{{Short description|American aircraft manufacturer}} {{Multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date=June 2018}} {{unreliable sources|date=September 2012}} }} {{Infobox company |name = Maule Air |logo = Maule air logo.png |logo_size = 250px |type = Private |founded = 1941 |location = Moultrie, Georgia, U.S. |key_people = |industry = Aviation |products = Aircraft |revenue = |operating_income = |net_income = |num_employees = 36 |parent = |subsidiaries = |website = {{URL|www.mauleairinc.com}} }}
'''Maule Air, Inc.''' is a manufacturer of light, single-engined, short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft, based in Moultrie, Georgia, U.S. The company delivered 2,500 aircraft in its first 50 years of business.
== History == Belford D. Maule (1911–1995) designed his first aircraft, the M-1 starting at age 19. He founded the company Mechanical Products Co. in Napoleon, Michigan to market his own starter design. In 1941 the B.D. Maule Co. was founded,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=General Aviation News|date=8 July 2011}}</ref> and Maule produced tailwheels and fabric testers. In 1953 he began design work, and started aircraft production with the "Bee-Dee" M-4 in 1957.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Experimenter|date=November 1957}}</ref>
The company is a family-owned enterprise. Its owner, June Maule, widow of B. D. Maule, remained directly involved with factory production until her death in 2009 at the age of 92.<ref name=aopa>{{cite news |first=Alton K.|last=Marsh |title=Matriarch of Maule Air dies at 92 |url=http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2009/091030maule.html |publisher=Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association|date=30 October 2009 |access-date=28 November 2009}}</ref>
== Products == The aircraft produced by Maule Air are tube-and-fabric designs and are popular with bush pilots<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mauleairinc.com/#maulelife|title = Maule Air STOL – Maule Air STOL}}</ref> thanks to their very low stall speed, tundra tires and oleo strut landing gear. Most Maules are built with tailwheel or amphibious configurations, although the newer MXT models have tricycle gear.
=== Aircraft models === {| class=wikitable ! Model ! Wingspan ! Engine ! Gross weight ! V<sub>so</sub> ! V<sub>LD</sub> |- | M4-210 | rowspan=2 | 29'8" | 210 HP Continental | rowspan=2 | 2300 lbs | rowspan=2 | 28 mph | rowspan=2 | 145 mph |- | M4-220 | 220 HP Franklin |- | M-5-180C | rowspan=6 | 30'10" | 180 HP Lycoming Carb | 2400 lbs | 38 mph | 135 mph |- | M-5-200C | 200 HP Lycoming Injected | 2500 lbs | 38 mph | 140 mph |- | M-5-210TC | 210 HP Lycoming Turbo | 2500 lbs | 38 mph | 196 mph |- | M-5-210C | 210 HP Continental Injected | 2500 lbs | 38 mph | 145 mph |- | M-5-235C | 235 HP Lycoming carb | 2500 lbs | 38 mph | 158 mph |- | M-5-235C | 235 HP Lycoming injected | 2500 lbs | 39 mph | 158 mph |- | M-6-235 | rowspan=2 | 32' 11" | 235 HP Lycoming O-540-J1A5D | rowspan=2 | 2500 lbs | rowspan=2 | 35 mph | rowspan=2 | 160 mph |- | M-6-235 | 235 HP Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D |- | M-7 | 33' 6" | 235 HP Lycoming IO-540-W | rowspan=1 | 2500 lbs | rowspan=1 | 40 mph | rowspan=1 | 158 mph |- | M-9-235 | rowspan=3 | 32' 11" | 235 HP Lycoming O-540-B4B5 | rowspan=3 | 2800 lbs | rowspan=3 | 46 mph | rowspan=2 | 158 mph |- | M-9-235 | 235 HP Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 |- | M-9-260 | 260 HP Lycoming IO-540-V4A5 | rowspan=1 | 162 mph |}
== Gallery == <gallery> File:maule.mx-7-235.superrocket.g-iton.arp.jpg|Maule MX-7-235 Super Rocket, built 1987 File:Maule-Amphibian.780.jpg|A Maule amphibian File:maule.m7-235b.arp.jpg|Maule M7-235B Super Rocket, built 1999 </gallery>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * [http://www.mauleairinc.com/ Maule Air, Inc. website] * [http://www.mauleflight.com/faq/ Maule aircraft models]
{{Maule aircraft}}
Category:Aircraft manufacturers of the United States Category:Companies based in Colquitt County, Georgia Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1941 Category:1941 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Maule aircraft