The Peril and her new life

[crbnunit]

Glad to see you up and around. Look forward to flying with you sometime thsi summer!

[DeltaRomeo]

Does the Yellow dog get to ride in the Yellow Maule?

[freedom]

so jealous!!

congratulations on you

[YELLOWMAULE]

Thank you all
It has been a tumultuous year to say the least. We have about 75 hours on the new Peril. Yes, the Entitlement dog goes everywhere. But we have noticed that the limiting of air flow in the cabin had proven to be a challenge. Greater than I had anticipated. We're working on that but the plane is a delight to fly. We're on skis now and the ability to fly the tail so easily has been wonderful. We also added Novak ski brakes this year. Very handy
On our wind blown lake.

[firstmaule4]

Can you give us a report now that you are flying what you think of your new wings and was it worth doing
Any info would be appreciated

[YELLOWMAULE]

Hi!
Well, we've only had them on a couple of weeks so maybe less than 20-hours. However, there is a substantial difference!
One surprise was that the control input pressure has increased. Due, I'm sure to the ailerons being moved to a most distant moment arm.
I haven't verified that the indicated airspeed (pitot) is accurate but it looks pretty close. My stall speed is lower, at altitude with about 18"MP and full flaps I am well below what the ASI can register but it's very stable and fully controlable. GS indicates high 30's (I have VG's and gap seals too). Apply power and I can climb at 3-500FPM. My touchdown speed is about high 40's. All in all, quite pleased.In talking to Brent at the Tradeshow, I had suggested that they try a build on an M4-180 (WITH Cargo door!) that has the MX-7 wing (Essentially the same M5 wing with square tips) Make it light and compete against the Carbon Cub for a lot less.!

[Mog]

I whole heartedly agree they need to bring the M4 back in all its C model glory, but with a bigger engine than the 180 and sadly they probably need to drop the M4 name and make it an M10 or M11 or what ever is next in line. I think people hear M4 and automatically think cheap and old. They want the newest thing. Kinda like I will always hold a Silverado or F-Series truck to higher standards than a Colorado or Ranger truck. I really think everyone looks at the M4 like it’s the Ranger of the product line. But I feel in reality it’s honestly one of the best models Maule has produced to date. Maybe it can’t do what a long wing high power M7 can do, but it does a little bit of everything pretty damn well.

PS, Maule please make new models just a tad wider and maybe ditch the lower panel that kicks back at the corners that are just waiting to eat my left knee in a landing mishap. Oh and move the engine controls to the lowest point in the center of the upper panel rather than in the lower panel. Just simple things!!!

[firstmaule4]

Do your flaps now go negative to increase air speed?

[1:1 Scale]

I whole heartedly agree they need to bring the M4 back in all its C model glory, but with a bigger engine than the 180 and sadly they probably need to drop the M4 name and make it an M10 or M11 or what ever is next in line.....I really think everyone looks at the M4 like it’s the Ranger of the product line. But I feel in reality it’s honestly one of the best models Maule has produced to date. Maybe it can’t do what a long wing high power M7 can do, but it does a little bit of everything pretty damn well.

PS, Maule please make new models just a tad wider and maybe ditch the lower panel that kicks back at the corners that are just waiting to eat my left knee in a landing mishap.

There's a tube under that angled panel, so there would have to be some structural changes made to accommodate that request. I always thought it was a cool way to break up the panel and give us a little shelf space

As far as the name, I've always loved sleepers, so I'm fine with keeping it an M4. If they were to bring it back in "all it's glory", I'd want a lightweight 210+hp (IO-390 if we can't get new Franklin's ) engine, 2500 lb. gross, <1300 lb. empty weight, and MAYBE slightly extended wings with big flaps. Basically a compromise between getting better DA performance without losing cruise speed.

I'm in the middle of rebuilding my M4-220 (following a lot of Kurt's lead), and other than maybe better high DA performance and the bigger cabin space of the M7/9, I don't think I'll be missing out on much , based on the information I've seen posted here. Basically, it seems whenever the gross weight goes up on the various models, the empty weight isn't far behind.

[Mog]

My point about the name is for advertising and sales purposes. I think people get turned off when they think they are buying a lesser model.

Rumor mill says another company is going to reproduce the Franklin under a new name possibly, but that’s about as reliable as any other Franklin rumor.

[1:1 Scale]

I get it, but since the tail is the main distinguishing feature between the M4 and the rest of the lineup, I think they could get away with giving it the highest power to weight ratio of the lineup (save the turbine), and naming it something like the "M4-250C Ballistic Rocket", and it would do just fine Make it the "useable sports car" of the lineup that's otherwise populated by bigger, heavier "SUV's".

It's all just spit balling, but it's fun to dream. Back to Kurts regularly scheduled thread for me

[StuporRocket]

Kurt,
I just read the last page or two of this thread after sending you a PM regarding your rebuild and I just saw the comments regarding your new wings. Which wing did you go with? We're thinking about changing the wing on our M-5-235 project to an M-6 Late Wing or the M-7 "Long Wing, Long Flaps".

Thanks,

Scott O.....

[benflyn]

Hmm, seems like I'm living the adage "Balls of steel, brains of oatmeal". Not really, it needed to be done.

Football, baseball, soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, rugby and some other sports take only one ball, it takes two to fly a Maule.