Chowder Run: Half Moon Bay

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:15 pm

Had the M-4 back in the Bay Area this past weekend. Was able to take a friend for his first airplane ride! Also, his first taste of clam chowder! Annual time is coming up. Need to get some flying in!

Meet Prabeesh. Airplane Enthusiast, IT programmer, overall just a great guy! He is relocating to India; apparently they don't do much in the way to 'general aviating' there. So, as his going away present, he gets an airplane ride in the coolest craft ever built...the MAULE!

Unfortunately, the Silicon valley was fogged in so I had to fly via the coast to Half Moon Bay; it's much more scenic that way

Had the pleasure of actually using the LPV approach at Half Moon Bay as it was foggy there as well!

On our way back, we came back via the San Francisco Peninsula and even though the fog had cleared, we were left with a stagnant haze. Visibility was an ugly 5 miles!

I had just finished waxing the Strata Rocket the day before, so it was nice & clean!

More flying adventures to come!

FARMAULE · Post by **FARMAULE** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:01 am

Great looking M4, probably the nicest I've seen. It's always great to take friends up. Thanks for sharing.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:05 am

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

California is my 'home' and where I learned to fly, at HWD.

What year is your Maule? The brand new looking panel doesn't match the older style plane, so I'm assuming you did a major update? Looks great. What engine do you have? I noticed you are moving pretty fast for what looks like a low MP and RPM and throttle setting.

KHAF was one of my favorite local airports.

Enjoy the ride. Don't ever leave.

MauleWacko · Post by **MauleWacko** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:02 pm

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:53 pm

Thanks for all the kind words, guys. MauleWacko is correct! Franklin 220 with the round tips, almost a foot shorter than the later -4's. I usually cruise around at 2400 rpm and 21" MP unless I am going somewhere. When I'm pushing it (75% power) it trues out at about 155-160mph TAS at 5,000 feet. I'll post a vid of the sound the franklin makes later this week..it sure draws its fair share of attention especially with the big prop.

And yes the panel has been re-done. The whole airplane has, actually! It was rebuilt at the factory. The whole airplane was basically re manufactured around the original data plate in 2006; new wings, fuselage, etc. according to the logs nothing ( including engine) was reused. I call it an MX-7 with a short wing, M-4 tail, and franklin engine haha.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 5:51 pm

A very lovely and unique airplane. I am not the ultimate Maule expert, but the panel, doors, interior, and teal are incongruous with one another. I was pretty sure that those models used the Franklin engine which I understood had some superior aspect to it, including a high compression ratio and a high power to weight ratio. Too bad they are no longer available or popular.

truthinbeer · Post by **truthinbeer** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:13 pm

Great looking Maule and lovely interior too!

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 7:36 pm

That is a very clean bird inside and out. I wish my panel looked that good! What is that long, grey thing you are landing on?

chris erasmus · Post by **chris erasmus** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:16 am

That is a very nice clean plane plus it's fast, much faster than my m7 235

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:19 am

crbnunit wrote:That is a very clean bird inside and out. I wish my panel looked that good! What is that long, grey thing you are landing on?

Thank you! Haven't you heard? That long, grey thing is a California Riverbed! And those tires I have are called California Bushwheels

The main reason I have those spats on is to justify the 7.00 x 6's haha!

Beamerpilot · Post by **Beamerpilot** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:02 pm

From another M4 owner...looking at those pictures is pure pleasure...

The problem I found with Maules is that with so many mods and wings configurations available it is often hard to peg down a proper value for a particular airframe.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:36 am

I am speechless, Garrett. You, my friend have what I consider to be the most desirable airplane in this universe. You should be so proud.

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 7:45 pm

Beamerpilot wrote:From another M4 owner...looking at those pictures is pure pleasure...

The problem I found with Maules is that with so many mods and wings configurations available it is often hard to peg down a proper value for a particular airframe.

Definitely agree. Many of our M-4's have been greatly modified from their original configuration. Looking at your avatar pic, do you have extended gear? I haven't run across very many round tails with the ext. gear on them.

Take Care,
Garrett

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 7:47 pm

Rocketman wrote:I am speechless, Garrett. You, my friend have what I consider to be the most desirable airplane in this universe. You should be so proud.

Thanks, Rocketman! She has been very good to me thus far. However, sometimes I wish my M-4 was lighter, and had droop tips (a little more wing area). But, I think every pilot should have two Maules: 1. A short-wing (round wing tips) M-4-210/220 and an M-6-235 w/ extended gear on a diet

n2020u · Post by **n2020u** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 7:50 pm

If anyone is interested, as promised, here is a video showing the sound of the Franklin 220. Sorry for the shaky camera as my dad was filiming with my heavy SLR camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZFMKqefie0

Chowder Run: Half Moon Bay

Chowder Run: Half Moon Bay

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