Booming Maule market

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Fri May 15, 2015 4:25 pm

GA is in bad shape, perhaps moribund/doomed.

Older folks that have the money won’t invest because they know they may lose their medical and wind up with an expensive paperweight.

Nowadays they get RV's and Harleys and pontoon boats.

Middle aged folks are priced out of the market. The price for our passion really is unreasonable. A bad joke. We pay it because flying is part of who we are, not just what we do, but the cost is silly.

Young folks are not interested. Clicking on computers, tapping on iPads, and other 'virtual' activities are the norm in that demographic now.

My suggestion to the FAA to try to save GA?

Do away with the 3rd Class medical, drop ADS-B, and completely revamp or eliminate the certification process. The experimental world seems to fly fine without it.

captnkirk · Post by **captnkirk** » Fri May 15, 2015 6:53 pm

Doc at sun n fun I heard Maule had a contract for several planes I believe it was for a government service. Ray even spoke of a need for more employees. Susan Maule flies at USAIR/American and said her m4 is on the back burner till they get caught up. I'm planning on going to the GA Maule flyin in the fall we'll see more then. (sorry had a fat fingered mistake no TN meant the GA)

galtpilot · Post by **galtpilot** » Sat May 16, 2015 5:36 pm

I installed the new door latches last year. My wife loves them. She could never get the old ones to work. Took 6 months to get them. When and where is the fall Maule fly in Tennessee? That would be reasonable for us from northern Illinois.

Maulehigh · Post by **Maulehigh** » Wed May 20, 2015 12:50 pm

Mountain Doctor wrote: Young folks are not interested.

I guess that all depends on how they're raised. How young is classified as young?

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He's changed a bit since his first flight:

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Wed May 20, 2015 8:36 pm

Awesome pictures Dave! Thanks for sharing. Very encouraging, all general aviation needs is several thousand kids with the same passion, and thick wallets LOL

TomD · Post by **TomD** » Thu May 21, 2015 8:57 pm

I flew 18 kids last Saturday for a Young Eagles event in Everett.

We totaled over 200 kids for the day.

If just a small percentage of the kids flown at YE events pursue aviation. we have a chance.

Cheers.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Fri May 22, 2015 8:22 am

Good on you for the Young Eagles, Tom.

I also fly for that cause every year, this year I may do it twice, once here and also Walla Walla.

It's a great way to help kids and GA at the same time.

Just make sure the intercom has a 'pilot isolate' switch.

AndrewK · Post by **AndrewK** » Sun May 24, 2015 12:58 pm

TomD wrote:I flew 18 kids last Saturday for a Young Eagles event in Everett.

We totaled over 200 kids for the day.

If just a small percentage of the kids flown at YE events pursue aviation. we have a chance.

Cheers.

Thanks for doing that. I am a former YE and couldn't wait until I was in a position to fly my own airplane. Now I try to return the favor when I can in hopes that one of my YE will join the ranks one day.

rw2 · Post by **rw2** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:24 pm

Mountain Doctor wrote:Also, as I understand it, new airplane production at Maule, especially for the domestic market, is all but shut down and has been for some time.

Two data points:

1) Their booth at airventure was empty last year because it was "all hands on deck" to meet a large order.

2) When I spoke with the factory a couple days ago they had seven in production and we were trying to figure out which of them (if any) we could steal a windshield from to put on my Maule without effecting delivery dates of the new ones.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Mon May 25, 2015 8:57 pm

That sounds like good news.

swampflyer · Post by **swampflyer** » Fri May 29, 2015 8:48 am

My wife and I visited Sun&Fun and enjoyed the festivities and displays for a few hours. The Maule display was as usual, one used airplane. I asked why don't you have a new M9. From our conversation I understood there was a top to bottom change of personnel and that one plane every 3 1/2 to 4 weeks was rolling off the line. I understood they are quite busy and to do an M9 for the show was not in the cards right now. I believe the display is more for Maule Flight, than the factory, but it accomplishes the same thing,sort off. As usual the husky display was jam up. They always have their latest and several planes to admire. You just got to have deep pockets. Brent was very cordial and a wealth of info,enjoyed our conversation. The Maule is still the best bang for the buck and made in America.

rw2 · Post by **rw2** » Fri May 29, 2015 9:46 am

swampflyer wrote:The Maule display was as usual, one used airplane.

Hey now, be careful not to imply that old Maule's are somehow a disappointment! My 2002 is gonna be in the Airventure booth.

TomD · Post by **TomD** » Fri May 29, 2015 10:58 am

Hey now, be careful not to imply that old Maule's are somehow a disappointment! My 2002 is gonna be in the Airventure booth.

My 1977 M5 has been in the GA display at Abbotsford Airshow three times. Have no idea why but they seem to like it.

TD

swampflyer · Post by **swampflyer** » Fri May 29, 2015 4:48 pm

just a comment,not an implication. I've actually seen some of the older Maules that I thought were just as good as the new one I bought years ago. It would just be nice to see the new M9 at one of these displays. I'm currently doing a balancing act trying to figure out what to purchase next. M9 or Husky.

Booming Maule market

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