Being in a similar situation a few years ago, although by then I was addicted to taildraggers no matter the cost, here is my original post that eventually led me to snap up a M5-235C:lmasser wrote:I am looking for opinions on the "right" airplane for my situation. I am a low time private pilot with experience in 172s and Archers (no tail dragger time). My goal is to fly in and out of our cental PA farm. We have room for a 1600 foot grass strip. I've never flown a Maule , but performance specs seem to indicate that a Maule is the right plane for me. What should I look for in the different models? I am definitely in the used market and cannot justify new. I am not IFR rated, but would like to learn. Most of my flying would be recreational with some longer trips to look at equipment or fetch repair parts for the farm. I appreciate any advice or tips you can provide. I'd also love to bum a ride in a Maule if anyone nearby is interested. Thanks for your help!
http://maulepilots.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1395
Quick synopsis of the above link is that as long as you can try one on for size and can fit yourself and those who will fly with you in it comfortably then you will most likely love having a Maule no matter the model, gear configuration or engine size.
If you find one in good shape the airframe is pretty simple and solid (only a handful of ADs over the years). Decent list of modifications available. New replacement parts are available from the factory. You will love the back doors for loading stuff (huge selling point for my family). And the Maule community online and offline is fantastic. All type clubs usually are but still worth a mention.
Good luck!