About to purchase a M4 for float ops please help

[pilotgmb]

Hello all first time to this site lots of great info! I am looking at purchasing a m4 210c which has a float kit on it, and was on floats previously. The current owner has had it for a number of years on wheels so I will need to purchase a set of floats. So here are my questions,
Will the current prop, a Mccauley d2a34c67 be sufficient for float ops.
Will I need to install the under fuselage ventral fin
What other mods will I need, the windshield brace is installed, I have read about a diadonal plate that bolts to th fuselage tubes, I do not know if this is installed or not
Lastely anyone have a good lead on a set of floats and which models are better than others?

Many Thanks in advance

[cfwzm]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I purchased a M4 210C floatplane last spring, earned my rating, flew it home and enjoyed it immensely all last summer. No regrets at all and really looking forward to the end of winter.
My aircraft is on CAP 2000 floats which serve the purpose quite nicely but limits your max gross somewhat. I didn't find this to be an issue, but some may. I'm not sure which other floats are certified for our airplane, but others on the forum will know and can respond to that.
I have the 74" McCauley and would like to have a longer prop, but my understanding from other posts on this forum is that this is nearly the only option for our airplane/engine combination. At max gross with our short wings and smallish prop you won't climb quickly so beware of small lakes surrounded with big trees or worse.
I believe the ventral fin is required for float operations.
I have VGs and gap seals and highly recommend those. You will find that theme repeated often on this forum.
Good luck.

Andy

[pilotgmb]

Thanks Andy and to all those in the know keep the comments coming, I have lots of float time on various types, but the maule will be a new bird to me in all configurations, this one has vgs installed and wing ext with droop tips so it should be better on floats than the standard, anyone know if a gross weight increase comes with this mod?

[aero101]

Fleet 2500's, Edo 2440's, and CAP 2000's are all approved on the TCDS for the M4-210C. Fleets and EDO's gross at 2300lb, CAP's at 2220lbs. I'm not sure but think that Aqua 2300's are approved by STC, not sure. I can guarantee you'll wish for a different / longer prop as original is marginal at best and not much available for that engine as far as STC's go. I've got a field approval in process now for an 80" McCauley that looks like it gonna pass muster, also David Wright down in Moultree has an STC on the same prop in 76" length and if he had someone who wanted an 82" version of the prop that wasn't in a huge hurry, he thinks he could get that added to the STC, but the STC route is a little more expensive but still reasonable for a new prop...

[a64pilot]

Wing extensions?

[pilotgmb]

sorry to clarify I believe the wing ext was the droop tip/aux fuel tank laking the overall wing longer not a true ext per say, does that make sense? thanks

[maules.com]

pilotgmb, the older M4 had a rounded wing tip.
The later had droop tip.
The aux tanks are a separate option.
How old is this airframe? Does it have the full three doors on the right side or the little separate baggage door.
Early M4s were 2100lbs gw.
The triangular plate beneath the two rear doors is only a small part of the float plane re-inforcement requirement.
Yes you need one of the two ventral fins.

[kbbell]

There used to be an M4/210 in Duluth, MN
on Aqua 2400s. Aqua floats must have made the attachment gear.

[maules.com]

Most of the float manufacturers provide their own attachment gear but the re-inforcement kit is still required on all M4s and early M5s

[lesshannon]

I have a 1968 M-4-220-C that I would like to put on amphibs. What floats are approved for this craft?

Thanks,

Les

[Maulehigh]

Saw this - beautiful (no ventral fin though?)

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Maule-M- ... 1620689/L/

[pilotgmb]

Hey guys thanks for the info, and to Jeremy(maules.com) to answer your question the airframe is a 1968 model year, what should I look for as far as this attatchment bracket can you visibly see it? Also what set of floats would you recomend. When the floats were removed from this aircraft I presume they would have left the attatch bracket on the frame, is it welded or bolted? everything else is there window brace etc.. where do I purchase the ventral fin and is it a must, the picture of the maule m4 that one of the guys posted does not have one on it. Thanks for all your help!

[kbbell]

I assumed there was a float kit. With the M4's one-time field approval on Aqua 2400s, there wasn't a demand for attachments, but I believe Aqua came through or they're the same as for the M5.

[maules.com]

The float manufacturers build the attach brackets which should stay with the floats but often get left on the plane when floats are sold.
The struts and brackets are not usually interchangable between different aircraft manufacturers. If you buy floats from a cessna you will need all new rigging (expensive) for a Maule.
The rear brackets bolt on .Landing gear lugs are used at front.
The re-inforcement kit is welded on and becomes part of the plane except on the M4, there is also a removable stiffening strut that goes between the forward float attach points.
There is no different 'window brace' on a Maule, those braces are part of the fuselage.
The Ventral fin is a must and can be bought from parts@maules.com or from the factory.
The only floats that did not require a ventral fin were the Fibrefloat 2400 and they require either the special deep droop tips or a ventral fin.
Floats that have been mounted on M4 are Fleet2500, CAP2220, EDO 2440, PK2300, Fibrefloat2400, probably Aqua and Bauman also.
Beware of the aluminum floats which are foamcore filled as they can get waterlogged and extremely heavy.

[pilotgmb]

Thanks guys and thanks for the clarification Jeremy I will keep this in mind prior to purchase as floats may be difficult or affordable to find used. Thanks again