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
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• 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 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion.

Pilots interested in historic aviation and those who simply want to own an aircraft without breaking the bank are increasingly seeking vintage rag-and-tube taildraggers. Demand for such aircraft, like this Aeronca 7AC Champ and its competitors, including the Piper J-3 Cub, Luscombe 8 series, and Cessna 120, may have driven prices higher in recent years but these models remain relatively inexpensive. They also offer an engaging, tactile, stick-and-rudder flying experience that can be hard to find in this era of autopilots and magenta lines.

Low and slow is the traditional method for flying an airplane like the Aeronca, and that makes sense because the pilot can make out navigational landmarks easier at low altitudes and, well, “fast” simply is not an option in the Champ. Pilots in a hurry to reach Point B should look elsewhere but those who regard every flight as a sightseeing tour will enjoy getting there in an old taildragger. For couples or a pair of friends who like to travel together, an aircraft like this can be the key to memorable weekend getaways.

Do not worry too much if your pilotage skills are rusty. A friend who flies vintage machinery all the time swears by his smartphone, tablet, and handheld com radio. If, by chance, those layers of powered devices fail, there is always the sectional chart. You are carrying one, right?  

This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion has 794 hours on the airframe and 200 hours on its engine since overhaul. The panel includes traditional basic VFR instrumentation.

Pilots looking for a truly economical path into general aviation with the benefits of classic tailwheel charm and versatility should consider this 1946 Champ, which is available for $35,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
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• Plane & Pilot: Aeronca Champ
• Plane & Pilot: Taking Off In An Old Aeronca Chief On A Short Grass Strip With Tall Trees All Around
• The Aviation Consumer: Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Aeronca Champ

The post This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion Is a Low, Slow, Superb ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1960 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer.

A few years ago, I was on the ramp at Sussex, New Jersey (KFWN), filling the tanks of the club’s Cessna 172 when a Piper Tri-Pacer appeared from behind the hills that blocked a pilot’s view of Runway 21 during the base leg. Painted a creamy white hue with red trim, it stood out against the clear blue sky of a mid-March morning. The air was crisp, and while spring was still a week or so away officially, it was knocking on the door.

The airplane parked and four young people got out (young by my standards), greeted me with a wave, and headed to the diner by the airport entrance. Clearly, they were enjoying an ideal GA experience. What really struck me was how gorgeous their airplane was. I had seen plenty of Tri-Pacers, but they often looked well-worn and even unloved. A rag-and-tube airplane with tricycle landing gear seemed like an unpopular combination, and old-timers at the airport rarely said anything nice about them. Some critics said the gear made it look like a milking stool. The four travelers at Sussex, however, appeared to be delighted with their nicely restored flying machine.

Since then it has become clearer that Tri-Pacers are enjoying a sort of renaissance, especially among younger pilots who like their postwar styling and view the tricycle gear as an advantage. Lately I have seen more restored examples like the airplane for sale here.   

This 1960 Tri-Pacer has 2,500 hours on the airframe and 350 hours on its 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine since overhaul. The panel includes dual uAvionix AV30 flight instruments, Garmin 496 with panel dock, Garmin 327 GPS, headset jacks at all four seats, and two USB-C ports.

The aircraft underwent a restoration in 2006 that included new paint and interior, and mechanical upgrades, such as a Plane Power alternator, internal and external LED lighting, and STC’d modifications to its oil cooler and fuel system.

Pilots looking for a vintage four-place single that combines the looks of a Piper Cub with the more forgiving tricycle-gear ground handling of a Cessna 172 should consider this Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, which is available for $80,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

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The post This 1960 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer Is a Restored Rag-and-Tube ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.