under the vertical stabilizer and a transmitting antenna mounted on the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer. The ELT has self-contained batteries and is completely independent of the aircraft electrical system. The ELT is activated automatically by a declaration of 5 G´s along the flight axis of the aircraft or manually by removing the left side empennage inspection cover and moving the transmitter control switch to the "on" position.