Today’s Top Pick is a 1979 Bellanca 17-30A Viking.

About a decade ago I was on a cross-country flight, seemingly with no traffic around, when a friend scooted past in his Bellanca Viking. He was not too close, but close enough that I could see the bracing struts on the airplane’s tail.

How could an airplane with such a draggy, old-fashioned feature be so fast? Turns out those struts are among the Viking’s many points of interest and mystery.

Like many high-performance four-seaters that first appeared during the 1960s, the Viking has a big, powerful engine and lots of loyal, loving owners who will tell you why it is the best airplane you can own. Unlike the others, it has a wooden wing and steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering.

There are numerous other traits that set the Viking apart, but the one owners talk about most is its smooth, harmonious handling. While other pilots describe the “heavy” control forces of their big piston singles, Viking drivers use words such as “light” and “responsive.”    

This 1979 Viking has 3,295 hours on the airframe, 1,481 hours on its 300 hp Continental IO-520-K engine, and 246 hours since overhaul on its McCauley three-blade prop. 

The aircraft’s IFR panel includes a Collins AMR 350 audio panel with markers, Garmin 430 GPS/nav/comm (non-WAAS), Century NSD 360 HSI, King KRA 10 radar altimeter, Century III autopilot, Century I backup autopilot, Appareo ESG transponder with ADS-B Out, Stratus ADS-B In, Insight 602 engine monitor,  Shadin Miniflo digital fuel flow indicator and totalizer, Collins VHF transceiver, Collins VOR/LOC receiver and VOR/LOC/GS indicator and Stormscope, and PS Engineering PM 1000 four-place intercom.

Pilots looking for a high-performance four-place retractable aircraft with unique features, a notable family tree, and looks that will help you make friends on the ramp should consider this 1979 Bellanca Viking, which is available for $97,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Challenging Common Aircraft Buying Tips
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca Super Viking
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca Junior, Cruisair, Cruisemaster
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca 300 Viking
• Plane & Pilot: Plane Speed: How Fast Do You Need to Fly?
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Bellanca Viking
• AVweb: Speed: Buying 180 Knots for $180,000

The post This 1979 Bellanca 17-30A Viking Is a Harmoniously Handling ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1979 Bellanca 17-30 Viking.

When moving up to a high-performance, complex four-seat aircraft suitable for long-distance travel, pilots often look at Beechcraft Bonanzas, Mooney M20s, Piper PA-24s, and Cessna 182s. The Bellanca Viking often does not make the list in part because it is not as well known as the others. Those for whom speed is a priority should take a close look at the Viking, which is known for high cruising speeds even though its wooden-wing, fabric-covered fuselage and empennage, and strut-braced horizontal stabilizer do not look especially speedy.

The Viking traces its lineage to the Bellanca Cruisair and Cruisemaster models of the 1940s and ’50s that were advanced for their time. They share a family resemblance, though the Viking, many of which had 300 hp Continental engines, is more of a speedster than its ancestors. There are loyal Viking pilots who consider their airplanes to be the last word in economical piston performance for light civilian aircraft.  

This 1979 Bellanca Viking has 3,522 hours on the airframe and 573 hours on its Continental IO-520K engine. The panel includes an Aspen Avionics EFD1000 Pro PFD and GPSS roll steering, Avidyne IFD540 and IFD440, Garmin GMA 345 audio panel with intercom, Garmin GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B In and out, Century III autopilot, PI 700 digital engine monitor, and JPI fuel flow instrument.

Pilots looking for a lot of performance in an economical four-seat retractable package should consider this 1979 Bellanca 17-30 Viking, which is available for $147,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Challenging Common Aircraft Buying Tips
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca Viking: Wood, Fabric & Genius
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca 300 Viking
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca Junior, Cruisair, Cruisemaster
• The Aviation Consumer: Bellanca Viking

The post This 1979 Bellanca 17-30 Viking Is a Stealthily Quick ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1976 Bellanca 17-30A Viking.

Bellanca Vikings are famous for their wooden wings made of Sitka spruce, and their fabric-covered frames. When you walk up to one of these four-seaters on the ramp, the first impression is not necessarily one of speed. The fuselage clearly is a rag-and-tube structure and seems like it is tied more closely to aviation’s golden age than modern times. The outlines of frame members show through the covering. There are even old-fashioned struts supporting the horizontal stabilizer.

Opening the cowling reveals the truth about the Viking. The 17-30 models came with 300 hp Continental IO-520s, while the 17-31s had Lycoming IO-540s. These airplanes pack major muscle that leads owners to describe them in sports car terms. Acceleration and short-field performance are impressive and handling is light and crisp. With fewer than 1,400 built, the Viking is not an everyday sight for most pilots. They are rare and visually fetching enough to attract attention and start conversations when their pilots arrive at the airport cafe, especially on warm days when people are sitting outside.

This 1976 Bellanca Viking has 2,950 hours on the airframe and 10 hours on its engine since overhaul. The panel includes a King KX175B nav/com, King KMA20 audio panel and market beacon, Sigtronics SPA 400 four-place intercom, Garmin SL40 VHF radio, Garmin GTX 335 transponder, Century IIB autopilot, King KN64 DME, King ADF, JPI fuel flow monitor and Horizon Instruments digital tachometer.

Pilots looking for a high-performance, four-seat retractable aircraft with flying characteristics that have given it a loyal following should check out this 1976 Bellanca Viking, which is available for $99,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Challenging Common Aircraft Buying Tips
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca Viking: Wood, Fabric & Genius
•  Plane & Pilot: Bellanca 300 Viking
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Bellanca Viking
• The Aviation Consumer: Bellanca Viking

The post This 1976 Bellanca 17-30A Viking Is a Speedy, Wood-Wing ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.