Engineering:Maule M-7

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Short description: American light aircraft
M-7, MX-7, MXT-7
MAULE M-7-235C N33723 s-n 25115C (cropped).jpg
Maule M-7
Role Utility aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Maule Air
Designer Belford Maule
First flight 1984
Number built ca. 500 by 1995
Maule MX-7-235
Maule M-7-235C on amphibious floats
Maule M-7-235C on tundra tires
Maule M-7-260C Orion

The Maule M-7 is a family of single-engine light aircraft that has been manufactured in the United States since the mid-1980s.

Design and development

Based on the Maule M-4, it is a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane of conventional configuration, available with tailwheel or optional tricycle wheeled undercarriage[1] and frequently used as a floatplane with twin floats. The basic M-7 has a longer cabin than its predecessors the M5 & M6, with two seats in front, a bench seat for up to three passengers behind them, and (like the M-6) an optional third row of "kiddie seats" at the rear.[2] Extra cabin windows can be fitted if the "kiddie seats" are to be used. The MX-7 uses the same fuselage as the M-6,which is a modified M5 fuselage but the same wing span as the M-5,[2][3] and incorporates the increased fuel tankage, Hoerner-style wingtips and five-position flaps designed for the M-7.[4]

The M-7 family has been produced both with piston and turboprop engines.[2][3][5]

Variants

M-7 series

M-7-235 Super Rocket
Similar to M-6-235 with lengthened cabin. Tailwheel undercarriage and Lycoming O-540 engine[2]
M-7-235B Super Rocket[6]
Same as M7-235 including Oleo-Strut main landing gear.
M-7-235C Orion[6]
Same as M7-235B but with sprung aluminum main landing gear and Lycoming IO-540 engine.
M-7-260[6]
M-7-260C[6]
M-7-420 Starcraft Turboprop
M-7-235 with Allison 250 turboprop engine[2]
MT-7-235 Tri-Gear
Super Rocket with tricycle undercarriage[2]
MT-7-260[6]

MX-7 series

MX-7 Rocket[6]
MX-7-160 Sportplane
M-6 fuselage with M-5 wings. Lycoming O-320 engine[2][6]
MX-7-180 Star Rocket
MX-7 with lengthened cabin. Optional third row of seats with windows. Lycoming O-360 engine[2]
MX-7-180A Sportplane and Comet
MX-7-180B Star Rocket[6]
MX-7-180C Millennium[6]
MX-7-250 Starcraft
MX-7 with Allison 250 turboprop engine[2]
MX-7-420 Starcraft Turboprop
MX-7-235 with Allison 250 turboprop engine[2]
MXT-7-160 Comet
MX-7-160 with tricycle undercarriage
MXT-7-180 Star Rocket
MX-7-180 with tricycle undercarriage[2]

Specifications (M-7-235B)

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: four passengers
  • Length: 23.67 ft (7.21 m)
  • Wingspan: 32.92 ft (10.03 m)
  • Height: 6.33 ft (1.93 m)
  • Empty weight: 1,549 lb (703 kg) typical, equipped
  • Gross weight: 2,500 lb (1,134 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 40 U.S. gallons (150 L; 33 imp gal) usable (standard)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-540-J1A5D six cylinder, horizontally-opposed, air-cooled aircraft engine, 235 hp (175 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell Propeller HC-C2YR-1BF/F8468A-6R constant speed propeller

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 147 mph (237 km/h, 128 kn) maximum structural cruising speed
  • Stall speed: 49 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn) flaps down
  • Never exceed speed: 182 mph (293 km/h, 158 kn)
  • g limits: +3.8/-1.5 g

Notes

  1. Maule Air (1 January 2012). "Standard Equipment – MX(T)-7 Series and M(T)-7 Series Maule Aircraft". http://www.mauleairinc.com/pdf/literature/standard_equipment.pdf. Retrieved 17 June 2012. 
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Simpson 1995, 242
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985–86, 448
  4. "Private Aircraft Buyers' Guide" 1986, 39.
  5. "Maule develops turboprops" 1987, 16
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 World Aircraft Information Files, File 901 Sheet 08

References