VIKING of the MONTH
March 2003
"Miss March"
N8862V is a 1972 17-31ATC owned by Mark Rooney
This Viking is based at Sturgate, Lincoln Aero Club, England
Rather rare sight in the UK!
Mark writes: "N8862V is a 1972 Turbo Viking 17-31ATC based at Sturgate, Lincoln Aero Club, England. I bought her in November 2002 as a part exchange deal on my Piper Cherokee 140. She was imported from Texas, USA in the 1980's and whilst flown regularly early on, over the last 5 years has not been used much, she has now got 1600 hrs on the engine and airframe. I have only managed about 10 hours flying to date, that's the UK weather for you, but have found the performance difference to my little Cherokee startling!
I am starting to get her up to a better standard with some TLC. Currently a Garmin GMA340, GNC250 and GTX 327 are being fitted to replace the old Narco avionics. I'm retaining the Narco 810 and RNAV 800 until I can fund a Garmin 430. The interior is scheduled for replacement in March with a full leather fit, this combined with some serious cleaning and polishing should make her more worthy of Viking of the Month.
I plan to use her for touring into Europe and Scotland during this summer, which with her speed will make short work of my trips. I am traveling to Florida in 12 March 2003 to pick up an FAA conversion License and I hope to see some Vikings in Florida. In the UK I believe N8862V is one of only three Vikings.
She has caused a stir already at my local flying club so I am starting to appreciated a hand crafted machine over a spam cam. I must admit I was a bit skeptical of all the speed and performance claims I've seen on the internet but a recent trip at Christmas to Cambridge saw 180k kts ground speed on a moderate cruise setting 23" / 2300 rpm , albeit a slight wind component, at 3000ft was enough to impress me, needless to say Cambridge came up pretty fast! The climb performance is not bad either!"
Mark can be reached at:
mark.rooney@fieldboxmore.com
Picture YOUR Airplane Here!
Send me photos and some history about your Viking, and I'll place it on this page for all Bellanca Fans to see! Snail mail photos to: 3741 N. Forgeus Ave, Tucson, AZ 85716 (all photos will be returned promptly)...or e-mail .jpg files to:
Vikingdrvr@att.net
Previous "Vikings of the Month"
N 1285R...Don Ames' 1972 Turbo Viking
N 93570...Larry Smalley's 1973 17-31A
N 39819...Jim Howell's 1973 17-30A
N 4081B...Tom Binder's 1975 17-31ATC
N 4052B...The DeFoe's 1976 17-30A
N 28067...Craig Gifford's 1979 17-30A
N 6578V...James Gryder's 1970 17-31ATC
N 93554...Troy Foster's 1974 17-31ATC
N 110CB...RJ Lint's 1974 17-30A
N 6639V...Michael Waiwood's 1970 17-30A
N 147PH...Ron Bianchi's 1974 17-30A
N 7379V...Bob & Bette Nixon's 1969 17-30
N 7358V...Troy Foster's 1969 17-31TC
N 8811V...Jeremy Reiley's 1971 17-30A
N 9996V...Lee Moore's 1971 17-30A
N 14732...Lynn Walker's 1975 17-30A
CFMJT...Eric Hansen's 1974 17-31ATC
N 4101B...Peter Knize & John Sullivan's 1974 17-31ATC
N 8229R...Bill Dudley's 1972 17-30A
N 4851V...Carl Fleece's 1968 17-30
N 7300V...Lee McGee's 1969 17-30
N 8281R...Victor Catalanotto's 1972 17-30A
N 228CM...Curtis Hannay's 1973 17-31ATC
N 8842V...Richard Dews' 1971 17-30A
N 28058...Rex Warren's 1978 17-30A
N 77TV...Tim Averett's 1977 17-31ATC
N 9782E...Walt Peasley & Greg Treager's 1977 17-30A
N 4062B...Russell and Rusty Viers' 1975 17-31ATC
N 4935V...Hal Schroeder's 1969 17-30
N 8229R...Bill Dudley's 1972 17-30A
N 14798...Earl Gault's 1974 17-30A
N 39862...Craig Schwab's 1973 17-30A
N 8231R...Mike Carr's 1972 17-30A
N 281SV...Fred Olson's 2000 17-30A
N 28055...John Hartnell's 1979 17-30A
N 327CP...Jeff Baker's 1973 17-30A
N 6712V...Tom & Laurie Cox's 1970 17-30A
N 8813V...Bob & Bette Nixon's 1971 17-30A
N 5683U...Dean & Demita Crofford's 1973 17-30A
N 4137B...William Bruu's 1975 17-30A
N 73KP...Ross Seabrooke's 1973 17-31A
N 200EB...Frank Waltman's 1978 17-31ATC
N 89EL...Don and Shirlee Shapansky's 1989 17-30A
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