This 1977 Bellanca 17-31ATC Viking Is a Speedy, Turbocharged ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Today’s Top Pick is a 1977 Bellanca 17-31ATC Viking.

A neighbor in the next row of hangars at my home airport flies a nice looking Bellanca Viking. He flies often and seems to be departing or arriving whenever I am there.

My situation is the exception, though, as Vikings are a rare sight for most people. The enigmatic four-seat retractable has unusual features, including a wooden wing, fabric covering, and strut-braced horizontal stabilizer. Its design seems stuck in aviation’s golden age, but the sum of its parts is surprising speed.

Vikings used both Continental and Lycoming big-bore engines and developed a loyal following over the years. Today there are owner groups and forums dedicated to keeping the fleet in the air. Shoppers looking for a swift traveling aircraft that is known for pleasant handling and sparking conversation on the ramp are likely to understand the Viking’s appeal.  

This 1977 Bellanca Viking has 2,850 hours on the airframe and 105 hours since factory remanufacture overhaul on its turbo-normalized Lycoming IO-540 engine. The aircraft received new fabric and windows in 2006, and a new interior in 2020.

The panel includes dual Garmin G5s with true airspeed and wind display, GMA 245 audio panel, four-place intercom, Garmin GTN 650Xi, GTR 200 com radio, Avidyne AXP 340 transponder, Garmin Aera 760, GDL 52 with SiriusXM for ADS, Electronics International CGR-30P engine monitor, USB data ports, Century III autopilot, factory oxygen system, digital clock, and ski tube.

Pilots looking for a fast, handsome, four-seat, retractable, traveling airplane should consider this 1977 Bellanca Viking, which is available for $134,900 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.