New to forum, thinking of buying . . .

[Brenton C]

Hello and greetings to the group.

I've recently joined the group. I've long been a fan of the Maule as something of a do-it-all airplane that accomplishes all that and yet is fun, too.

I'm looking to get my first airplane, having been trained on and flown nothing but 172s. Well, I flew a Diamond twice. That was a bit more fun.

I hope it doesn't break the etiquette of the list to ask this question, but the COPA (the Canadian AOPA) plane trader section has a1971 model M4 220C with 997 TTAF and E that's caught my attention.

If anyone would care to venture some comments, including on the issue of value for money, that would be much appreciated.

It is described as having been refurbished at 734 hours in 1996 ( so, only 263 hours in the last 17 years?! ).

It's equipped with C/S prop, and condition described as 9.5 / 10 in and out. Other attributes: "micro vg's pan heater" (is that one option or two? perhaps a comma missing, so, vortex generators and a pan heater?); rams horns and dual PTT (that's not standard everywhere?)

Asking $55k, and apparently the owner isn't very flexible on price.


I want the airplane for a do-it-all plane: weekend breakfast runs, day trips, weekends away with my lady friend, regular trips from Calgary, YYC - home, to Vancouver BC, or Dayton Ohio for family visits. Something to take the kids and grand daughter up in, and someting to get away and go camping with.

I know I don't ask for much, but I understand that if there's a rig for the gig . . .

I look forward to your comments on the type, and on the particular example mentioned above.

With thanks in advance,
Brenton

[pilot]

My main concern would be internal engine corrosion from lack of use - I would want a fresh oil analysis and to see if oil change intervals were kept up on time rather than engine hours.

[Brenton C]

P',

Thanks for that tip. That's a good point. Logs are apparently available. Worth having an inspection of those, perhaps, first off before going for a visit to see the plane in person.

[John Ashcroft]

I would have thought in the current economic climate there would be little need to forgive any airplane. Surely there are some good uncompromised Maules out there that just need a bit of effort to find

[Brenton C]

I appreciate your suggestion, John. I take it this could be a serious issue, and the bother of chasing it down might be better put to looking at another aircraft.

There is, in fact, another one also right here in Alberta. Also a 4-220C, this one with 958 tt, and 50 SMOH. The annual is 3 months old, versus 13 months . . .

Ad also says the ceconite is new.

Perhaps I'll give that seller a ring.

[FARMAULE]

Brenton, I was in the same place as you are about a year ago. I ended up buying a low time m4220c and have loved it. One thing you need to look into before a purchase is insurance costs and requirements for coverage. It can be outrageous. Good luck in your search. Make sure you get a very thorough prebuy/annual inspection done before purchasing. I recommend a title lean search as well.

[xwildcat]

Machines break when you use them. They REALLY break when you don't.

[LT4247]

This one sounds better......

I appreciate your suggestion, John. I take it this could be a serious issue, and the bother of chasing it down might be better put to looking at another aircraft.

There is, in fact, another one also right here in Alberta. Also a 4-220C, this one with 958 tt, and 50 SMOH. The annual is 3 months old, versus 13 months . . .

Ad also says the ceconite is new.

Perhaps I'll give that seller a ring.

[MAU MAU]

Try www.globalplanesearch.com

This website gathers all aircraft for sale from a variety of sources and may save you the time and effort of looking at individual sites or rags.

Be willing to travel in pursuit of your ideal aircraft.

I spent a lot of time searching for the plane I finally purchased and am glad that I did. It may be 3000 miles away or the next town over, but do not rush this very important purchase.

Best of luck......................Rob

[Taildragon]

All the advice here is great - I would add that I've met several m4-220 drivers and they all love the bird! One note: I've heard many suggest that franklin engines are getting tough to buy parts for - Something to keep in mind!

Jim

[aero101]

The 220 Franklin is getting tough to find parts for, although they are a good engine... Price would be the deal breaker for me, as $55K for an M4 is very high from what I've seen around... $30K to $40K range should find a fairly clean M4, although this one recovered, the Maule is not like a supercub in that it really doesn't add that much value, just makes it easier to sell more then anything. I think if you shop around some, you can probably find much newer model in same price range... Good luck shopping!

[Brenton C]

Many thanks for all the good information coming my way.

Good to know what price range I should be looking at. One of the funny things I've noticed is that most planes I've looked at over the past couple months (Maules, Cherokees, Grummans) have asking prices that are frequently 100% over the book value given in Vref. A certain premium for a plane in good condition is one thing, but 70-80-90-100%? !

[Flyhound]

When you eventually get a pre-purchase inspection, it is very helpful to get it from a mechanic that has experience with Maule aircraft. The mechanic that did my pre-purchase inspection was a bit of a Maule guru and he found numerous small items another mechanic would not have recognized. The parking brake set-up on the Maule bites into the shaft on the brake master cylinder and the resulting rough edge can damage the seals. The tail spring was not angled properly for the tailwheel that was installed. A change was needed for the fasteners holding the trim piece between the wing and the fuselage. If the leading edge fasteners fail, the metal trim piece can shred the fabric on the fuselage as it flails around. Those are all details that a mechanic not familiar with the Maule aircraft might not have found. My plane also needed a new camshaft due to corrosion from lack of use. That was a problem that any good mechanic should have found (shiny metal in the oil filter) but an oil analysis might not pick that up. The hard facing from the cam and crank shafts tends to fail in larger particles that get caught in the filter but may not show up in the oil analysis. So, find a mechanic that has some experience working on these planes and pay him well for your inspection - it will save you money in the long run!

[Nick]

Send me a pm and I will give you a taste of Maule life, back country fly in fishing, long range flying, unbelievable useful loads, I'm in Calgary and will get you hooked. Sorry to sound like a drug dealer but when you fly the best there is an obligation to share the experience.

[Brenton C]

Nick, That is a generous offer too good to pass up . . .

Thank you!

Check your PM box, I'm going there next...