Cessna 177 Cardinal vs Grumman American AA5B
Side-by-side specs, range, and real operating costs for up to 5 aircraft.
Mission Performance
Tap to isolateValues normalised across compared aircraft. Fuel Economy is inverted (lower burn = higher score). See table below for raw figures.
Mission Performance Details
| Metric | Cessna 177 Cardinal Cessna | Grumman American AA5B Grumman American |
|---|---|---|
| Stall Speed | 55 kts | 56 kts |
| Approach Speed | 70 kts | 75 kts |
| Cruise Speed | 124 kts | 139 kts |
| Range | 604 nm | 554 nm |
| Service Ceiling | 14,600 ft | 13,800 ft |
| Rate of Climb | 840 fpm | 850 fpm |
| Fuel Burn | 8.6 gph | 10.5 gph |
Flight Profile
Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.
Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.
Fuel Burn
Based on published cruise fuel flow
| Metric | Cessna 177 Cardinal Cessna | Grumman American AA5B Grumman American |
|---|---|---|
| Burn Rate |
|
|
| Trip Fuel |
|
|
| Trip Cost |
|
|
| Cost / hr |
|
: trip distance exceeds published range.
Trip time estimated from published cruise speed and distance. Fuel burn is a published cruise figure; actual consumption varies with altitude, loading, and conditions.
Runway Performance
Density altitude adjusted estimates
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
Landing ground roll
FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.
Estimated Operating Costs
| Metric | Cessna 177 Cardinal Cessna | Grumman American AA5B Grumman American |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Cost per hour | $56/hr | $68/hr |
| Direct Operating Cost per hour | $92/hr | $123/hr |
| Annual Fixed Costs | ||
| Insurance | —/yr | $2,250/yr |
| Hangar | $4,420/yr | $3,111/yr |
| Annual Inspection | $2,250/yr | $1,500/yr |
| Total Fixed | $6,670/yr | $6,861/yr |
Estimates only. Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.
Capability, Limits & Dimensions
| Metric | Cessna 177 Cardinal Cessna | Grumman American AA5B Grumman American |
|---|---|---|
| Useful Load | 1,015 lbs | 900 lbs |
| MTOW | 2,500 lbs | 2,400 lbs |
| Seating | 4 | 4 |
| Fuel Capacity | 50 gal | 52 gal |
| Engines | 1× Piston | 1× Piston |
| Landing Gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Pressurized | No | No |
| Dimensions | ||
| Wingspan | 35.5 ft | 31.4 ft |
| Length | 27.7 ft | 22.0 ft |
| Tail Height | 8.6 ft | 8.0 ft |
Payload-Range Map
Origin: · click map to move