Interesting decision. Good price point.

http://mauleairinc.com/maule-m4-180v/

M4-180V S2 & S4
OLEO Strut Main Gear Taildragger
Double Cargo Doors
Engine: Lycoming (2000hr. TBO) 0-360-C1F
Gross Weight: 2300 lbs. (1043 kg)
Empty Weight: S2: 1350 lbs. (612 kg) | S4: 1375 lbs. (624 kg)
Useful Load: S2: 950 lbs. (431 kg) | S4: 925 lbs. (420 kg)
Stall Speed (full flaps / power off / light weight) (IAS): 43 mph (37 kts)
Take Off, Ground Roll (light weight): 300 ft. (92 m)
Take Off (light weight) over 50' obstacle: 700 ft. (214 m)
Landing (light weight) over obstacle: 900 ft. (274 m)
Service Ceiling: 15,000 ft. (4572 m)
Fuel Consumption US Gals. @ 65% Power (avg.): 9 gph (34 lph)
Cruise (75% Power / Opt. Alt.) (TAS): 134 mph (116 kts)
S2 Base Price $199,900
S4 Base Price $203,900

200k is still a lot of money, but relative to other new aircraft, that is a lot of capability for the price point.

I did have to chuckle at their overly dramatic marketing:

What's the difference between this and the M8?

Looks like only 25k more than a carbon cub.

I checked the linked site, there are two versions-- the 2 seat S2 and the 4-seat S4.
Good looking airplane, I've always preferred the look of the round-tailed M4 to the shark-fin of the later models.

Quite a while back, maybe 10 or so years ago, Maule introduced the M4-180V 2-seater. Two versions were available- one with c/s prop, the other with fixed pitch. Introductory price at that time was just under $100K for fixed pitch, just over for c/s-- about half what the current pricing is. Looks like they did add the big Maule baggage door this time around, which the earlier version didn't have.

I thought they'd sell a bunch of them, as the pricing and performance came in looking pretty good against the Top Cub and the Husky, plus I figured the side-by-side seating would be a big factor. Apparently that wasn't the case, as they were a bit of a flop sales-wise -- not sure of the number produced, but I checked the FAA registry once and it weren't many.

The cargo doors could be key to this model selling better than the last effort.

Lack of cargo doors was the only thing that kept me from buying the M4
I think the M4-180V was a sweet flying airplane and its a good deal compared to the competition, cargo doors are key to the utility factor.

Wow my earliest days of flying and flight instructing in Alaska included a student that had a M-4, wheels, skis and floats and wanted to learn all the above. Talk about a dream come true for a new instructor pilot We spent lots of hours flying all over Alaska depending on the time of year. When it became apparent I was also learning I quite charging him and we learned together. My first impressions of the Maule, early 70's, was the Maule tail wheel was the weakest link and the door knobs would break just looking at them
But on the good side when u get ready to takeoff on wheels or skis u better be ready to FLY Never been in an airplane that accelerated so fast...........not so much on floats. And the cargo door was really cool. If I ever got back into flying it would be an old Maul ragged out and redone to too bear essentials with big tires. But at this point I guess it is just my Lund boat an Bernelli shot gun

soyAnarchisto wrote:What's the difference between this and the M8?

Looks like only 25k more than a carbon cub.

The Maule comes standard with the ground loop feature.

corefile wrote:

soyAnarchisto wrote:What's the difference between this and the M8?

Looks like only 25k more than a carbon cub.

The Maule comes standard with the ground loop feature.

I think you need the "Careless Pilot" plug-in to make that feature work.
I don't think that feature is proprietary to Maule aircraft, the plug-in works with any tail-dragger.

The Maule comes standard with the ground loop feature.[/quote]

I think you need the "Careless Pilot" plug-in to make that feature work.
I don't think that feature is proprietary to Maule aircraft, the plug-in works with any tail-dragger. [/quote]

I agree never had a problem ever with ground looping tendency as long as u fly it till it stops

I wonder why the low gross weight?

Most Maules are 2,500# and even my lowly 4-banger is 2,400#

Mountain Doctor wrote:I wonder why the low gross weight?

Most Maules are 2,500# and even my lowly 4-banger is 2,400#

Even with the lower gross weight it has a higher legal useful load than most M-7s with 180/235/260 HP. It could be that the structure isn't as beefed up as the M7 and that's the reason for the lower gross weight. M4 weighs 1350-1375lbs giving it a useful load of 950-925lbs. M7-260 on oleo gear weighs 1610 giving it 890 useful. Put it on spring gear and the useful drops to 829. Make it a trike and useful drops even more to 804lbs!

Cool

Side note; Nice to see Maule has updated the website.

My '99 MXT-7-180 sits right about 925 u/l as equipped.


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Wonder what a fuselage costs?

I love the look of the M4's round tail and it seems like a lot of airplane for the money (as new airplanes go anyway).

I noticed that it says "limited production", but I wonder if they'll end up making the IO-390 available, or if that would "threaten" sales of the higher powered M7 and M9? Probably not the M9, due to the 2800lb. gross weight...

Mtn. Doc said

Most Maules are 2,500# and even my lowly 4-banger is 2,400#

The original M4 and M5's were 2300 Max gross. The M5 had the option of an upgross kit that got you to 2500 (2700 on floats).

Not sure if the upgross kit will be available for the "New" M4.

Nice to see cargo doors re-appear. After wrestling a barrel of fuel into the rear of a 180 I really appreciate the open right side of Maules.