N97BC

N97BC is a Bellanca 8 Scout, a single-engine piston aircraft operated by GUY GEORGE HOPKINS III. SkyMeter has tracked 102 flights totalling 68 hours of airtime via ADS-B. The most frequent segment is KE16 to KE16. Service window in our records spans 442 days. Of those flights, 12 (11.8%) carry at least one detected incident: a go-around, unstable approach, stall warning, or runway excursion. The Bellanca 8 Scout has a 36 ft wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 2,150 lb.

About the Bellanca 8 Scout

The Bellanca 8KCAB Decathlon is a two-seat tandem aerobatic trainer that has been the backbone of American civilian aerobatic instruction since its introduction in 1970. Built by Champion Aircraft (later acquired by Bellanca and then American Champion), the Decathlon evolved from the earlier Citabria line with strengthened airframe components, inverted fuel and oil systems, and symmetrical wings capable of sustaining positive and negative 6G loads. Powered by a 150 to 180 horsepower Lycoming engine driving a constant-speed propeller, it can perform the full range of basic and intermediate aerobatic maneuvers including loops, rolls, spins, hammerheads, and snap rolls, making it the aircraft of choice for pilots training toward their aerobatic competency endorsement or competing in IAC Sportsman and Intermediate categories.

The Decathlon's docile handling, forgiving stall characteristics, and relatively affordable operating costs have made it a staple at aerobatic schools and flight training organizations across North America. Its fabric-covered steel tube fuselage and wooden wing spars require more maintenance attention than all-metal designs, but the type's simplicity and parts availability have kept hundreds flying for over five decades. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.