Prospective Maule pilot with a few questions.

[DanK]

Hi,

As the topic depicts, I am a prospective Maule pilot that would like a few questions answered.

Firstly, I should introduce myself and give a bit of history to my situation. I began my flight training almost exactly a year ago, and am still flying with the Calgary Flying Club, based out of Calgary Springbank airport, just West of Calgary, Canada. I currently have about 130 hours TT, which I have collected over the past year. I would have a license, but, here's the catch -- I'm only 15. I actually started when I was 14, and managed to solo at that age (the bare minimum in Canada) just weeks before my 15th birthday. The minimum for a recreational license in Canada is 16 however, but good news is that's only a few months away, and I'll be earning a rec license with more experience than most private pilots have. Besides, it's all hours towards my Commercial/ATPL . Now, because of my young age, I am unable to get a driver's license as well. So, as my mother needed to drive me out to the airport anyways, she figured she's start training as well. She earned her Private license in January, and currently has around 150 hours TT. We both trained on the typical club plane -- mid-70s Cessna 172, which are, ironically, twice as old as I am. We also have some Piper Warrior experience, and are getting checked-out on the club's Cessna 182.

Recently, with the realization that club planes are, um, well, usually sub-par, the hate of being stuck to a booking system, which is usually always full, and the want of freedom to fly where/when we want, we decided to look into buying an aircraft. A friend recommended Maule to us, and upon discovery of what these aircraft actually are, have fallen in love with them. Just the go-anywhere, anytime attitude, the fantastic mix of new and old, the beauty of these aircraft and their rarety have grabbed us.

So, now that you know our situation, how about I ask some questions.

Firstly, trigear or tailwheel? I know this is a generally tailwheel-pro crowd, but I want an honest answer here. We've only ever flown trigear aircraft -- is the transition that hard? And is it worth it?

How much power? Springbank airport is at 4,000 feet, and we hope to be doing quite a bit of flying in the mountains. I'm assuming an M-7-235 is the better option, but how do the MX-7-180s fair? Is 235 hp and a taildragger too much for someone that's never flown tailwheel before? 260 hp is out of the question here...

How do these machines fly? Are they relatively stable, or are you constantly fighting them to keep them going where you want them? I've flown in an M-5 a few times, but how do the mid-90s through 2000s M-7s and MX-7s compare to Maule's 70s aircraft?

How do these machines fair for IFR flying? I'm assuming some people here do it... I certainly foresee myself earning my IFR rating in the machine we buy, and I certainly do see myself doing a fair amount of IFR flying in IMC conditions. Also on a side note here -- I don't know if you need this in the US, but in Canada for an aircraft to be IFR certified, they need dual sources of static. Is this a common feature on Maules? What models do/do not have it? If they didn't does anyone know the approx. cost, or if it's possible at all, to install the second source of static? Is it easy to install additional avionics, such as an ADF?

Are they as rugged as they're hyped up to be? Can they really land on the 1000 foot sand bar? If you are unaware, weather in Calgary can vary between about -35' C in the winter and +35' C in the summer -- can a Maule be depended on in these conditions, or will it crap out on you on the apron when you need it the most?

How is having/taking care of a fabric fuselage? What would happen if you were to not hangar the aircraft? How often does the fabric need to be replaced?

Do you guys ever have any major problems with Maules? Are they always ready to fly, or do they spend half their time in the mechanic's hangar? From an owner's point of view, are they easy to maintain?

Thanks in advance for your guys' replies. They'll help a lot in making the final decision. I'll ask away if I can think of any more questions (not like what's above is enough ).

[Kirk]

Dan,

First off, congratulations on getting an early start on something you have a love for. I started out the exact same way with my Dad driving me to the airport until I was old enough to ride a motorcycle out there. I worked at the local FBO and got paid in flying time. That was a big leg up and cheaper than renting or owning.

It was the start of something that has given me a lot in life. 29 years and over 18,000 hours later I still love it. Flying is not an easy career, but if you can stick with it and are dedicated you will never look back, except with a smile.

Now on to your questions:

1: Tailwheel is something you can learn with the right instructor. If there is someone on the field who has experience on the aircraft and can teach, then you would have a good experience.

Big IF is insurance. Cheaper by far for the trike.

2:235 vs 180. If you are just carrying 2 people the 180 is probably adequate and less power is easier for a new pilot to control. But, again, good instruction can overcome that. Heck, the military teaches newbies from scratch in jets.

You're at a stage where you will want to put in a lot of hours though. That argues for a less expensive aircraft to operate. My 235 burns 12 to 16 GPH vs the 180 around 10 GPH.

3: Stability is good in my opinion. I fly a lot of IFR in my M5-235. It makes me work a bit more than say, a Cessna 182 but it is not excessively squirrely.

Maule put a nice IFR package in most their aircraft. You might find different type aircraft are harder to find with a decent avionics package. Though again, buying a C-172 for $20,000 less than a Maule will get you a lot more hours for the money, foring as they may be....

4: Rugged, yes. 1000 ft sandbar no problem. Super Cubs etc are great, but try finding one you can get your IFR ticket in...

I've found them to be quite reliable. Weather extremes it doesn't behave any worse than any other piston single. Simple systems help a lot and the Maule has them.

5: Fabric,if it is in good condition is fine. Plenty of aircraft spend most their lives outdoors. Get a good cabin cover if it has to got outside and watch out for any sign of water getting inside.

Fabric life is usually quite long. 15 years being a low for an airplane outside with a bad paint job. 40 years plus for an inside airplane that is well cared for.

I'd look for a Maule that has been thoroughly refurbished by a good mechanic or shop.

6: Reliability for mine has been great. It's a 1977 M5-235C with the original engine 1300 TT that was restored in 2000 just before I bought it. The previous owner ran out of money when he came to the engine and it is the only source of component failures.

30 years is a long time for an engine to be in service. That upped my costs some, but I am still using it and replacing alternator, fuel pump, carb etc as they crap out. Wish I had the bucks to just swap in a reman, but reality strikes again.

That's about it. Good luck in your hunt and bag some more free time in that M5 whenever you can!

Kirk

[UP-M5]

i just flew through calgary about a month ago. the weather was quite nice there. we went on to rocky mountain house for fuel and then on to grand prarie, fort nelson, whitehorse, watson lk, ............. and on and on.......

it is a great traveling machine. hauls an incredible load. fairly quick, and can handle short field stuff really well.

i am not ifr rated, but a friend of mine who is flew up to alaska with me. we filed and flew into imc several times on our way up, and the only thing he had to say was "i'm looking for a maule when i get back home" he is now in the market for a m5-180. all maules (as far as i know) have dual static ports on the fuselage.

the instrument panels are very big and can be upgraded just as easily as any other aircraft. and since they are set up for a full, center stack of radios- they are actually easier to upgade than most older aircraft.

i've never flown an M7 so i can't comment on the difference, but remember- short wings cruise faster.

good luck in your search. and don't worry about the tailwheel- there is a list going of good maule instructors and you should be able to find one. with the right training, you will do just fine. the maule is a pussycat

[DanK]

Alright, great to get some replies from you guys! We have found a tailwheel instructor in Calgary, goes by the name of Doug Jenkins, and was apparently a test pilot for Maule back in the days of the M-5.

We've also found a year 2000 Maule M-7-235 just up North in Edmonton. Canadian registered, 600 hrs TT. It pulled up last week onto our club's ramp by coincidence and we got a good look at it -- it truly is a 10 out of 10 in and out. Garmin 430, Garmin 250XL, digital transponder, S-Tec 30 autopilot, full leather, VGs and Patroller windows, and the price can't be complained about. We're going up to take a better look at it in a week or so, but I have a feeling this is the one. The only thing I was worried about was a taildragger and 235hp, though everyone I talk to, including Doug, thinks that it's manageable.

Another option would be to bring up an MX-7-180 from the US. Though, most of them are in not as great of a condition, and if you want to bring it up to IFR standards and the avionics that M-7-235 has, that's another $20-30,000. As well, you got to up here, pay to re-register and re-certify it, do all the work that needs to be done, and by that time you're spending almost as much for an aircraft in worse condition and with less power.

Well, thanks again for your thoughts. I think I like these aircraft more and more the more I hear about them