Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By Oldfart
#1896114
Iceman wrote:Yep, still got the TB20 as well, at Blackbushe. With TB20, twin flying and the Maule, I reckon that I’ve got most flight scenarios covered.

In practice, you’re going to get more crosswind limit than 14 mph, as stated explicitly by the POH. A landing at Kirkbride, on the way to Glenforsa, in a crosswind that was appreciably more than 14 mph demonstrated that. On takeoff, I pointed it across the runway by about 45 degrees and I don’t think that we had a ground roll, it just levitated. The Scotland trip was comfortable and it was good to be able to tank fuel to save having to fill up at Scottish rates (although Oban is now quite attractive). I will hopefully get to France in it this year, possibly even contemplating the Raduno, but that probably is a trip for the TB.

Iceman 8)



“Mile High”? Not that much room inside?
Although your ex Airline partners in the Maule ,may have more experience in that area !!
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1896117
‘Maule High’ to be precise :lol: ! I couldn’t possibly comment on their previous exploits :shock: !

P.S., thinking about it, you could be right. Four of them are married to ex-hosties, and an ex-member, well known of this parish, is married to a fellow 777 driver :D.

Iceman 8)
#1896237
MmmmMaule!
I owned an N Reg MX5 235 for a few years.
I didn't really bond with it at first but after a dozen or so hours grew to really like it.
Ive flown some tricky taildraggers in my time and whilst not particularly difficult the Maule can get away from you pretty quickly if you aren't on the case.
Unless you need the legendary STOL performance of the Maule then of course the Cessna alternatives are clearly better.
Its the only fixed wing machine I had the courage to fly to Lundy in ( and that didn't pass without incident!)
As a four seater it isn't that great, the rear seats are narrow and cramped.
My machine had been comprehensively overhauled so I didn't suffer any of the build quality issues often mentioned.
So.. a very capable fun machine, needs careful handling and, being fabric covered needs a hangar.
HP
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By Ibra
#1896266
Thanks HP for the feedback, yes I am after STOL & tailwheel: I have a tight grass 5min nearby and plans to visit few ULM places in France

C172S or C182 would do the job, I flew happy hours in both: the former is now boring, the latter is overpriced these days, both have the tail in their front, so tend to lack the vintage charm :wink:

I used to own Archer & Mooney both could handle grass in the right days and light configuration but I had to say more NO than YES, also I figure out that having something that sits nearby to depart after 5min drive is priceless: slower speed would compensate a 1h drive to paved runway (we now take Ryanair or Easyjet when it's more than 600nm leg)
By Hairyplane
#1896493
Lundy -
Hi Iceman,
Having visited Lundy several times by R44, and incorporated a walk of the strip every time during our Puffin and Seal-spotting expeditions , I decided to tick off a fixed wing visit from my Bucket List.
My long suffering best mate Stampe, a frequent poster here, and I booked in during the annual LAA Strut fly-in.
A decision to land on Lundy is a tough one, it is an undeniable fact that landing on a very rough, uneven, boulder strewn 'strip', maintained only by the resident sheep and rabbit colony, carries with it an elevated risk of a return by ferry and increased insurance premium.
This post will I'm sure result in lots of 'no problem' replies and I bow to their superior skills and judgement.
So, as confident as we could be in my tundra-tyre equipped built-for the-job machine, we approached over the lighthouse and tackled the strong, blustery 90 degree crosswind.
Im not sure what really happened but we bounced back into the air and came perilously close to a wingtip strike as we touched down heavily for a second time, no longer pointing down the runway or anywhere near.
There will be far cleverer pilots here that will ask why I didn't go-around. All I can say is, I decided not to, we would have run off the edge into even rougher ground and likely with disastrous consequences.
Looking back, I did underestimate the strength of the crosswind and overcooked the turn onto final, giving myself even more work to do.
So..Lundy. I love you. However, as I no longer have a heli and don't fancy the ferry, I wont be back, despite the appeal of the place and the delights of the Merasco Tavern.
If anybody here fancies it, and the visitors book does make absorbing reading, then do plan your trip to coincide with the local Strut fly out. They send out an advance party the day before to check the strip.
You can also book anything from a shepherd hut to an entire lighthouse if you fancied stopping over.
HP
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By Boxkite
#1896509
Hairyplane wrote:...we approached over the lighthouse and tackled the strong, blustery 90 degree crosswind.

That is strange, with so many light tail-wheel aircraft attending the event, the Devon Strut would usually cancel it when there's a strong crosswind expected.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1896542
@Hairyplane, thanks for that account. It’s certainly a place that deserves respect, and being quite exposed, can certainly be prone to sudden gusts. I take it that the Maule lived to fly another day ?

Iceman 8)
By Stampe
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1896561
I as HP mentions I was a pax in the Maule on that day no damage resulted and I felt a strong downdraught swatted us from a very blustery crosswind clifftop approach the bounce was recovered well.HPs tailwheel credentials are impeccable trained on Condors in the seventies and he’s owned or flown and displayed just about every perm of tailwheel imaginable but including Bristol Fighter ,SE5A ,Hawker Hind ,Nimrod ,Fiesler Storch.DeHavilands,Miles,Buckers In all varieties.He kindly lent me his Maule for 6months when he had too many aircraft and I treat the marque with great respect if you are only flying them occasionally they can bite...I used to pick my day to exercise it with regard to the wind and returned it unharmed!Just look at the attrition rate on the breed over the years read the AAIB reports someone I knew sadly died in a Maule.
Regards Stampe
Fly Safe Considerate Compliant !
Last edited by Stampe on Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Ibra
#1896564
There is always something about a landing where everything looks right except the last moment when she bites (you have no clue what went wrong), glad all went ok at Lundy :thumleft:

The one where you see it coming is usually easy !
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1896635
Dave W wrote:
Stampe wrote:... and he’s owned or flown and displayed just about every perm ...


You chose that word carefully, didn't you? :D


Something about the 70s...? Or going into the 80s? Will mull-it over.

What's the difference between the 5 and the 7? And M and MX? Looks like the M is the 235 with the MX being 180?
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1896643
If you look up Mauke on Wikipedia @Paul_Sengupta , you'll see that there's about as many varieties as aircraft flying, with various engine sizes, cabin and Wing lengths, etc.

Iceman 8)