New M4 owner questions...wheel landing...man/rpm...balance

[fairbanksflyer]

I’m a new Maule pilot…a ‘68’ M4-220C with droop tips and vg’s, and as you pilots probably already know, the POH is very limited in the information it provides. I have a million questions, so I’ll start out with a few hundred basic ones!
I found a manifold/rpm chart for the 6A-350-C1 (can’t remember where I found it!!) There’s quite a few combinations that you can come up with. What’s the best way to figure out the several of so combinations that you would use most of the time? I have a Cessna 170 friend who uses 24.5'' and 2300 rpm as soon as he dumps flaps to when he finally touches down. Is it better to use lower rpm settings for longer engine life and better fuel economy?

The weight and balance of this plane seems to be normally weight forward…I assume because of the heavy engine and short fuselage. With just myself and full fuel, I have to put about 40 pounds in the rear Baggage C area. CG is in the limits but weight forward in the graph. When you have the ability to adjust your weight in the airplane, is it best to put the CG in the center of the envelope or graph?

I read somewhere that Maule doesn’t recommend doing wheel landings…is this true? Is it because of the weight forward tendency? I like wheel landings because of the increased visibility and did them often if a Champ.

Have yet to fly it with wheels as I just got it this winter on skiis. It’s a little cold blooded…pre heat the engine and I just bundle up more!! Can’t stop flying because of a little cold! Love the performance and the gear carrying capability. This forum has been a wealth of information…sometimes overwhelming!! Thanks in advance.

[aero101]

Tom?-

The CG on all the Maules is nose heavy but normally within the CG envelope which allows you to capitalize on all the baggage room. Cessna 185 is somewhat the same. If it wasn't nose heavy when light, you'd have no room for anything in the back!!! By throwing a little ballast in the back, or better yet a good survival kit (sandbags don't do you much good when 100mi from nowhere!) of 40lbs or so, it does relieve some of the elev pressures and make a little easier to land. Normal cruz, I'd run the Franklin about 24" / 2400 which gives you around 75% power which works well for me? I won't go into the wheel landing vs 3 point as it's very much a matter of preference, but you can certainly do wheel landings effectively in the Maule, no problem. Some Maule drivers use this technique almost exclusively. The arguements pro and con have been posted this site several times, and the bottom line is use what works best for you! Personally, I'm a 3 pt driver, but like I say, there really is no correct answer, just whatever your personal comfort level is?

[andy]

I'm sure you'll get a lot of pointers to older threads on the forum that answer your questions. Try the search function and you'll be able to take advantage of all the opinions. I'll give you my 1 cent worth since I have a MX-7-180 not a M4-220C.

Lower RPM reduces engine wear, so that's a good thing unless you need to overcome a headwind or get somewhere faster. Lower manifold pressure/throttle setting reduces fuel burn - also a good thing unless you need to get somewhere faster or generate more heat from the engine (very cold conditions, for example). Other than that, I use the Lycoming O-360 performance chart. Someone on the forum probably has a chart for your engine. The combination of desired true airspeed, RPM and manfold pressure will give you optimum power settings at a particular density altitude. In general I use the lowest RPM and manifold pressure settings that will maintain a given true airspeed at a particular density altitude. I do a lot of mountain flying and it can be pretty turbulent, so slower airspeeds also are more comfortable and easier on the airframe.

From a theoretical viewpoint, if you can comfortably and practically adjust your loading, central CG on the graph allows the most range from the elevator. As you burn fuel your CG will move forward since the main tanks are aft of the datum (leading edge of the wing). On my airplane if I burned all the fuel in the main tanks, the CG would move forward about 1.2". Don't forget to account for that.

It isn't that Maule doesn't recommend wheel landings. Others can tell you where that story originated and you might be able to find it on the forum. In a strong crosswind a wheel landing may be the best choice. The tailwheel version of the airplane is designed for STOL operations and has a relatively heavy tail which likes to drop at slow airspeeds. If you want to land short, you need to be at a slower airspeed, so that makes 3-point landings easier at slow airspeeds. Most Maules have pretty good visibility over the cowling in the 3-point attitude.

Andy

[MauleWacko]

[montana maule]

I put 2500 hours on an M-4-220. For cruise at 5000 msl and above I ran full throttle and 2600 rpm and leaned it out. Never used more than 10 gph. At 10000 msl it would use about 8.5 gph.

If you don't have them, elevator gap seals help when landing power off at forward CG. ( 1 person, minimum fuel )

[aero101]

MauleWaco-

Is that the M4 that Paul delivered down to Idaho for me? And you got rid of it already? Where did it end up going to now, that was a sweet airplane other then needing a little fabric attention... And I agree with you, no less the 24" / 2400 as this is a high RPM engine and it does no engine any good at all to constantly run below 70% power. It's been my experience that if you baby them too much, you'll never make TBO!!!

[MauleWacko]

[Rocketman]

When I bought my M4 it had just had a top OH at around 1100. I ran it to somewhere around 2600 hours and sold it
Someone lead me to a guy named George Heinley in Texas. George was known to be one of authority on Franklin motor's.
Heinley told me the 6A was designed to turn at high rpm's, so keep the pressure down and let it spin.
I was operating at sea level so I choose numbers from the motor manual that gave me 65 and 75% power at the highest rpm and the lowest MP for my flight altitudes.
From a check list I kept on file I listed cruse power settings at;
65%=22"/2500, 75%=24.5"/2550 up to 4000 msl
65%=21.5"/2500, 75%=23"/2600 up to 6000 msl. If I remember correctly, at and over 6000' took full throttle and I run it at 2500 rpm.
Yeah, it was loud inside but it sure run good.

[Green Hornet]

I primarily do 3 point with my M7-235C at 65mph but if I encounter a strong cross wind and there is no other choice like landing on a taxiway into the wind.

I found that no flaps @ 80mph, hold off touch down ie; use all the runway you have and then let the mains touch down to a well controlled wheel landing. Chanting patience! patience I keep it in my back pocket just in case I need it for windy days.

[belandd]

Welcome to another Fairbanks Maule flyer. That makes four of us on this forum!

[pilotgreg]

Welcome to the forum, it's a wealth of knowledge. We're flying the 1972 M4 with the Franklin, and I was a bit gun shy of it at first given all the hype around failing Franklins. Now I'm pretty convinced it's a tractor engine in an airplane, so I treat it kindly but run it as though I'm trying to clean it out each flight, minimum of 23"/2300RPM, usually 24 square and set the fuel at 10gph for temperature control. We're on the West coast, sea level based so usually below 8000', often 1500' all day long. I pull the power back to 25 square on takeoffs once I'm happy with the climb out picture, and do a Vy climb, or faster depending on how much altitude I need. I like aiming for a cool CHT not above 330, usually much lower. Our tach hasn't been scoped to see how close it really is to what it reads, so opting to pull the RPM's back a tad at lower takeoff weights isn't a bad option either.

RE: wheel landings. The Maule is tail heavy, yes, but being proficient in wheel landings will save your bacon someday when you're caught with a solid crosswind and are tempted to do a 3 point. That's when you find out that the Maule is short from mains to tailwheel, not a good time. It's a great airplane, I'm amazed at all the compliments it receives from folks. Enjoy it!

[m4220jim]

Maulewaco and areo101

The Maule of which you speak is currently in KY., 5KY7 to be exact.
The AC is in the process of being repainted, the interior has been redone and hopefully it will be back in the air by the end of the year.
The Franklin runs fine and the AC is one of the more interesting that I have flown.

2012U made the flight from ID to KY without incident despite my lack of currency in conventional gear AC. I am now actively campaigning a Pitts S1S.

Jim

[Kirk]

Maulewaco and areo101

The Maule of which you speak is currently in KY., 5KY7 to be exact.

Jim

Jim,

I'm not too far away from Dale Hollow. Based at 6A4, Mountain City TN and often fly up to Louisville for work.

Is there a Maule knowledgable IA at Dale Hollow?

Drop by and see us at 6A4 sometime.

Kirk

[m4220jim]

Kirk

There's nothing at 5KY7 Spring Creek, except me. No fuel, no tie down, no lodging. We're in a terrible fix here.

I take my planes to Joel Huff at EKQ, Monticello, KY or 8A3, Livingston, TN. Joel can fix about anything and is inexpensive, unfortunately too many people know about this good deal and he is generally snowed under.

Feel free to drop in I'm on the east taxiway in the log hanger/house.

Jim

[Kirk]

Jim,

We don't have much here at 6A4 either. An A&P that is a top flight welder, just works on airplanes part time, full time welding shop.

I've used Smoky Mountain Aviation for some work. Can't remember his name off the top of my head, but he and his dad had an M5 long time ago and he is a real taildragger enthusiast. They are at Sevierville TN.

I'll drop you a message if I am passing by your way.

Kirk