Can't wait to see more updates on your new Maule. I'm currently looking for my own so living vicariously through these posts until then.

asa, the patroller seat was developed in the mid '70s for the California Highway Patrol contract. They wanted safer seats and cooler for the long hours on patrol. The netting was fastened underneath and on back with adjustable lacking so one could adjust as it stretched in time. There was foam pipe insulation on the tubes that the body contacts.
I liked them however access to the back is limited.
The kick panel window , I developed for a Government contract to compete with tandem seating for fish and game counts.
The biologist sat in centre of rear seat, the front right seat was removed and replaced with files, maps, tracking devices etc.
The pilot in left seat could use the kick panel window to pre-position the plane when following rivers or treelines etc so the biologist counting Moose, River fish, Swans and so forth, that were on right side of plane. The window allowed for less yawing which is not the best for a working biologist. There was lots of legroom for him/her too and a pre-view through the right front patroller door.

Thanks for the info Jeremy! Your posts on the Maule forum on every subject imaginable have been invaluable to me and will continue to be.

Now that I have reupholstered the seat, I greatly prefer it over the standard one. The original upholstery could not be tightened any more due to the age and way it was made. New fabric made it great. I omitted the foam on the tubes and don’t have an issue. I’m going for max head and leg room while being a comfortable seat and I think I’ve found that balance.

Still haven’t pulled the trigger on the kick panel window because there is insulation glued to the inside of that panel and I need to clean it off prior to cutting and such. I have 3 maules here locally with them installed to look at for reference.

mobileandmonitoring wrote:Can't wait to see more updates on your new Maule. I'm currently looking for my own so living vicariously through these posts until then.

Thanks for the kind words. I think Maules are great Alaska planes. Very few specialty parts, easy to repair, metal wing is more tolerant to sitting outside since Alaska doesn’t believe in building hangars, tube fuselage can handle the rough, quick enough to go long distances, slow enough to land short.

I was not that excited when I got this plane, just got a good deal. But the more I fly and work on it, the more impressed I am. Borderline fanboy now if you can’t tell. I could see this being a long term thing if it weren’t for my fear of commitment.

asa wrote:

mobileandmonitoring wrote:Can't wait to see more updates on your new Maule. I'm currently looking for my own so living vicariously through these posts until then.

Thanks for the kind words. I think Maules are great Alaska planes. Very few specialty parts, easy to repair, metal wing is more tolerant to sitting outside since Alaska doesn’t believe in building hangars, tube fuselage can handle the rough, quick enough to go long distances, slow enough to land short.

I was not that excited when I got this plane, just got a good deal. But the more I fly and work on it, the more impressed I am. Borderline fanboy now if you can’t tell. I could see this being a long term thing if it weren’t for my fear of commitment.

Well if you ever need a hand with anything I'm over here in the valley! I'm definitely 100% fanboy haha so any Maule exposure I can get I'm all in. Congrats on the purchase.

asa I am interested in a Maule and you have me curious to your stature. I am guessing your either tall and brawny or the Maule cockpit is small. How tall are you.

David K wrote:asa I am interested in a Maule and you have me curious to your stature. I am guessing your either tall and brawny or the Maule cockpit is small. How tall are you.

I am 6'4" and 240lb. My body type falls between what would be expected growing up in the south, and athletic. The Maule cockpits are known for being small in some ways. Compared to a Cessna (170, 180, 185), the cockpit of the Maule is noticeably roomier in shoulder room, however has less head room and since the seats aren't on rails, there is not an infinite amount of leg room. I'm comfortable with the leg room I have, but if I had the choice, I would have chosen a Maule with a skylight for the additional head room. I am considering removing the headliner for this reason.

Today's projects were swapping the KT76A transponder for a GTX330 (Thanks, flyingjack!), and replacing the elevator gap seals.

ASA going to jump on here and join you as one of THOSE!!
Have been gone from here for a couple years. Came back to look every once in awhile.
Back into Flying a Maule now so thought I would come back if these guys don't tar n feather me for running away!
Been a long 2-3 years!!
Hello All!
GT

M6RV6 wrote:ASA going to jump on here and join you as one of THOSE!!
Have been gone from here for a couple years. Came back to look every once in awhile.
Back into Flying a Maule now so thought I would come back if these guys don't tar n feather me for running away!
Been a long 2-3 years!!
Hello All!
GT

Where have you been?

M6RV6 wrote:ASA going to jump on here and join you as one of THOSE!!
Have been gone from here for a couple years. Came back to look every once in awhile.
Back into Flying a Maule now so thought I would come back if these guys don't tar n feather me for running away!
Been a long 2-3 years!!
Hello All!
GT

Welcome back! What permutation of low life Maule are you flying?

I'm not so sure about you "low life Maule pilots"... From where I'm sitting, that looks a lot like the "high life" to me! Love the small family business aspect of the company, and the way they've stood behind their products for decades. And the Maule pilots I've had the occasion to meet were pretty good folks, so there's that as well.

Found a M4 220 that had a bad engine after 65 hours after overhaul in Oregon, drove down and hauled it back, one ugly looking piston that had been very badly burnt! One side melted almost to the piston pin, so am going to have to rebuild that cyl! enough junk in it so tearing it down , new piston, rings all around and a rebuilt cyl.
Was lucky enough to have it's mate in the shed that my wife and her Brother hauled back from Kenai about 10 years ago!
Pulled it off, cleaned it up, transferred some parts and it seems to be running well! Good compression all around!
Will cut the filter open in a few hours when I change the oil and see what we can find! Hopefully it will go for awhile!
Plans are to get it into the Ex Exhibition cat. and do some Carbon Concept mods on it!
Slats n flaps, Randy has an amazing to me concept on the flaps I want to try.
This one has had a rough life!! 3 ground loops that has left it with a few repairs! With just a little rigging it flys Straight n Level tho, Pretty fast little bird!
It is as original as I think I have ever seen one other than repairs, mostly original fabric other than patches! just 40 gallons fuel, no intercom, no extra radios!
Will go on a diet soon! (airplane, not me)
Will get some pix on here soon.
It is a 1974 220 C, so happens N1974 was available so will be changing that as soon as the paperwork allows!
Got rid of the Broussard Not sure that was smart??
Ended up with a 7GCB that needs to be put together. If anyone is looking for a good project?
Had a few Broken ribs, from riding along and ruining a light on top of a rudder! Broke some more totaling out a Ford pick up!
I did get to Ferry a M5 220 to AK last fall and Bring a M5 180 back down!
Thanks GT

Forgot how to post and delete on here!!

Project “Maule on a budget” continues today...

The beginnings of a Kydex interior. So far so good, but I can always go back if I decide I don’t like it. About 0.8 lb weight savings in this single panel going from 0.020 AL to 0.028 Kydex, however I’m really doing it for appearance, the red isn’t my favorite.



Laying out the boot cowl window with a template I made. The blue line (hard to see color) is window border, the inner line is to layout the corner radius centers, if that makes sense. You can also see where I had to remove an avionics cooling duct and strategically place the window so it would cover all the holes.



Have to go to AK for training this week so no updates for a bit.

asa, the later kick panels don't have the curl in at the floor.
Just more or less straight down and velcro to a light strip of 1" aluminum angle screwed to the floor.

maules.com wrote:asa, the later kick panels don't have the curl in at the floor.
Just more or less straight down and velcro to a light strip of 1" aluminum angle screwed to the floor.

That’s what I’ve heard Jeremy, but haven’t seen one. Do they still go over all the cables and pulley, or go behind?

For the boot cowl, I have also thought about doing closed cell foam adhered to the sheet metal, with no interior panels. Will see how it looks once the window is cut.

Thanks!!

Which grade and texture of kydex did you go with?

ASA, Where did you get the Boot cowl Template?
Thanks GT

So do you take the kydex plate out anytime you want to see out the boot cowl window? Why even put it in at all? Just leave it open, utility style.

gahi wrote:Which grade and texture of kydex did you go with?

I'm cheap and one of those enviro hippies so I went with 0.028" Kydex V which is recycled material. It is textured, one side glossy texture, the other is matte. I use the matte side as the "good" side but that's just visual preference, both sides are nice. Also, easy and quick to get through amazon. Just looked and it's gone up in price since I purchased. I paid $90 for nine 24x48" sheets last year.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051 ... UTF8&psc=1

M6RV6 wrote:ASA, Where did you get the Boot cowl Template?
Thanks GT

I made it myself out of 0.010" G10 composite I had on hand. My friend/IA gave me a paper one but I wanted something that would last a bit longer but still be flexible and transparent. I posted the maule drawing on the previous page of this thread if you wanted to make your own, or I might even recommend doing it straight onto the boot cowl with a sharpie. It's a maule, after all. Bottom lines are colinear with bottom edge of copilot door patroller window, aft edge is colinear with front edge of door, as a starting place.

A1Skinner wrote:So do you take the kydex plate out anytime you want to see out the boot cowl window? Why even put it in at all? Just leave it open, utility style.

Haha the interior panel for boot cowl will have a cut out and trim pieces for boot cowl window. As far as interior I think of it as multiple options:

- Leave it aluminum wrapped in strip club red vinyl
- Remove red vinyl and use the bare aluminum, maybe painted or maybe not
- Re-cover aluminum in something more tame
- Kydex
- Nothing

I'm exploring all options. I have lots of Kydex on hand already so that's free exploration. The "nothing" option is free exploration as well which I've explored a bit and let's just say the bones of this airplane aren't the prettiest. I've pulled the red vinyl off a couple small pieces and the underlying aluminum is in excellent condition and is obviously already a perfect fit so that's my backup option.

As you can tell, I like messing with stuff