Maule M-5

M-5
	Maule M-5-235C
Role	Four-seat cabin monoplane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Maule Aircraft Company
Designer	Belford Maule
First flight	1971
Introduction	1974
Produced	1974-1983
Number built	over 855
Developed from	Maule M-4

The Maule M-5 is an American four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by the Maule Aircraft Company.

Design and development

The M-5 was a development of the earlier Maule M-4 with improved STOL performance. It has a 30% increase in flap area and enlarged tail surfaces.

Two prototype M-5s flew in 1971, one powered by a 210-hp (157 kW) engine, the other with a 220-hp (164 kW) engine.

The M-5 is a steel-tube and fabric high-wing braced-monoplane with a cantilever tailplane with a single fin and rudder. It has a fixed-tailwheel landing gear and an enclosed cabin with two rows of side-by-side seating for a pilot and three passengers. The aircraft entered production in 1974 and was named the Strata Rocket and the Lunar Rocket. A generally similar M-6 Super Rocket was also developed with a 3-foot-longer (0.91 m) wingspan and more fuel capacity, smaller ailerons and larger flaps.

Variants

M-5-180C: Initial production variant with a 180-horsepower (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-C1F engine, more than 94 built.
M-5-200: One aircraft modified with a 200-horsepower (149 kW) engine.
M-5-210C Strata Rocket: 180C with a 210-horsepower (157 kW) Continental IO-360-D engine in a revised cowling, 206 built.
M-5-210TC Lunar Rocket: 210C fitted with a turbocharged 210-horsepower (157 kW) Lycoming TO-360 engine, 10 built.
M-5-220C Lunar Rocket: 210C fitted with a 220-horsepower (164 kW) Franklin 6A-350-C1 engine, 57 built.
M-5-235C Lunar Rocket: 210C fitted with a 235-horsepower (175 kW) Lycoming O-540-J1A5D engine, more than 379 built.
M-6-235C Super Rocket: 235C with a 3-foot-longer (0.91 m) wingspan and more fuel capacity, smaller ailerons and larger flaps, 136 built.

Specifications (M-5-235C Lunar Rocket)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982–83^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Wingspan: 30 ft 10 in (9.40 m)
Height: 6 ft 2 1⁄2 in (1.89 m)
Wing area: 157.9 sq ft (14.67 m²)
Aspect ratio: 6.02:1
Airfoil: USA 35B (modified)
Empty weight: 1,400 lb (635 kg)
Gross weight: 2,300 lb (1,043 kg)
Fuel capacity: 63 US gal (52 imp gal; 240 L)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-540-J1A5D air-cooled flat-six piston engine, 235 hp (175 kW)
Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell constant-speed propeller, 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 172 mph (277 km/h, 149 kn)
Cruise speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn) (econ. cruise) CAS
Range: 550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi) (max standard fuel)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s)

References

^ Taylor 1982, pp. 412–413

Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1982). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
Simpson, R.W. (1991). Airlife's General Aviation. England: Airlife Publishing. p. 190. ISBN 1-85310-194-X.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 1985.

[jawa82p4123-1] Taylor 1982, pp. 412–413

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