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

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