Maule
Maule Air, Inc. of Moultrie, Georgia, USA, is a family-owned company that has produced the Maule series of STOL planes for several decades. The company was founded in 1941 by Belford D. Maule. Most Maules are four seat piston-powered airplanes with engines ranging from 180 to 260 hp. Allison turbo-props are featured on some models of the Maule. All versions of the Maule feature good to outstanding STOL performance, depending on the engine power. Maules are available in conventional or tricycle landing gear and can be fitted with floats or skis.
Maules feature a welded, steel tube fuselage covered with fabric like the Super Cub. The higher powered versions offer Super Cub like performance, but with seating for four instead of two. Once again, depending upon power, the Maule can be a good deal faster than the Super Cub. Under ideal conditions and at high altitude, the turbo-prop Maules can cruise at speeds approaching 200 mph. Piston powered Maules typically cruise 100-140 mph.
The following video shows a Maule float plane landing.
I'm Maule Shook Up
Clive the Hang Glider from South Africa, who has been flying on and off since 1973, wrote in to tell us his dream plane and best bush plane is the Maule.
Geoff Waldron from the UK, who has been flying for 40 years claims the Maule 420 is his dream plane, though he thinks the best bush plane is the Helio Courier.
Eric, from the United States, who has been flying since 1969, shared his opinion about his dream plane, "Maule has pretty much nailed it for me. Side-by-side seating, easily convertible to skis and floats, but would cruise at 180 kts, stall at 40 kts for short-fields."
Francisco Andre from Portugal who has been a professional pilot for ten years claims the Maule is the best bush plane, "What is the best bush plane? As far as many caracteristics are concerned, maybe the Maule 260Hp. It can carry 4 or 5 people."
If you have a favorite plane you'd like to tell us about, go here.
Here is a nice video of a Maule M7 Rocket flying over the scenic northern Rockies. The pilot advises you have to check the runway to make sure its clear of horses, mules and bears.
This is an impressive demonstration video of the 2012 MAULE MX-7-180B, 4 place STOL aircraft, powered by the 180 hp Lycoming 0-360-C1F, and pulled by 200cm 3 blade MT Propeller.
This is a computer generated demonstration video for the USEC Maule M7 260C ski plane add on for Armed Assault.
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