Interesting PlanePHD.com recommendation?

MuseChaser

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MuseChaser
In another thread, the wizard for plane selection was mentioned. I just checked it out, and it's fairly useful although the prices listed seem awfully optimistic, meaning too low for what purchase prices seem to be these days.

I entered my wishes/priorities, and it spit out pretty much the same two aircraft I've been searching for, which was a nice confirmation. However, it also spit out one I hadn't considered at all which really intrigued me.... A Maule M-5. Love the short field capability, visibility, and huge range between fast cruise speed and slow flight. I have no taildragger experience, and still don't feel real confident w Gusty xwinds in my Cherokee. Other than the Cherokee, the only other planes I've flown have been Cessna 152s and 172s, and that was years ago. How extensive a process would transitioning to a Maule be? I'm approaching 200 hours, but that's been spread over many years. Currently flying at least twice a week..... Finally... And loving it
 
How extensive a process would transitioning to a Maule be? [...] Currently flying at least twice a week...
Flying that much, shouldn't be hard to pick it up. People make it out like a tailwheel is hard but the biggest difference is you just gotta have the nose pointed in the right direction when you touch down and then stay awake and not be futzing with **** on the panel so you can keep it straight on the roll out.
 
I was messing around with the site. It seems their annual operating costs are a bit on the low side. Anyone else see that too?
 
Maules are really nice aircraft, especially if thinking of traveling to grass strips and short fields. The STOL performance is pretty amazing. Whether or not it is for you depends on how you intend to use your aircraft, and how comfortable you are with a tube and fabric airplane. I don't think of a Maule as a typical IFR traveling machine (although I am sure it is quite capable of IFR if suitably eqipped), but more of a VFR back-country aircraft.

The PlanePhD.com acquisition prices are "as low as" teasers, and do not seem to represent typical prices of well-equipped aircraft.

What plane you need depends on how much of a hurry you are in, and how much you can afford to maintain. You can go a lot of places pretty quickly even in a 120 kt aircraft. I've taken my Traveler to Florida and neighboring states and back, and regional travel (Maine, DC, Philly, Pittsburgh, Boston) is a snap. A couple of hours in a light plane beats a 6 hour drive anytime. The view is better, and the traffic in the air is better behaved than that on the road.
 
In another thread, the wizard for plane selection was mentioned. I just checked it out, and it's fairly useful although the prices listed seem awfully optimistic, meaning too low for what purchase prices seem to be these days.

I entered my wishes/priorities, and it spit out pretty much the same two aircraft I've been searching for, which was a nice confirmation. However, it also spit out one I hadn't considered at all which really intrigued me.... A Maule M-5. Love the short field capability, visibility, and huge range between fast cruise speed and slow flight. I have no taildragger experience, and still don't feel real confident w Gusty xwinds in my Cherokee. Other than the Cherokee, the only other planes I've flown have been Cessna 152s and 172s, and that was years ago. How extensive a process would transitioning to a Maule be? I'm approaching 200 hours, but that's been spread over many years. Currently flying at least twice a week..... Finally... And loving it

we are in the middle of overhauling that feature and I also have experience helping people buy taildraggers ... please feel free to reach out to me directly at adam at plane phd dot com if you are still looking for a solution
 
I was messing around with the site. It seems their annual operating costs are a bit on the low side. Anyone else see that too?
Operating costs are low and performance numbers range from best case scenario to fantasy for the planes I am familar with.
 
We need a plane selector feature here. We could all work together to put in correct pricing, operating, useful load, fuel range, etc. Then a user could put in what's important to them, and a script would search the database and tell them to buy a Bonanza.

Should be easy to program.
 
But, but, but which Bonanza? Now that is a question that needs some Artificial Intelligence applied to it. :cool:
 
We need a plane selector feature here. We could all work together to put in correct pricing, operating, useful load, fuel range, etc. Then a user could put in what's important to them, and a script would search the database and tell them to buy a Bonanza.

Should be easy to program.
I volunteer to write the selection logic module. I’ll do it free of charge.
 
I volunteer to write the selection logic module. I’ll do it free of charge.
we are working on a big upgrade to the wizard page to offer an "advanced selector" (like you have in mind perhaps) ... I'll get a private facebook group set up and then set up some invites - please feel free to PM me if there is anything in this forum that is pressing that I can help with
 
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After plane PHD walks through the question/decision tree, it finally arrives at the last determining question:

“Which one does your wife like?“ :cornut:
 
In another thread, the wizard for plane selection was mentioned. I just checked it out, and it's fairly useful although the prices listed seem awfully optimistic, meaning too low for what purchase prices seem to be these days.

I entered my wishes/priorities, and it spit out pretty much the same two aircraft I've been searching for, which was a nice confirmation. However, it also spit out one I hadn't considered at all which really intrigued me.... A Maule M-5. Love the short field capability, visibility, and huge range between fast cruise speed and slow flight. I have no taildragger experience, and still don't feel real confident w Gusty xwinds in my Cherokee. Other than the Cherokee, the only other planes I've flown have been Cessna 152s and 172s, and that was years ago. How extensive a process would transitioning to a Maule be? I'm approaching 200 hours, but that's been spread over many years. Currently flying at least twice a week..... Finally... And loving it
MuseChaser - I'm part of the group doing a substantial overhaul to the wizard. I'd love some feedback on how the current wizard worked, what you ended up buying, etc.
 
After plane PHD walks through the question/decision tree, it finally arrives at the last determining question:

“Which one does your wife like?“ :cornut:
NordicDave - as part of the team developing a new version of the wizard at Planephd, I can tell you that the NTSB data is a version of "family optics." We currently track this data and can pair it to aircraft types. Obviously most accidents are pilot error, so the type shouldn't be blamed, but if there is a spike - say in Piper Aerostars - it gives the unwitting public the sense of the relative difficulty in operations of different aircraft types.
 
we are working on a big upgrade to the wizard page to offer an "advanced selector" (like you have in mind perhaps) ... I'll get a private facebook group set up and then set up some invites - please feel free to email me at adam at planephd.com if there is anything in this forum that is pressing that I can help with
I volunteer to write the selection logic module. I’ll do it free of charge.
jsstevens - we're in the process of making a basic and advanced wizard - the advanced will have features that are fewer than the current and they'll have more logical drop down options that are prefilled - I'll happily also show you our current decision tree once we get the whiteboard version of it up
 
jsstevens - we're in the process of making a basic and advanced wizard - the advanced will have features that are fewer than the current and they'll have more logical drop down options that are prefilled - I'll happily also show you our current decision tree once we get the whiteboard version of it up


I’m sorry I may have given the wrong impression: my reply was a joking response to the post that said whatever the inputs, the answer would be Bonanza. It’s a long running joke on POA. While I was a software engineer (then I became CTO and therefore a technical kibitzer) I am not seeking any projects right now.
 
My buddy has a Maule M7, and I have flown a lot of hours with him, here are my thoughts:
- Tailwheel makes entry difficult, especially with Alaskan bushweels. Don't even consider wearing a dress/skirt in that plane.
- It is a fabric airplane, many have (unjustified) reservations against fabric airplanes
- Stable IFR platform if equipped properly
- Love the sunroof!
- Low total weight, for my buddy to fly him and his wife, me and my wife we can only do 20minute trips due to max wheight and fuel...
- Great cargo area and door

All in all, I would consider a M9 personally, if it was available as nosedragger.
 
Yeah, prices are below market...
upload_2021-3-10_14-12-24.png
A 182S is not going to be bought under $250k (double if what shown here), a 182T... also double of listed here
 
My buddy has a Maule M7, and I have flown a lot of hours with him, here are my thoughts:
- Tailwheel makes entry difficult, especially with Alaskan bushweels. Don't even consider wearing a dress/skirt in that plane.
- It is a fabric airplane, many have (unjustified) reservations against fabric airplanes
- Stable IFR platform if equipped properly
- Love the sunroof!
- Low total weight, for my buddy to fly him and his wife, me and my wife we can only do 20minute trips due to max wheight and fuel...
- Great cargo area and door

All in all, I would consider a M9 personally.
I agree 100% (after deleting the offensive nosedragger part.) ;)

Plus, apparently LockMart at least used to think the Maules were FIKI equipped...they were more than willing to brief me for an IFR flight in icing conditions, but not for VFR. :rolleyes:
 
However, it also spit out one I hadn't considered at all which really intrigued me.... A Maule M-5. Love the short field capability, visibility, and huge range between fast cruise speed and slow flight. I have no taildragger experience, and still don't feel real confident w Gusty xwinds in my Cherokee.

Learning to fly tail wheel airplanes is a lot of fun with the right instructor. I stayed away from tailwheel airplanes for a number of years until I finally realized that if others could do it ... I likely could also.

I still ain't a great tailwheel pilot but I ain't bought nothing yet. So ... if I can learn it, I'm confident you can too!
 
Looking at Barnstormers and Trade-A-Plane, if you can find something that meets your needs and budget, and it's in decent shape, seems like you should buy it. The inventory levels are looking pretty scrawny and the prices kinda scary.

I guess you can be picky if you're willing to wait a while.
 
If you want to wait 2 more years, there's a few fully built experimental aircraft designs which will meet industry consensus standards. That's my way of saying the number of 4 seaters just waiting for the LSA rewrite is reasonably good.

Even I'm now thinking I'll just LSA and club for 4 seats. Prices right now are stupid.

Also, the PlanePhd price suggestions don't track market prices well for Cessna and certain Piper designs (VREF is a joke, too.)
 
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