[1] Taking its numbering convention from the Bellanca tradition of identifying the series from the wing area in square feet, dropping the final digit, while the second number was the aircraft's horsepower, again dropping the final digit, the 14-13 had been planned to be powered by the 130 hp (97 kW) Franklin 6AC-298-F3 horizontal piston engine; the designation was not updated to 14-15 when a 150 hp (112 kW) engine was actually used.
[2] The new model had structural upgrades, a 190 hp (142 kW) Lycoming O435-A engine, an increased gross weight of 2,600 lb (1,179 kg), hydraulically operated landing gear and flaps, and an improved interior.
The new model had a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470K engine, an increased gross weight of 2,700 pounds,[2] an updated instrument panel, and new paint and upholstery schemes.
[5] The Bellanca 14-13 Cruisair Senior was aimed at the general aviation market, offering a combination of performance, low engine power and a modest price.
Its performance and structural strength also made it attractive for utility work, but in many ways the Bellanca design was an anachronism, relying on a conventional landing gear configuration and wood-and-fabric construction that harkened back to an earlier age.
[6] In 1952, Canadian Joshua Haldeman and his wife Winifred flew their 14-13-2 from Pretoria, South Africa to Oslo, Norway and back.