Booming Maule market

[chris erasmus]

I have been following the used Maule market, and it seems that things are booming, when I look at the blue book value and the advertised/selling price, the differences are as much as $50 000.00
That great news for us Maule owners.

[Mountain Doctor]

Interesting.

Bear in mind there is a difference between asking price and selling price though.

I suspect it all has to do with the local economy, especially as it applies to those at the higher end of the scale; disposable income in particular.

A peculiar thing that occurs with airplanes is the ridiculous prices of new ones drives the prices of used ones.

Also, as I understand it, new airplane production at Maule, especially for the domestic market, is all but shut down and has been for some time.

Thsi would mean there are precious new ones.

Finally, if it took Maule MONTHS to send me landing gear parts (I still have not received them all) I can't even imagine how they could build an entire plane, landing gear and all.

[Flyhound]

The Carbon Cub has done really well the past few years in part because of their marketing know-how. The new Maule brochure is finally showing some marketing initiative. You can see it here:

http://mauleairinc.com/wp-content/uploa ... 5-2015.pdf

The Maule display at Sun-N-Fun also highlighted the carrying capacity of these marvelous aircraft.

The other part of market success is good customer support. The Carbon Cub folks also have that down pat. Customer support at the Maule factory is still frustrating. I ordered some simple plastic yoke bushings 2 months ago and haven't received them yet. I have called repeatedly and have not been able to get anyone in the parts department. The messages I left requesting a call back have not been returned. To really take off, Maule needs to improve their support as much as they have improved their marketing. They're only half way there.

[MrHRC]

It only took 5 months to get a swing out window kit. (and they forgot the hinge) You would think things are super busy for Maule.

[Flyhound]

Epilogue to my Maule parts ordering dilemma: I finally got hold of Bryan today and as always he was pleasant as can be on the phone. I was assured my yoke bushings will be in the mail ASAP. The proof is in the pudding though. As a Maule owner, I really want the company to be successful. Good customer support remains a critical attribute in achieving overall success. Bryan suggested that email was a better way to get hold of him than calling, or leaving messages with the factory receptionist.

[chris erasmus]

The Carbon Cub has done really well the past few years in part because of their marketing know-how. The new Maule brochure is finally showing some marketing initiative. You can see it here:

http://mauleairinc.com/wp-content/uploa ... 5-2015.pdf

The Maule display at Sun-N-Fun also highlighted the carrying capacity of these marvelous aircraft.

The other part of market success is good customer support. The Carbon Cub folks also have that down pat. Customer support at the Maule factory is still frustrating. I ordered some simple plastic yoke bushings 2 months ago and haven't received them yet. I have called repeatedly and have not been able to get anyone in the parts department. The messages I left requesting a call back have not been returned. To really take off, Maule needs to improve their support as much as they have improved their marketing. They're only half way there.

Great brochure, see Patric Romano's plane features quote a bit, although I think his is a long wing model. I certainly hope the factory takes things to heart and jack up the customer service in the USA .
I must admit that the Maule guys in SA has ordered parts and mod en masse and we can't complain, everything arrived, correct and on schedule

[Mountain Doctor]

Epilogue to my Maule parts ordering dilemma: I finally got hold of Bryan today and as always he was pleasant as can be on the phone. I was assured my yoke bushings will be in the mail ASAP. The proof is in the pudding though. As a Maule owner, I really want the company to be successful. Good customer support remains a critical attribute in achieving overall success. Bryan suggested that email was a better way to get hold of him than calling, or leaving messages with the factory receptionist.

I did all of the above.

Bryan and the other people I spoke to were all very nice, and tried to be helpful but as I say I was grounded months waiting for parts, and I still have not received them all. At least I am repaired and airworthy, although with some of the original nuts and bolts reused.

I would believe anyone interested in a new Maule, to whatever degree there are new Maules, would research after the sale factory support and be turned off.

With that said, there is no other new airplane that does what a Maule does (maybe a 182 or 206?) so they may still wind up buying one and loving it, as we all do.

[chris erasmus]

The Maule virus is spreading fast in SA, we have an additional 4 pilots looking to sell their planes and switch to Maule. Quite amazing, you only need to take a guy (and 1girl) once into a tight seemingly impossible strip and they are hooked for life. My favorite passenger response when I point out where we are going to land is " you're not serious, are you" and then the big smile afterwords when they get out of the plane with a head shake of disbelieve.

[Mountain Doctor]

Quite amazing, you only need to take a guy (and 1girl) once into a tight seemingly impossible strip and they are hooked for life.

I expect much of their impression of the pilot/plane combination is the skill of the pilot, which as we all know is 90% plus of a plane's ability.

The same plane in someone else's hands may yeild disappointing and perhaps dangerous results.

I have had the privilege of flying in a Maule driven by some serious experts out there, and have been amazed with the ability of the pilot (as well as the plane).

[Mountain Doctor]

The new brochure is excellent.

I see they have made many small changes and improvements, mostly in the avionics.

I would assume the prices reflect the times though...

[chris erasmus]

I like the new door latches and struts on the windows, wonder if it can be retro fitted, giving some consideration to the sky window as well. Lots of very nice little improvements

[Mountain Doctor]

I like the window and latches very much myself. For some reason the door knobs on my model seem to confuse people into oblivion, even though I demonstrate their use on preflight briefing. I've seen them do everthing from unscrewing the knob to trying to pull the knob off...

[chris erasmus]

Haha the latches confuse me!!

[aero101]

Chris-

The window latches and new style door handles available in kit form from Maule. There is welding required to install but otherwise pretty straight forward installation and functions much better?

On another note, I certainly don't see anything but a very small recovery in retail airplane market... The Cessna's have lost near 25% their value, and that pretty much applies straight across board to other larger displacement airplanes as well. A good 50% of airplanes I sell, end up in lower 48, and haven't sold one going that way for 2-3years!!! Maule prices can vary considerably depending upon engine times, and last recover date. Also blue books are just a guide, some are high, some are low, but bottom line is an airplane is worth what you can get in cash...

I also see the carbon cub as being a totally different market from the Maule for most of the cub drivers, which compares more favorably with the C180... Too bad, but the cub is a very good platform for what it does, on average doesn't require same skills required of the Maule although in proper hands the Maule will do darned near anything cub will do..

I also agree with those awaiting parts for inordinate periods of time, been there done that, and hasn't gotten much better as time goes by. Brian does good job in parts dept, but think there's not much he can do about bad estimates for shop delivery. There are many mods that could be incorporated in newer airplanes, but there seems to not be much interest from them in dealing with FAA, etc... Having on staff engineering, holding a TC and Production Certificate all make for an easier job for them to make changes then us out here in field. They've been basically selling the same airplane since mid nineties, and about only changes have been in avionics, auto pilots, etc.... That's fine for those that do a lot a traveling, cruzing, but there are those of us that would prefer minimal avionics, more useful load, etc, etc... Like they say, to make a million in aviation, you need to start with two million, and believe me there is a good bit of truth in that statement!!

[chris erasmus]

Thanks Jim, I will try and order some latches from Maule.
I am cruising used plane sites for a couple of Maules for some local guys, but the prices just seem extrodernarily high, further considering that it has to be disassembled crated shipped etc just put these planes out of reach which is a pity. We are trying to grow the number of Maules in SA, as we have the perfect country for off airport flying