Lets do this

[John Ashcroft]

You guys would love it here Avgas $10.80 gallon but I still like the bigger engine I can stooge around the place at 110kts at around 10gph

[Maulehigh]

You guys would love it here Avgas $10.80 gallon but I still like the bigger engine I can stooge around the place at 110kts at around 10gph

Closer to $14 / gallon here, and that's why I love the 180 - I wouldn't trust myself to throttle back, but would curse myself when I got the fuel bill

I would only get a tailwheel maule with 220 hp or more period. Anything less and you might as well be looking at a 182 or something else.

I wouldn't take a C182 into places I take the 180 Maule

Everyone talks about the 235, but if HP is key, why isn't everyone flying around with the 260?

[BamaMaule]

Everyone talks about the 235, but if HP is key, why isn't everyone flying around with the 260?

I love my 180

[Mountain Doctor]

Good question about the 260. My theory is that the purchase price is much more, disproportionately so. Also I don't think it can run on Mogas which may be a huge factor when Avgas goes away.

[TomD]

Also I don't think it can run on Mogas which may be a huge factor when Avgas goes away

I think you are correct on the 260hp 540. The only 540 that has the Autofuel STC is the lower compression ratio "B" model, but you cannot run it on Autogas w/ Ethanol.

Then again, most countries do not participate in the Ethanol BS that we do here in the States. Their Agribusiness lobby must not be strong enough or they actually see that adding Ethanol to gasoline is at best a zero sum game for the environment.

[Mountain Doctor]

Maybe they do something crazy with their corn and feed it to people. Or feed it to animals and then in turn feed the animals to people.

[51598Rob]

My 210 cont. is a smooth running 6 cylinder that has plenty of hp (long prop) and will readily lean to less than 10 gph. It's lighter than the big lycoming and cont. , so I'm thinking it is a good "between the two" power option. Is the Franklin the same weight as the 210 cont.?

[Mountain Doctor]

I'd think a Maule with a 210 HP IO390 and a C/S prop would be the ticket. Everything is a compromise.

[MauleWacko]

[

[crbnunit]

I've got an 82" on the IO-360 and it made an amazing difference in performance from the stock 76". 82 was the longest prop we could get past the feds up here.

[grub]

Get the biggest engine you can afford, only tailwheel, IFR glass with autopilot' and then get the biggest wheels and do all the landing gear modification with the high strength bolts. Then you will be in hog heaven. Only then.

My mission was kinda different from the above. I went with training wheel up front for the $750.00 yearly insurance rate. I got a constant speed prop for increased takeoff hp and lower cruising rpm. 2300 rpm and 21 inches has me down in the 6gph range. I went with the 180 for lower nose weight and increased useful load. Of course overhaul cost are significantly lower as well as operating cost with the 180. A light maule is a nice flying maule. M7 wing is nice.

Good luck with your search and enjoy the time you have with your Maule as much as possible. Time is the greatest commodity we have and it's a scarce resource. Use it wisely. I suggest you buy now rather than later.

[Flyhound]

Mission, mission, mission. I have an MX7-180 and it serves my mission perfectly. I love watching the incredible videos of higher power to weight ratio planes operating off of short gravel bars in a river, or tiny clearings in the mountains. The simple fact is I'm not headed to those places. I've done mountain flying, but I stick with longer strips and the cooler times of day. That has not been a problem for me. When I bought my plane, it required a top end overhaul (galled cam and other corrosion problems) and that would have been far more expensive with a 6 cylinder engine. As it was, those problems almost killed my purchase just because of cost. I'm headed into full retirement and had to choose a plane that I could continue to fly with my reduced income and the 180 HP Maule fit both my mission profile and my wallet.

I still like watching the cutting edge flying exploits of the best pilots, but my comfort level just won't let me go there (even if I had the bigger engine). Given enough runway, I've operated my plane with a full load out of strips with 9,000' density altitude (Santa Fe) safely. My climb rate wasn't impressive, but I planned and conducted my flight accordingly. The shortest strip I've flown in to was an 1,100' farm strip on a day when the density altitude was 2,300 ft and the plane managed that with aplomb.

A lot of my flying is with my dog, and I choose grass strip destinations where I can take my mutt for a hike and have a picnic. There are enough destinations meeting that description that are comfortable for the 180 to last me 5 or 6 lifetimes.

If your mission profile includes short strips, or strips with obstructions at the end in high density altitude environments then go for the highest power to weight ratio available to your wallet. If you have a different mission profile, then you have more options. Whatever you buy, make sure you can afford to fly it regularly. The worst thing for a plane and its engine is to sit in the hangar unused.

[Victor Gennaro]

I recently purchased a 2001 M7-235. I looked for about 6 months. I wanted a 180 less that 15 years old. I found more M7-235s available on the market, was able to get a better price than the 180s and the sellers more willing to negotiate. For the price difference you can buy a lot of gas. I found that the available 235s often had more IFR instruments in the aircraft and so that should enter into the consideration if you are planning on getting an instrument rating. Especially an autopilot. In essence you have let the seller pay for the expensive stuff. I am a new tail wheel pilot. My insurance cost $3000, I went through AOPA. They required a tail wheel training and endorsement which took about 10 hours and 70 landings. It was well worth it. I live in NH and although the airstrips here are not that high, often the density altitude is and it is really nice to easily clear the surrounding hills on a hot day with a big load. Go with a tail wheel, the experience is fun and making me a better pilot.

[UtahMaule]

Get a big engine. Long prop if possible. Big tires.

The only time the cost of these things really matters is if you do not have them. Once you have those things the cost of gas or replacement cost of tires will not matter. It's worth it!!!

You'd love a 180, you'd love 8:50's, but if you buy that, you'll have a much harder time ever upgrading and the cost to upgrade will be greater than if you just buy pre equipped. And you'll never know what you've been missing.....

[Flyhound]

Victor: That sounds like REALLY expensive insurance, even if you are low on tailwheel time. When it is time to renew, I encourage you to shop around. Try EAA as well as AOPA and other brokers. I'm only paying $1400/year and think with the time you're likely to have in your plane as the current policy expires that you'll be able to do MUCH better. In the meantime, get as much out of the insurance policy as possible by flying the dickens out of your plane!