Welllllll.... I get bored easily so the mods have officially began.

Before I left Kentucky, I ordered some LED landing lights from Aero-Lites and got those installed a few days ago. I've now used 5 different brands of LEDS lights and have settled on Aero-Lites. They are very affordable and made well. Plenty bright. AeroLED's of course are very nice but I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on an LED lamp. Aero-lites are $89 each.

I knew my first plan was to clean out the panel. It was full of old crap, but nothing really that great. I debated just going to a simple VFR panel but didn't want to move too quick in case I decide to sell soon, so I simply removed useless things and kept stuff someone else might value. This is phase 1. Nothing major done really.

As purchased: (not the best pic)


Current:




What I did
- Remove ADF Receiver + Indicator
- Remove VOR #2 Receiver + Indicator (this was a heavy indicator)
- Remove Hobbs meter
- Move VOR #1 Indicator over to right side
- Panel mount and hardwire Aera 660 (kept this from Scout) vertically, left of radios
- Added panel mount USB + voltmeter where ADF indicator was (right side)
- Used 0.030" Kydex to blank out the other holes

Net 10.2 lb weight loss, and looks better in my opinion.

The trays in the radio stack are still there because they were all tied in together and I didn't feel like make new supports for the upper radio stack. I am thinking about removing the Kydex blanking plate there and making a door so it's a glovebox. Wouldn't really add any more weight.

Ideally, I would've put Nav1 CDI under the GPS and moved the tach/MP both over a hole to the left, blanked out hole on far right. However the CDI wouldn't fit under GPS because of a support tube, and it's not the easiest thing to move the tach/mp since there's more there than just wires...

So far I'm very happy. As you can imagine, this was all very cheap to do.

To make up for the affordability of the panel work, I just spent $4300 on extended gear from airframes.....

Needs 35’s... [emoji23][emoji1787]

Just kidding, the owner of this maul wound up taking these off and installing a set of 29’s... the 35’s were just too much for a 180HP M7

Looks cool as heck though...

Brian


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That maule does look awesome with the long legs and big shoes, although it's funny it still has the small tailwheel. I ordered the black powdercoated gear. Didn't want to match the paint job because the fabric will be replaced long before the gear gets replaced again haha.

My 31's are waiting to be mounted since I kept them from the Scout. They are actually sitting in my living room because this morning's project was applying 303 protectant to them as ABW recommends. Figure it's easy while they are at my house and not on the plane, and if it even helps them last an extra month, it's worth the $20 bottle.

No ADF? How are you going to find Colln when you go missed at FNL? Oh yeah, thats right, the 660 ; )

Curious, why did you remove the Hobbs meter?

The Hobbs either didn’t work or I spent exactly 0 hours flying from New Jersey to Colorado... hard to tell.

Have never utilized a Hobbs other than on rental airplanes. Would you have recommended keeping it for some reason if it worked Kurt?

asa wrote:The Hobbs either didn’t work or I spent exactly 0 hours flying from New Jersey to Colorado... hard to tell.

Have never utilized a Hobbs other than on rental airplanes. Would you have recommended keeping it for some reason if it worked Kurt?

Sure, if it worked I would have kept it, doesn’t weigh anything. How are you recording your time? Tach?

asa wrote: applying 303 protectant to them as ABW recommends. Figure it's easy while they are at my house and not on the plane, and if it even helps them last an extra month, it's worth the $20 bottle.

Be careful breathing that stuff. I made that mistake! I now use a full face mask style paint respirator when I apply it. I don't know what chemicals are in that bottle but I didn't like it.

G44 wrote:

asa wrote:The Hobbs either didn’t work or I spent exactly 0 hours flying from New Jersey to Colorado... hard to tell.

Have never utilized a Hobbs other than on rental airplanes. Would you have recommended keeping it for some reason if it worked Kurt?

Sure, if it worked I would have kept it, doesn’t weigh anything. How are you recording your time? Tach?

I simply look at clock/watch/phone before/after flight for my logbook.


Kg, that's interesting. The only thing it affected for me is that the hardwood floors where I was applying it are extremely slippery now... must have been some overspray even with doing it on a towel.

You can tell I'm single and not a homeowner because I have nothing to do on the weekends to fill my time. Alas, I have prepped materials for boot cowl window installation. A local friend had the template already and it's Maule so there's a factory drawing/approval and all parts come from the hardware store for $20. We'll see if I can resist doing serious damage to the airplane when I start in with the cutoff wheel.

Good stuff, looks like fun Asa! I should learn from your example and not develop an emotional attachment to planes. As it is I have difficulty imaging parting with my airplanes although I have developed a tendency to acquire additional ones.

asa wrote:although it's funny it still has the small tailwheel.

Actually, that picture was taken right before we put the large fork and big tail wheel on... [emoji6]

Brian


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56L came with a very rare, but made by maule, pilot sling seat. I've been back and forth on whether I like it but I have come to the conclusion that it does provide very marginally more leg room so probably best I keep it. And it's rare. That's worth something.

Too bad it looked like this...





Found some good (hopefully) material and re-upholstered it last night myself. That's right, this 29 year old is talented at sewing - send your daughters this way. I think it came out fairly good. The color doesn't quite match the strip club-esque interior unfortunately so when I decide how I want to re-do it better, I'll shell out the $20 I spent on material again and choose another, likely black, color.

Frame:


Bottom complete:


Back and bottom, missing some tensioning elements that should pull the lower back a bit tighter. Haven't decided what I want to do about a headrest, if anything.

Awesome upgrade

With long legs and big wheels, that machine will be a weapon in the backcountry.

The sling seat idea is intriguing but I didn't like the high seat back; I need to fish around for stuff behind me too often on 6-8 hr legs. I'm envious of the patroller doors but don't know that the boot cowl windows are worth the trouble. I've been in another Maule that had them and all the hardware in proximity diminishes any real view. But they do allow more light into the cabin...

Enjoying the upgrades! Keep the updates coming

DeltaRomeo wrote:The sling seat idea is intriguing but I didn't like the high seat back; I need to fish around for stuff behind me too often on 6-8 hr legs. I'm envious of the patroller doors but don't know that the boot cowl windows are worth the trouble. I've been in another Maule that had them and all the hardware in proximity diminishes any real view. But they do allow more light into the cabin...

Enjoying the upgrades! Keep the updates coming

I agree on the sling seat. I tried very hard to get rid of it through trading but had no luck so far. I then sat in my pax seat and realized trading it would reduce my leg and head room unless I re-upholstered the standard style seat which was blowing my $20 budget. I am also not a fan of the ridiculously high back. I would like to cut it off where the second set of vertical tubes ends (see pic of frame in my last post), about the height of a normal seat, however I am going to hold off for now. The way the frame is constructed, it almost appears to be made with that in mind.

I'll let you know how I like the boot cowl window, but I like the look of it in other airplanes and imagine it being useful on big tires on the tundra where every second of taxiing is trying not to drop a tire in a hole. We'll see. Also, as you can tell, I need very little excuse to mess with my airplane.

Yesterday thanks to Jack (flyingjack on BCP), I was able to get a GTX330 transponder for "Project Maule on a Budget" so no more KT76 soon hopefully.

“Cessnas aren’t any more expensive to own than a Maule”



Maule fuel caps $6.50 at NAPA.

asa wrote:“Cessnas aren’t any more expensive to own than a Maule”



Maule fuel caps $6.50 at NAPA.

I haven't seen many Cessnas need a 25K fabric cover job either... [emoji6]
And for the Canadian Maules out there, putting mods on them often include getting a LSTC. Want a MT prop? Tack on another $3500-4000 to the already big cost just for the approval. There's ups and downs to both aircraft for sure...

Never understood why anyone would post online using napa auto parts on a certified aircraft. I wonder being it is the worlds only certified homebuilt makes them exempt? I only use Coors for repairs on a Cessna, Budweiser for Beechcraft.

northernfabric wrote:Never understood why anyone would post online using napa auto parts on a certified aircraft. I wonder being it is the worlds only certified homebuilt makes them exempt? I only use Coors for repairs on a Cessna, Budweiser for Beechcraft.

Maule specifies a Stant part number (10640) that is available at many local retailers, so do you think I’ve done something wrong?

Do you buy your NAS or MS screws from your aircraft manufacturer, or from a retailer?

I bought the specified part from the source specified by the aircraft manufacturer. I’d say I’m doing things by the book.

Definitely ups and downs. I make up for savings in parts with my massive insurance premium haha

A1Skinner wrote:

asa wrote:“Cessnas aren’t any more expensive to own than a Maule”



Maule fuel caps $6.50 at NAPA.

I haven't seen many Cessnas need a 25K fabric cover job either... [emoji6]
And for the Canadian Maules out there, putting mods on them often include getting a LSTC. Want a MT prop? Tack on another $3500-4000 to the already big cost just for the approval. There's ups and downs to both aircraft for sure...