This 1976 Bellanca 17-30A Viking Is a Speedy, Wood-Wing ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

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.