Range Map

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Tank-dry, where fuel runs out at catalogue's stored cruise burn.

Excludes reserves: range beyond the dashed circle requires a leaner cruise than what we store. Great-circle, still air, book cruise. Estimates only: always verify against the POH.

Payload vs. Range

Occupants:

Fuel on board

Cargo

nm

Range

Cargo is additional payload after occupants and baggage.
full tanks
Available Range / nm
Mission capable. This load flies with full fuel.
Fuel reduced by . left aboard for nm range.
Over max payload by . At this load it cannot lift a single occupant.

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Mission Profile

Used market Only available used
160
KTAS
Cruise Speed
1,170
nm
Max Range
17,400
ft
Service Ceiling
4
Occupants
547
lbs
Wet Payload
Endorsements & ratings:
  • Complex
  • Multi-Engine
Grumman American GA-7 Cougar (LN-HTM), a 1979 example, at Cascais. Photo: Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Grumman American GA-7 Cougar (LN-HTM), a 1979 example, at Cascais. Photo: Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Gulfstream American GA7

Type certificated 1977 Source: third-party reference

Overview

The Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar is a four-seat piston twin, and it holds a specific niche: the cheapest way into two engines. Built by Gulfstream American (the former Grumman American) in a short 1978 to 1979 run of only about 115 airframes, it uses Grumman’s signature bonded-honeycomb construction for a smooth, rivet-free airframe, and it flies behind two economical 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engines. Certificated under FAR 23 in 1977, it was aimed squarely at the Piper Seminole and Beechcraft Duchess training-and-touring market, but its efficient engines and roomy cabin gave it more range than either.

The Cougar’s numbers are unusual for a twin: about 160 kt on a combined 16 gph, cross-country range past 1,000 nm on 114 usable gallons, and a reputation as one of the more forgiving twins on one engine, which makes it a favourite trainer. The offset is rarity: with so few built, some airframe-specific parts are harder to source than for a Piper or Cessna, and single-engine climb is modest at 200 fpm, fine for the lowlands but thin for the mountains. Against the current-production Piper Seminole it is the cheaper, out-of-production alternative; against a bigger cabin twin like the Cessna 310 it trades speed and load for far lower running costs.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Efficiency and range: two 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engines and 114 usable gallons give roughly 1,000-plus nm of range on about 16 gph combined, strong for a light twin.
  • Bonded construction: Grumman’s bonded-honeycomb wing and fuselage are rivet-free and aerodynamically clean, with a slightly wider cabin than some rivals.
  • Docile handling: the Cougar is often cited as unusually forgiving in single-engine flight, a reason flight schools value it as a multi-engine trainer.

Trade-offs

  • Parts scarcity: only about 115 were built, so some airframe-specific parts are harder to source than for a Piper or Cessna, though two type shops actively support the fleet.
  • Modest single-engine climb: 200 fpm on one engine and a 4,250 ft single-engine ceiling are fine for lowland operations but thin for high terrain.
  • Complex-twin costs: retractable gear, constant-speed propellers, and two engines carry more maintenance and overhaul exposure than any single, the price of redundancy.

See Also

  • Piper Seminole – the current-production trainer twin and its direct 1970s rival, with counter-rotating propellers. Compare
  • Beechcraft Travel Air – an earlier light four-seat twin in the same economy-twin bracket. Compare
  • Piper Seneca – the step-up six-seat twin: more cabin and load at a higher running cost. Compare
  • Cessna 310 – a faster, heavier cabin-class twin for buyers who need speed and payload over economy. Compare

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 37 ft
Height
10 ft
Length
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 30 ft
Parking area (ft²2)
1,631 ft²
Max Takeoff Weight
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 3,800 lbs
Max Landing Weight
3,800 lbs
Useful Load
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 1,231 lbs
Fuel Capacity
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 114 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 160 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 188 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 160 KIAS
Approach Speed
85 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 71 KIAS
Range
1170 NM
Service Ceiling
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 17,400 ft
Rate of Climb
200 - 1160 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
1,850 ft
Landing over 50 ft obstacle
1,330 ft

Engines

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Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Gulfstream American GA7 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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