Bellanca doesn't cut a wide swath in corporate America, but it ...

, iJExpanding door sealmutes slipstreamnoise; overhead trimcrank isfun to use.46 • JANUARY 1993

Bellanca 17-30A Super VikingBase price: $153,500Price as tested: $196,000SpecificationsPowerplant Continental IO-520K.300 hp (5-minute limitation) @ 2,850 rpm285 hp maximum continuous @ 2,700 rpmRecommended TBO 1,700 hrPropeller McCauley constant speed,three-blade, 78-inch diameterLength26 ft 4 inHeight7 ft 4 inWingspan34 ft 2 inWing area161.5 sq ftWing loading 20.59Ib/sq ftPower loading11.81b/hp~~ 4Cabin lengthCabin width9 ft 8 in3 ft 4.5 inCabin heigbt3 ft 7.5 inEmpty weight, as tested 2,3121bGross weight 3,3251bUseful load, as testedI,0131bPayload w/full fuel, as tested5091bFuel capacity, std 68 gal ( 68 gal usable)408lb (4081b usable)Fuel capacity, w/opt tanks 87 gal (84 gal usable)523 Ib (504 Ib usable)Oil capacityBaggage capacity12 qt186lbPerformanceTakeoff distance, ground rollTakeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle980 ft1.420 ftMax demonstrated crosswind component 17 ktRate of climb. sea level1,200 fpmCruise speed/endurance w/45-min rsv, std fuel(fuel consumption, ea engine)@ 75% power. best economy 172 kt/4.5 hr7.500 ft (94.2 pphll5.7 gph)@ 65% power. best economy 165 kt/ 5.3 hr10.000 ft (81 pphll3.5 gph)Max operating altitude 24,000 ftService ceiling18,200 ftLanding distance over 50-ft obstacle 1,340 ftLanding distance, ground roll 835 ftLimiting and Hecommended AirspeedsVx (best angle of climb) 65 KIAS (75 mph)Vy (best rate of climb) 96 KIAS (110 mph)VA(design maneuvering) 129 KIAS (148 mph)VFE (max flap extended) 104 KIAS(120 mph)VI.E(max gear extended) 139 KIAS(160 mph)VLO (max gear operating)Extend139 KIAS(160 mph)VNO(max structural cruising) 165 KIAS(190 mph)VNE(never exceed)196 KIAS(226 mph)VS1 (stall. clean) 66 KIAS (76mph)Vso (stall, in landing configuration) 57 KIAS(66 mph)For service and parts information, contactBellanca, Inc., Alexandria, Minnesota 56308;612/762-1501. For sales in the southern UnitedStates, contact Pinckney Aircraft, 904/456-7655;in the nortlzern United States. 612/762-1339.All specifications are hased on manufacturer'scalculations. All performance figures are hased onstandard day, standard atmosphere, sea level,gross weight conditions unless utherwise noted.50 • JANUARY 1993

orty years ago, a groupof business and civicleaders from the smallMinnesota lake region townof Alexandria (where some believe theVikings roamed long before ChristopherColumbus arrived in the newworld) sought to boost the local economyby bringing some manufacturingactivity to town. That activity turnedout to be building Bellanca Cruisemasters.Tooling and parts were shippedfrom New Castle, Delaware, whereGuiseppe Bellanca had originallyestablished his factory. A shop was setup in a former creamery in town.Essentially, it was a woodworkingshop where the wings, flaps, andailerons were built. A portion of thecreamery was used to weld the steeltubing used to construct the fuselageand tail. Final assembly of the Cruisemasterstook place in a hangar at thePHOTOGRAPHYBY MIKE FIZERAOPA PILOT' 51

local airport.It's still done pretty muchthe same way today at Bellanca,Incorporated. (The facilitiesare the same but ll-yearoldBellanca, Inc., is not thesame company that originallymanufactured the Super Viking.)The wings, flaps, andailerons still are painstakinglybuilt by hand in the same oldcreamery, then loaded onto atrailer and hauled the fewmiles to the airport.When you walk through theside door into the wing shop,it's like passing back throughtime. Some of Guiseppe Bellanca'soriginal tooling is stillused to piece together wingribs, and stacks of Sitka spruceplanks stand ready for thelaminating process that willturn them into wing spars.The Super Viking's wing is awork of industrial art. Eachside is composed of an estimated1,800 pieces of wood,each one stamped with a partnumber and shaped andglued to take its exact place inthe intricate structure.The wing begins to takeshape when nose ribs areattached to the front spar andtail ribs are attached to therear spar. The two spars thengo into a master jig where themiddle ribs are attached. Aluminumfuel tanks, fuel andhydraulic lines, wires forlights, and antennas areinstalled. The plywood leadingedge, shaped by steam-52 • JANUARY 1993

ing, is fitted, and the entire wing isskinned in mahogany plywood. A sealeris applied.The plywood is in turn covered withDacron cloth, and 16 to 18 separatefinish coats of dope and paint areapplied. The finished wing, which hastaken about three weeks for two mento assemble, weighs about 500 poundstotal-250 pounds a side.At the factory, the steel-tube fuselageis welded together and the fabricironed on to shrink it to size before thedoping process begins. Each side ofthe wing is bolted to a tubular steelfuselage carry-through structure.There are two attach bolts in the forwardspar, two in the rear spar. About85 percent of the individual pieces and•Bellanca doesn't cut awide swath in corporateAmerica, but it upholdsa proud tradition ofbuildingfine airplanes.parts that go into the airplane aremade by Bellanca. It takes the companyan estimated 3,600 man-hours tobuild a Super Viking. The skillsrequired to construct the Super Vikingare not easily acquired. Not many peoplepossess them. Bellanca, Incorporated,is fortunate in that turnoveramong employees is minimal.Mixed in with the new airplanesgoing together in the shop are olderVikings being refurbished by the factory.Parts support for an estimated1,300 to 1,400 Vikings in the fleet is abig boost for the company.Call with a question or partsrequest, and you're as likely to talk toChuck Holm, the president, as anyone.With 21 people on the payroll,Bellanca, Incorporated, doesn't cut avery wide swath in corporate America,or even in the general aviation industry.Production averages fewer than10 airplanes a year, and owner Pinckneydoes all of the selling himself. Bellancamay be small, but it upholds aproud tradition and turns out a fineairplane.-MRT54 • JANUARY 1993