Maule M-7

Image: Aleksander Markin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Maule M-7

Designation: M-7-235C Super Rocket

Maule Air Modern Classic general-aviation 1984-present

Why it matters

The Maule M-7 is the working person's bush plane, built by hand in a small factory in Moultrie, Georgia, by people who have been doing it since B.D. Maule started the company in 1962.

There's no corporate parent, no design-by-committee, no MBA deciding which corners to cut. Just a fabric-covered, steel-tube taildragger that can operate on floats, skis, amphibious floats, or those absurd tundra tires that make it look like it's wearing sneakers.

The M-7 doesn't get the glamour of a Beaver or the YouTube fame of a Carbon Cub. It just goes to work. Every day. In places where going to work means crossing a mountain range to reach a gravel strip that barely qualifies as one.

Specifications

Max Speed 180 mph
Range 700 miles
Service Ceiling 20,000 ft
Engine 1x Lycoming IO-540 flat-six (Super Rocket variant)
Power/Thrust 235 hp
Wingspan 33 ft 2 in
Length 23 ft 6 in
Crew 1
Production 2,500+ built (all Maule models)
First Flight 1984
Service Dates 1984-present

Notable Features

  • Fabric-covered steel tube construction
  • Available on floats, skis, amphibious floats, or tundra tires
  • Hand-built in Moultrie, Georgia since 1962
  • 4-seat cabin with surprising cargo capacity

Patina notes

A Maule that works for a living has a particular look. The fabric covering develops that taut, slightly translucent quality that tells you the airframe underneath is still tight.

The steel tube fuselage takes paint well, but working Maules tend toward practical colors rather than show-quality finishes. Float installations show the corrosion management that's a constant in saltwater operations.

The cockpit is utilitarian: everything you need, nothing you don't. The landing gear on the tailwheel models is bowed just enough to suggest they've handled every surface short of a lava field.

Preservation reality

The Maule M-7 is still in production, so 'preservation' is really just 'maintenance' at this point. The Moultrie factory still builds them, still hand-covers them in fabric, and still answers the phone when you call with a question.

Used examples are well-supported with parts from the factory. Values are reasonable by backcountry airplane standards, typically $100,000-$250,000 depending on engine, equipment, and condition.

The Maule community is unpretentious and helpful, which perfectly matches the airplane.

Where to see one

  • • Maule Air factory, Moultrie, GA (tours available)
  • • Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, Lakeland, FL
  • • EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
  • • Backcountry airstrips throughout the Southeast and Alaska
  • • Any seaplane base in the eastern US

Preservation organizations

  • • Maule Owners and Pilots Association
  • • Seaplane Pilots Association
  • • EAA

Sources