School Me on Maule M-9

Whitney

Whitney

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Whitney
The Maule is intriguing, but I know little about them.

Is the M-9 crap, okay, good, great, or a dream plane?

Why?

If placed on amphibious floats, how is it then?

Can the panel be optioned nicely from the factory?
 
If Bonanzas are the Cadillac of airplanes, Maules are the Willys Jeep. Like most airplanes, they’re good at what they do well, not so good at what they don’t. ;)

what Maules are good at is grass, gravel, and off airport. They’re not a cross-country travel machine (although I’ve spent a lot of time flying cross country in mine.) The rear cargo door is nice, and one of the big reasons I started looking at Maules…naturally I ended up without one on mine. ;)

they’re known for their short field capabilities. Just also know that it’s as much about horsepower as it is wing, if that matters to you.

parts are relatively cheap as airplanes go, but I got “it’ll be two weeks” 3 times before they said, “we have no idea” and we went elsewhere for an engine mount repair rather than a factory-new mount (same price either way.)
 
Maybe 3% of the time I land on pavement, and 5% of the time somewhere 2,000' or longer.
I would like to be on amphibs, that is my end goal.
Own a nice amphib, then maybe upgrade the panel, engine, prop in my 180. Maybe add some gap seals, or whatever adds a couple knots speed, and use it for the longer trips, strip to strip, to and from, and around Mexico.
At least that is the dream.
 
How much float time do you have?


Maules are great, the cargo door and comfort are nice, panel wise not to hard too get one IMC capable, it’s more a good layout and good autopilot, compared to lots of screens, to make a good ship, also her pilots skills of course :)


Gap seals on a plane for off airport and short strips?
 
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Whitney said:
I have around 2000 hours of float time.

0 of which were in a Maule.
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You got 2k SES left seat and you’re asking on POA?

You know the holders of this information, and it ain’t POA, avcanda, backcountrypilot, and so on
 
Jackk said:
You got 2k SES left seat and you’re asking on POA?

You know the holders of this information, and it ain’t POA, avcanda, backcountrypilot, and so on
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Actually I know few people personally involved in GA anymore, and 0 who have a Maule, not a popular plane here.
 
I run a farm now, not working in aviation in many years, and know 0 Maule pilots. If I knew a bunch of Maule pilots, especially M9 pilots, then I would have asked them personally. I also don't hang out at airports, and any airports near me are small anyway. Yes I planned to stay more involved in the aviation industry, but life happened, and plans changed.
 
Whitney said:
I run a farm now, not working in aviation in many years, and know 0 Maule pilots. If I knew a bunch of Maule pilots, especially M9 pilots, then I would have asked them personally. I also don't hang out at airports, and any airports near me are small anyway. Yes I planned to stay more involved in the aviation industry, but life happened, and plans changed.
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Ok, that makes sense

Might be some here, but for the flying you want to do I’d ask on BP too.

If you ever get a chance the maule factory in GA is fun, the lady who does the fabric has burned out irons all around the fabric room last I was there.

If you want to talk AG, little ways north of there is also thrush
 
I was looking at maules at one point. The day I bought my 180 I stopped in McCall, there was an m7 opened up for annual. So glad I bought a 180 after seeing that.
I’ve seen a few maules since then, even more glad now that I didn’t buy one. They seem more homebuilt than certified. There is a reason they are so much cheaper.
Check insurance, shen I was looking, insurance on a similarly valued maule was over double that if a 180.
 
Wagondriver said:
Check insurance, shen I was looking, insurance on a similarly valued maule was over double that if a 180.
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As one insurance agent told me, “every Maule owner is a demo pilot.”

My insurance didn’t seem too out of line, probably due to experience, but there were a few years when the only underwriter that would quote me was the one that was insuring me at the time.
 
Whitney said:
If placed on amphibious floats, how is it then?
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I’ve never flown one, but I assume it’s like any other plane you put on floats: A bad plane and a bad boat.
 
Terry M - 3CK (Chicago) said:
@rwellner98 is living this life now, I believe. Not sure if it's an M9, but he's flying his Maule around Mexico now.
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Hey there! Yeah, I'm down in Mexico now. Our area was hit by Hurricane Agatha, but many hands make light work, as they say.

I love my Maule, La Naranja Danzante. She is the queen of compromises. Not super fast. But not as slow as a super cub. Can't carry everything, but can carry enough to go into the back country without having to reprovision every other day. Not the cheapest thing out there, but very affordable compared to a 185.

Not the best in any category, but no warts either.

I have a bunch of Maule videos in the play list linked below in my signature. I've never been on floats, but would be happy to answer any other questions you have.
 
rwellner98 said:
Hey there! Yeah, I'm down in Mexico now. Our area was hit by Hurricane Agatha, but many hands make light work, as they say.

I love my Maule, La Naranja Danzante. She is the queen of compromises. Not super fast. But not as slow as a super cub. Can't carry everything, but can carry enough to go into the back country without having to reprovision every other day. Not the cheapest thing out there, but very affordable compared to a 185.

Not the best in any category, but no warts either.

I have a bunch of Maule videos in the play list linked below in my signature. I've never been on floats, but would be happy to answer any other questions you have.
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Thanks very much!
 
Wagondriver said:
I was looking at maules at one point. The day I bought my 180 I stopped in McCall, there was an m7 opened up for annual. So glad I bought a 180 after seeing that.
I’ve seen a few maules since then, even more glad now that I didn’t buy one. They seem more homebuilt than certified. There is a reason they are so much cheaper.
Check insurance, shen I was looking, insurance on a similarly valued maule was over double that if a 180.
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A brand new M9 is only $314 more a year than my old 180.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
All I know is that Maules are cold.... really, really cold. :) :cool:
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Yeah, definitely a plane you "dress for the crash" in, even if you aren't willing to concede that you might crash. Have you thawed out from that flight yet?
 
Whitney said:
Expensive, but I bet it would be fun.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...l=M-7-420A&listing_id=2403637&s-type=aircraft
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I suspect the fuel burn and tank size make it a short range bird, and one you always want to carry as much fuel as possible. If it has big tanks, the extra fuel will sure eat into the usable.

If you have a 180, why would you want to, in my opinion, downgrade to a Maule?

I realize that on amphibs, some models of 180 become pretty useless on paper. My 180 was on 2425's for decades, had a usable load over 1000#, but those are straight floats.
 
Wagondriver said:
I suspect the fuel burn and tank size make it a short range bird, and one you always want to carry as much fuel as possible. If it has big tanks, the extra fuel will sure eat into the usable.

If you have a 180, why would you want to, in my opinion, downgrade to a Maule?

I realize that on amphibs, some models of 180 become pretty useless on paper. My 180 was on 2425's for decades, had a usable load over 1000#, but those are straight floats.
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Because skywagons are going for crazy prices right now?
 
Wagondriver said:
I suspect the fuel burn and tank size make it a short range bird, and one you always want to carry as much fuel as possible. If it has big tanks, the extra fuel will sure eat into the usable.

If you have a 180, why would you want to, in my opinion, downgrade to a Maule?

I realize that on amphibs, some models of 180 become pretty useless on paper. My 180 was on 2425's for decades, had a usable load over 1000#, but those are straight floats.
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I want to know if it really is a downgrade for one thing.
I would like to have two planes, an amphib, all modern glass panel, new, and glorious. While I take the 180 out of service, do a major rebuild/upgrade, somewhat modernize the panel, interior, new paint, more power, bush wheels, and not worry about how long it takes me, because I have another plane. A new plane would be a dream come true, shiny and modern.
Or do I do a mild refresh on my 180, slap maybe a pponk in it, and GPS, fix the interior up some, and call it a day...meanwhile buy another 180 that is already amazing, or buy a clunker 180 and rebuild it to be amazing.
The options are endless.
If i had two planes, the amphibious would be flown the most in summer, and then stored in winter, while the other on wheels only goes to Mexico each fall, and is my bop around Mexico plane, fly it back north around April/May, and then only use it occasionally all summer.
 
Ps. I don't want to buy a jet burning Maule, just saw it for sale, already on amphibs, thought it was interesting, and put the link up.
 
Wagondriver said:
I’ve seen a few maules since then, even more glad now that I didn’t buy one. They seem more homebuilt than certified. There is a reason they are so much cheaper.
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Some call that a "feature"; it makes them easy and cheap to repair, even in the field, if you don't need extensive fabric work. I suspect a large part of the reason they're cheaper is because somewhere down the road is a very expensive or time consuming recover job.
 
My unfavorable thoughts on what I saw are not that it is simply built. But rather that portions of it looked poorly built, as in quality.
I was once in the market for a maule. I mentioned to someone the brag of how a 55 gallon drum fits in the cargo door. The response was, great, but are you going to put anything but an empty drum on a 1/4” plywood floor?
I have had the chance to look at maules while they are in the shop. Lots of pop rivets, they didn’t appear to be quality built planes. They might be just fine, but I’m not a fan. Might be a good value, I don’t know.
 
Wagondriver said:
My unfavorable thoughts on what I saw are not that it is simply built. But rather that portions of it looked poorly built, as in quality.
I was once in the market for a maule. I mentioned to someone the brag of how a 55 gallon drum fits in the cargo door. The response was, great, but are you going to put anything but an empty drum on a 1/4” plywood floor?
I have had the chance to look at maules while they are in the shop. Lots of pop rivets, they didn’t appear to be quality built planes. They might be just fine, but I’m not a fan. Might be a good value, I don’t know.
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Maule is just fine, 1/4 ply? You know what the floor is made of in a skywagon, especially a older 180 model? Isn’t not going to take abuse much better, and it’s going to take more work to fix.

Skywagon is great at speed to stol ratio, but the price point right now is not logical.
 
I know exactly how a Cessna floor is constructed.
But no one is suggesting putting drums on the floor. I do know people who have hauled 0470’s on the floor of a wagon.

The OP is asking about a brand new m9, I think I saw the price was $260k? You can buy the nicest wagons out there for that.
If you want to dislike Cessna’s that’s fine. To each their own. While my 180’s useful is not great, it probably stalls slower and cruises faster, and will definitely hold its value better. It will be 70 years old soon. I like what I like, everyone else can like what they want.
Opinions were requested, I offered mine.
 
Wagondriver said:
I know exactly how a Cessna floor is constructed.
But no one is suggesting putting drums on the floor. I do know people who have hauled 0470’s on the floor of a wagon.

The OP is asking about a brand new m9, I think I saw the price was $260k? You can buy the nicest wagons out there for that.
If you want to dislike Cessna’s that’s fine. To each their own. While my 180’s useful is not great, it probably stalls slower and cruises faster, and will definitely hold its value better. It will be 70 years old soon. I like what I like, everyone else can like what they want.
Opinions were requested, I offered mine.
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We comparing prices on a new M9 to a 1960s wagon?

I love a sky wagon as much as the next guy, but that’s silly.

The smart move would be to get a little less maule than the 9, and that value point a wagon won’t compete, lots of that is just hype like a PA18
 
Cessna chose to discontinue the 180, and 185. Taking away that option from everyone.
But I am sure that if Cessna did still make them, they would be priced triple what a Maule is.
Don't get me wrong, Cessna builds a fine aircraft, but they do tend to excessively over price them.
 
Whitney said:
I want to know if it really is a downgrade for one thing.
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Before I bought my 180, I was torn between it and a Maule. Back then the prices were pretty comparable. I went over to a Maule owners group and asked them, which I should buy. Overwhelmingly (and shockingly) most said they wished they had a 180, and some had owned both and deeply missed their 180's.
 
the airplanes I fly, I load by hand, so anyone that can load a drum of anything, in their aircraft, I'm impressed, plywood floor or no. o_O
 
My dog standing on 4 small paws has a pretty high lbs per square inch pressure. He doesn't seem to fall through anything. More depends on what the support is under a surface, than the surface material itself.
 
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