I have personally seen some very nice Maule take-Offs and have done it myself on a few occasions.

I was going through the touring class top ten for the last couple of years at Valdez and no Maules...

I wonder why?

Looking at the light touring class for Valdez 2017, it is all Cessna. Mostly 172's with some 170's and a 150 (I would debate placing a 150 in this class). All of which are beatable by a Maule. Looking at the numbers they must have had some serious wind howling down the runway. I also suspect that everything that doesn't fly the plane is missing from each aircraft to minimize weight.

Here is daily driver Cessna's pitted against daily driver Maules:

http://www.texasstolroundup.org/past_events.html

Why no Maules is a good question. Maybe they were out trying to earn a living.

Yes it becomes more windy as the day goes on. I saw Maules parked there, just odd they were not on the top list. Plus they are probably limped in with the Light Touring.

MauleWacko wrote:

Float Pilot wrote:I have personally seen some very nice Maule take-Offs and have done it myself on a few occasions.

I was going through the touring class top ten for the last couple of years at Valdez and no Maules...

I wonder why?

Uhhh short wing. They work ok but that does not mean they are the best.
Maybe I should start a thread on things a maule needs or does not have. I have had four and will go on from here. It isn't sliced bread or Jesus.

Well, they don't all have short wings...

Last year there were no Maules at Valdez to my knowledge. 2016 was skunk weather and I think there was only one representative who didn't have his best day. If you go back further, 2015, 2014...I believe you will see at least one Maule in the top 3 in LT class. The competition comes in the form of a couple big engine C170s with very capable drivers. Fair fight. 2018 we need to organize and show up with our best!

I hope there's some good wind there 'cause I wouldn't be so proud of my 185' in my M-7-235 with 5kts on the nose.

i didn't realize we would be getting called out on this.
2017 had a batch of poor weather and several of us decided not to push into bad coastal weather just to sit in a tent in the pouring rain on the tarmac (some) with little ones. It's supposed to be for fun, right?
also, a 172 with an o-360 is a tough competitor. they land with the brakes absolutely locked and the tail skid hitting the runway. i can't land that short on pavement. and the very lightweight C170B's with IO-360 continentals and damn good drivers are very hard to beat.
of course i have never seen a stripped down, 33' wing M6 built to go sloooow show up and compete at valdez. anyone?
my short wing M5 has 2 valdez trophies. and i know another M5 that has more than that.
also, we were all out trying to earn a living

UP-,
I haven't had my M-7 very long, but I do believe that Maules are some of the most under-rated airplanes I've ever seen. Maybe it's time to add another class for the trikes.

I do know that although I enjoy "Unlimited" racing, whether it is Quarter Horses in rodeos, Thoroughbreds at Pimlico & Churchill, Warbirds at Reno, Cup Racing in NASCAR, or the super lightweight stuff at Valdez, I am really paying attention to the real work horses. Show me a good Working Cow Horse, a PA-18 built to haul a load from a short strip, a Maule, or a Beaver doing what they were designed to do. THAT is what I want to see. An 800lb Cub with 180hp flying off in 20' is just like a jet ski. You can have just about all the fun that thing will ever give you within the first 24 hours you own it.

StuporRocket wrote: An 800lb Cub with 180hp flying off in 20' is just like a jet ski. You can have just about all the fun that thing will ever give you within the first 24 hours you own it.

Where is that "like" button??

MauleWacko wrote:Seems like any stol competition is flown with an empty airplane. I would be really impressed to see them all flown at gross weight.

I like the idea and I'm game for it!

Although you'd have to stage the spectators somewhere between 600 and 1000' from the starting line for them to see where the aircraft gets airborne. Might be a LOT more leg work for the judges...

A lot of good comments here. I never go to Valdez because by that time I am working and on floats. I did go to Gulkana a couple times before Valdez became the new thing...

Float flying is my thing.... So here are a couple Maules on floats racing off the water at Greenville Maine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-SBhc4 ... e=youtu.be