I'm a new arrival to MaulePilots.Org and appreciate all the information available here. I am currently repairing the tailwheel on my 1974 M-5-235, and would like to add a glider tow hook to the plane. I cannot find an approved STC for adding a tow hook to the Maule. The best option I've found so far is a kit from Pacific Aerial Tow Hooks out in Portland OR. They have STC approval for many Cessnas, Pipers, and Champions, but not Maules. So I would have to modify the tow bar to fit the Maule and go through the Field Approval process.

Does anyone know of a STC for installing a tow hook on the M-5?
Has anyone installed a tow hook using Field Approval and is willing to share the 337 information?
Any information or recommendations on adding a tow capability to my M-5 will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all in advance.

I had one on my MX7-160 when I bought it. It had been used to tow gliders in Florida. I'll look up the paperwork and get back to you.

My 79' M-5-235 has one on it. It is on the factory equipment list. It spend a lot of time in its early years towing on the east coast. I will try to remember to look in the log books when I get home. Have you tried to call Maule and see what is approved?

Thank you ever so much. And I'm looking forward to seeing any information you have on the hook assembly. I'm looking for anything that will help with getting a field approval from the FAA in SLC.

Yes, I called Maule and talked with David who told me they had no kits, plans, or other information on adding a tow hook onto Maules. I'm also talking with the engineer at PacificAerialTowHooks.com in Portland OR. They have STC approved kits for Cessna, Piper and Aeronica single engine aircraft. The kit for the Aeronica Champ looks like it might be adapted to fit my Maule.
Any information you can share on your MX7-160 installation will be a huge help when working with the FAA.
Thank you for responding.

You need Maule Parts Drawing 3196F. Listed on the Maule Optional Equipment List page 18 on revision 84. It lists Schweitzer and Tost tow hooks.

Not sure why David at Maule wasn’t familiar with that. Not a very common piece of equipment I guess. I’ve never towed, but remember from past threads the Schweitzer had complaints that it would not release if someone went high tow on you. Don’t think they even make them anymore.

Kirk

Click for larger image. There are 3 tow hooks approved per this drawing. E75, Maule, and Schweizer.

No STC required. It’s a factory approved option per the drawings. I have a Schweizer hook on my M-5

I added the tost tail hook as originally equipment and had no problems whatsoever with the FAA. I got banner towing certification and submitted all the paperwork for review as a banner towing operation with a maule and tost tail hook. MX7-180B

Tom K

Thank you so much Montana Maule, Dale Smith, Kirk, ASA, Gdflys and Tomkatz. Your posts provide lots of useful information and a great starting point for this project. If anyone has, or knows of an E75, Maule or Schweizer hook for sale, I would greatly appreciate a heads up.
Thanks again for your responses.

KM,
My Maule experience began 40yrs ago towing banners for a company that owned 2 Scouts and an M5 all equipped with a field approved "tri-hitch" fabricated from leaf spring and installed in lieu of the upper Tailwheel leaf spring using a Gasser tow hitch latch (linked below). It made us capable of carrying three tow hooks onboard for sequential banner tows without having to land after each tow and "re-hook".The linked business below still sells the Gasser hitches with STC paperwork.

http://www.flysigns.com/banner-towing-equipment.php

Maule still advertises a tow hitch as a factory option as well, attached below.

There are many ways to "skin a cat" with a little effort.
V/R
Smokey