Maule/Pacer hybrid project

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Maule/Pacer hybrid project

Post by Pacer »

Good day group. I am in the process of rebuilding my amateur built copy of a Pacer that my father built from scratch in the late 70's and I have been wanting to modify the wings by enlarging the flap area and moving the ailerons out toward the wingtips. After doing a bunch of research on the matter I got to thinking why not see if a set of Maule M4/M5/M6 wings would fit on the Pacer. I have recovered the Pacer wings in the past and I do not look forward to doing rib stitching again. So does anyone know if this is a possibility? I plan on installing a Lycoming 0-360 with a Catto prop and I am also thinking about installing rear doors like a Maule/Bearhawk and a one piece aluminum Grove landing gear and covering the fuselage with Oratex.

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BatMaule
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Post by BatMaule »

As a former Pacer owner who was always looking at wing mods, I have long thought the easiest way to go was to just bolt on a set of M5 wings. They are a direct fit. Can't just go and do that in the certified world though. If you opt for M6 or later wings, you will need to modify your fuselage to accomodate the torque tube actuators for the flaps. Good luck.
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Post by Pacer »

Thanks for the reply! I would like to modify the Maule wing by possibly extending the aileron a little bit and maybe change the wingtip. At the end of the day the Maules wing is superior to the Pacers in many ways! Possibly adding leading edge slats might really make the Pacer really perform!

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Post by Pacer »

Would anyone know the weights of a M4/M5 wing? What are the fuel capacities available and do the early Maules have visual site gauges on the wing roots or do they have fuel gauges on the instrument panel? Lastly which wing has the best flap/aileron combination? Thanks!

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Post by aero101 »

The universal Maule wing would probably be best bet which has the long flaps and slightly longer ailerons then M6 wings which are longest, but somewhat limited on aileron effectiveness? With those longer wings, think you'd have to seriously consider lengthening fuselage more along lines of the producer or an M5, as without doing that adverse yaw would probably be a huge problem due to short moment and lack of leverage? The Maule airfoil is a supercub airfoil, and wings are considerably heavier then the PA18... Fuel generally 40 gallon mains, and another 30 available in aux's... Tank indications are electric floats, but would be a matter of just welding on some bosses to do fittings like PA18 system. I flew a 180HP pacer for many years, and made a terrific little airplane except little fast on landing due to short wings!! I've also flown the 150HP Producer version which is like a giant supercub with performance pretty close to cub as well. With big rear doors, long wing, extended fuselage, and 180HP pacer type acft would be great airplane, but an MX7-180A is pretty much what you'd have, and would probably be much less expensive to purchase? Of course wouldn't be homebuilt or experimental, but there's advantages both ways.... Good luck!!
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Post by maules.com »

M5 wing with aileron, flap, tanks, aux pump, lights, paint, wingtips, is approximately 150 lbs. Some are lighter.
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Post by maules.com »

I just doublechecked and tha above post should be 140 lbs as weighed.
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Post by Pacer »

Thank you for supplying me with the wing weights! What is the fuel capacity of the weighed wing? What are the differences between the M4 and M5 wing? Do you also know where I would be able to get drawings/photos of the Maule wings from? The reason being is that I want to verify that the flap/aileron setups will work for the Pacer. Lastly are there any light weight after market wingtips available for the Maule to improve the efficiency of the wing? I have heard that the droop tips are not the best for crosswind control....Is there a Horner type tip available?

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Post by maules.com »

The early M5 had a 29'10" wingspan rounded type wingtip.
Subsequent M4s and All M5s have the fiberglass droop tip, which a fellow in AK is hoping to emulate in lighter carbon fibre.
In late '70s Fiberfloat (out of business) developed a deep droop tip to act as ventral stabilization and replace ventral fin but it has no advantage re lift.
The M6 had a droop tip similar to M5 but was changed to squared type tip in 1986, the same tip that Maule has used on all models ever since.
There is no modified tip except one developed in Switzerland many years ago.
As Jim pointed out, as the wing gets longer you will have to lengthen ventral control (fuselage).
When Maule squared the M6 tip in 1986 it was needed to increase rudder chord by a couple inches,
Maule main tanks though using two manufacturing designs, hold approximately 21 gallons and aux tip tanks hold M5 11.5g, M6 13g, MX7 M7 15g, and a long range version for M7 21g.
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Post by Mog »

Carbon concepts has non certified droop tips available if I recall correctly.

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Post by Pacer »

Thanks guys! So my best bet is to look for a set of M4/M5 wings. I have since posted a want ad on barnstormers looking for a decent set. When I do my rebuild I will strongly consider installing a dorsal fin similar to the Maule round tails. I really need to find some drawings or pictures of a M4 airframe......

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Post by maules.com »

You might consider early type MX7 wings which have the improved torque tube flap mechanism, the 72 gal tanks and 30'10" span of the M5 but with squared tips, though more lift than M5 30'10" but slower roll rate.
Jeremy
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Post by Pacer »

Was there much of a performance difference between the M4/M5? Which wing had the better roll rate? The Pacer really has no flap area at all even when comparing it to the M4 or early M5 which would be a marked improvement. I really like the crispness of my Pacers roll rate but then again I am comparing it to my 182RG which is like flying truck. Perhaps with me lightening up my Pacer and installing the M4 or early M5 wing would make it feel similar yet climb and fly slower better. When did Maule start offering the negative flap setting for better cruise? Would this be difficult to incorporate into the M4/M5 wing? Does Maule offer construction drawings of the M4 or M5? Thanks!

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Post by maules.com »

There is no early M5 wing, all M5 wings are the same. They have more flap than the M4.
The 5 position torque tube flap was first used in 1981 on the early M6 and all subsequent models which are listed by year and wing span on my 'chronology' page.
Jeremy
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Post by Pacer »

Thanks Jeremy!

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