Still the only production four-seat or side-by-side, conventional gear airplanes being built in the U.S., Maules have been attracting owners who march to a slightly different beat for over 50 years. In general, the airplanes are easy and forgiving to fly when in the air, yet not so much on the ground—the runway loss of control accident rate is distressingly high. They’re simple to fix, good at going slow but capable of decent cruise speeds, although the published speeds for many in the line are considered humorously optimistic.
Baggage and cabin access is spectacular with up to four doors. The useful load is okay, but don’t tell that to bush pilots who, according to legend, carry 1500 to 1800 pounds—about double the legal limit—and get away with it most of the time. There have been a number of Maule accidents in which the airplane either did not get off the ground in the runway available, hit obstructions shortly after liftoff or simply refused to climb, so they are not infinitely forgiving of overloading.