Bellanca 17-31ATC Super Viking Four-seat Light Business Aircraft

Bellanca 17-31ATC "Super Viking"
United States — four-seat light business aircraft

Archive Photos

1973 Bellanca 17-31ATC "Super Viking" (N93669) at the USA Yanks Air Museum

History

Known originally as International Aircraft Manufacturing, Inc (Inter-air), Bellanca Sales Company (a subsidiary of Miller Flying Service) acquired the assets of Champion Aircraft Corporation on 30 September 1970. Following the merger, the name Bellanca Aircraft Corporation was adopted, and Bellanca marketed both its own products and those of Champion Aircraft.

In addition to continued production of the four-seat Viking series, Bellanca marketed the two-seat Citabria, a utility version known as the Scout, and an advanced acrobatic aircraft named the Decathlon. A new version of the Scout, designated Model 8GCBC, was nearing the end of its certification program in early 1974. Also under development was a side-by-side two-seat trainer based on the pre-war Aeronca Chief.

Sales during the 1973 fiscal year totaled 671 aircraft, compared with 451 in 1972.

Bellanca Viking Series

During 1973, there were three aircraft in the Viking series, developed from the earlier Bellanca 260C and Standard Viking 300 as follows:

Model 17-30A "Super Viking 300A"

Powered by a 300-hp Continental IO-520-K six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine, driving a McCauley two-blade or three-blade metal constant speed propeller.
A total of 511 were delivered by 1 November 1972.

Model 17-31A Super Viking 300A

This was identical to the foregoing version except for the installation of a 300-hp Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 engine, driving a Hartzell three-blade constant speed propeller.
A total of 102 delivered by 1 November 1972.
A Super Viking 300 delivered on 1 November 1972 was the 1,000th Bellanca aircraft completed by the company. At that time Viking production was at a rate of 17 aircraft per month.

Model 17-31ATC Turbo Viking 300A

This version was powered by a 300-hp Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 engine with two Rajay turbochargers.
This version used a Hartzell three-blade constant-speed propeller.
Deliveries of this version totalled 45 on 1 November 1972.

Bellanca 17-31ATC "Super Viking" Specifications

Type

Four-seat light business aircraft.

Wings

Cantilever low-wing monoplane.
Bellanca B wing section.
Dihedral 4° 30’.
Incidence 0° at root, -3° at tip.
Structure consists of two laminated Sitka spruce spars, mahogany plywood and spruce ribs and mahogany plywood skin covered with Dacron.
Ailerons and electrically-actuated flaps are Dacron-covered wooden structures.

Fuselage

Welded 4130 steel tube structure, covered with Dacron.
Two-piece glassfiber engine cowling, suspended from firewall.

Tail Unit

Strut-braced welded 4130 steel tube structure, covered with Dacron.
Sweptback vertical surfaces.
Trim tab in port elevator.

Landing Gear

Tricycle type, with Auto-Axion electro-hydraulic retraction, which lowers gear automatically during approach if pilot omits to do so, and prevents accidental retraction on ground.
Manual emergency extension.
nosewheel protrudes slightly to "up" position to reduce damage in a wheels-up landing.
nosewheel retracts rearward, main wheels forward into underwing fairings, optionally enclosed by doors.
Spring-air-oil shock absorbers.
Main-wheel tires size 6.00-6 6-ply.
Steerable nosewheel, Goodyear type 2-747 hydraulic disc brakes.

Power Plant

One six-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled engine (details under model descriptions above).
Two fuel tanks in wings and one in fuselage, aft of cabin, with total usable capacity of 60 US gallons (227 L).
Optional auxiliary fuel tank in fuselage, increasing max usable capacity to 75 US gallons (283 L).
Refueling points above each wing and on starboard side of fuselage.
Oil capacity 3 US gallons (11.5 L).

Accommodation

Four seats in pairs in enclosed cabin.
Dual controls standard, with brakes on portside only.
Moulded glassfiber door on starboard side of cabin.
Tinted glass.
Baggage space, capacity 186 lb (84 kg), aft of rear seats, with glassfiber external door and in-flight access.
Provision for tube for carrying skis, max weight 20 lb (9 kg).
Heating and ventilation standard.

Systems

12V electrical system, with Prestolite 60A alternator, solid-state regulator and 33Ah battery.
Landing, taxi and navigation lights standard.

Electronics and Equipment

Standard equipment includes artificial horizon, directional gyro, electric turn coordinator, rate of climb indicator, vacuum gauge, 8-day clock, outside air temperature gauge, tinted glass, sun visor, towbar, stall warning device, soundproofing, custom interior, tie-down straps.
With factory installed radio equipment the following additional equipment is standard: Narco omni antenna; ElectroVoice microphone; power cable; Narco VP-10 broad-band transmitting antenna and microphone jacks; Mitchell Century I, II or III autopilot optional, with optional accessories which include radio tracker, radio coupler in automatic trim for Century II or III, glideslope coupler for Century III; electric trim and switch kits.
Optional radio and navigation equipment includes Bendix, King and Narco VHF transceivers, transponders and marker beacon receivers, Bendix, King, Kett and Narco ADF radio receivers, King and Narco DME and Narco course line computer.
Miscellaneous optional equipment includes Alcor engine analyzer and EGT meter, heated pitot tube, auxiliary power source, stereo tape player, oxygen system, true air speed indicator, alternative paint schemes, 3 in gyros, strobes, quick oil drain, alternative static source, shoulder harness for front seat, dual brakes and map pockets.

Dimensions External

Wing span: 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m)
Length overall: 26 ft 4 in (8.02 m)
Height overall: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
Tailplane span: 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m)
Wheel track: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Wheelbase: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Propeller diameter: 6 ft 3 in (2.03 m)
Cabin door height: 2 ft 10 in (0.86 m)
Cabin door max width: 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m)
Baggage compartment door height: 2 ft 0 in (0.61 m)
Baggage compartment door with: 1 ft 8¼ in (0.51 m)

Dimensions, Internal, Cabin

Length, firewall to rear wall: 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
Maximum width: 3 ft 7 in (1.09 m)
Max height: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m)
Baggage compartment volume: 12.08 ft³ (0.34 m³)

Areas

Wings, gross: 161.5 ft² (15.00 m²)
Ailerons (total): 11.77 ft² (1.09 m²)
Trailing-edge flaps (total): 16.16 ft² (1.50 m²)

Weights @ max T/O weight, A: IO-520, B: IO-540, C: turbocharged IO-540

Weight empty A: 2,191 1b (994 kg)
Weight empty B: 2,225 lb (1,009 kg)
Weight empty C: 2,320 lb (1,052 kg)
Max T/O weight: 3,325 lb (1,508 kg)

Performance @ max T/O weight, A: IO-520, B: IO-540, C: turbocharged IO-540

Max never-exceed speed: A, B, C 196 knots (226 mph; 363 km/h) IAS
A - Max cruising speed (75% power): 162 knots (187 mph; 301 km/h)
B - Max cruising speed (75% power): 165 knots (190 mph; 305 km/h)
C - Max cruising speed (75% power) at 24,000 ft (7,315 m): 193 knots (223 mph; 358 km/h)
A - Cruising speed (65% power): A 156 knots (180 mph; 290 km/h)
B - Cruising speed (65% power): 160 knots (184 mph; 296 km/h)
C - Cruising speed (65% power) at 24,000 ft (7,315 m): 175 knots (202 mph; 325 km/h)
A, B, C - Stalling speed, wheels and flaps down: 61 knots (70 mph; 113 km/h) CAS
A, B, C - Max rate of climb at S/L: 1,170 ft/min (356 m/min)
A - Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,180 m)
B - Service ceiling: 18,200 ft (5,550 m)
C - Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,315 m)
A, B, C - T/O to 50 ft (15 m): 1,420 ft (433 m)
A, B, C - Landing from 50 ft (15 m): 1,340 ft (409 m)
A, B - Range, standard fuel, 75% power: 521 nm (600 miles; 965 km)
C - Range, standard fuel, 75% power: 603 nm (695 miles; 1,118 km)
A, B - Range, auxiliary fuel, 65% power: 755 nm (870 miles; 1,400 km)
C - Range, auxiliary fuel, 65% power: 851 nm (980 miles; 1,577 km)

References

Taylor, John W.R., "Bellanca: Bellanca Viking Series." Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1975-76. Jane’s Yearbooks, New York, 1975. pp. 273