This 1979 Bellanca 8GCBC Is a Backcountry-Bred ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

1979 Bellanca 8GCBC [Courtesy: John Pearson]

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1979 Bellanca 8GCBC.

The Bellanca Citabria has been a popular taildragger ever since its introduction in the early 1960s. Descendants of the beloved Aeronca 7AC Champ, the Citabria and its derivatives come in an alphabet-soup of model designations, including 7ECA through 8KCAB.

Specifications differ significantly but all of these aircraft have the same basic appearance of a modernized, squared-off Champ.

Other pilots have told me that Citabrias, while fairly versatile, are not truly cut out for the rigors of bush flying—too delicate, they say. The aircraft for sale here was Bellanca’s answer to that assertion.

The 8GCBC, known as the Scout, was designed as a utility model, with extra power for hauling loads out of remote mountain strips and options for long-range fuel. It can be used for crop spraying, patrol duty, and other missions that we typically associate with larger, beefier aircraft. Unlike most of its relatives, the 8GCBC is not certified for aerobatic maneuvers.

For backcountry flying enthusiasts, though, this taildragger seems like it was built to order.

This 1979 Bellanca has 1,120 hours on the airframe and on its 180 hp Lycoming O-360 engine since overhaul. The aircraft is equipped with 8.5-inch main wheels and a Scott tailwheel. The basic VRF panel includes Icom radio and Stratus ADS-B In and Out.

Pilots looking for a classic tailwheel aircraft capable of short-field operations and off-airport exploration should consider this 1979 Bellanca 8GCBC, which is available for $90,000 on Aircra f tForSale.

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