VIKING of the MONTH

May 2000

"Miss May"

N4851V is a 1968 17-30 owned by Carl & Veneda Fleece

This Viking is based at Granbury Municipal, TX (F55)

Eager to be "at home in the air"

Carl writes: "December was a good month for the Fleeces, as we purchased our best aircraft---ever. We have owned a Tri Pacer, two Ercoupes, two Cherokees, an Arrow, a Mooney and two Fairchild 24s. Why didn't we purchase one of these Super Vikings years ago?"

"I am a retired pilot for the best flying organization in the world, the USAF. Of course some out there from those other, smaller, organizations may disagree. One thing we can agree on though is, the Super Viking is fine."

"We had just sold our 1936 Fairchild 24R and had begun to want something a bit faster. Several years ago, one of my employees at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport told of this incredible flying machine, the Super Viking. He had worked at Millers as a demonstration pilot for the SV. The internet seemed to be the place to look and sure enough, there it was in Houston. We agreed on a price and the owner contracted for a new annual since it had been out for some time."

It had a total of 970 hours, airframe and engine. Three cylinders had just been replaced because the exhaust flanges were uneven (new valves and the works). Some fuel injectors were replaced, the throttle body, and prop governor replaced. The six EGT probes, CHT probe, both fuel pumps, wheel bearings, one tire and battery were also replaced. The aircraft had been painted 10 years before but it was always hangared and only flown about 10 hours during that 10 years. During the test flight I noted twelve other problems that were also taken care of."

"This saga began about the first of October 1999 but wasn't completed until December (what a wait!). Now it was time to fly it to its hangar at Granbury Municipal, TX. The flight was uneventful and the speed was enjoyable until the gear went down. There was a loud hiss and smell of hydraulic fluid. I have heard and smelled such before but sure didn't want it just now. Since the airspeed indicator had been one of the repaired items after the test flight (it was off by about 40 MPH), I had wanted to drop the gear early, fly the book airspeeds for landing, retract the gear and enter the pattern. Now I had to leave them down for about 10 miles to the airport. The landing was uneventful, thanks to the over center feature. Turns out it was a ruptured line to the right main instead of the power pack as first thought. By the way, the engine driven pump had also received an overhaul."

"The low cylinder is 72/80 but it is burning a little too much oil. We won't sweat the small stuff and are looking forward to burning some going to some of the Super Viking get togethers! We certainly are enjoying the Viking...it sure is a great flying machine"

Carl can be reached at: Carl_Fleece@yahoo.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 Ame's 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

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