Maule MXT-7-180 Star Rocket

The Maule MXT-7-180 may not be the sleekest or fastest aircraft, but it offers the reliable short-field performance typical of the Maule range, all at a relatively modest cost. Crucially, it avoids the more demanding ground-handling characteristics of taildragger models.

The tri-gear Maule marked the company’s first move into direct competition with mainstream four-seat, fixed-gear singles. Introduced in 1991—around the same time as the AGAC Tiger—it didn’t revolutionise the market, though few designs have in recent decades. Notably, Maule remains in business and continues to produce the MXT-7-180, unlike AGAC.

Several factors have contributed to Maule’s continued success. One is its niche appeal. Compared with the similarly powered Tiger, the tri-gear Maule offers almost identical useful load. Although slower, it provides significantly better short-field performance, climb rate, service ceiling, and range.

Structurally, the aircraft closely resembles its taildragger counterparts, featuring a tube-and-fabric fuselage with metal wings and stabiliser. The forward fuselage, from the rear of the doors forward, is also metal-skinned. The landing gear differs substantially: instead of the taildragger’s shock-absorber main gear and steerable tailwheel, the tri-gear model has aluminium leaf-spring main gear and an oleo-strut nose gear. Interestingly, the nose gear adds no measurable drag compared to the conventional gear arrangement.

The tri-gear Maule’s wing is roughly three feet longer than that of the MX-7 taildragger, effectively sharing the same design as the M-6. The increased span allows for larger ailerons and flaps.

Factory pilots recommend a short-field take-off technique of accelerating to Vx, deploying full flaps, and rotating—achieving a 50-foot obstacle clearance in around 600 feet at maximum weight on a standard day. The aircraft’s performance comes not from complex aerodynamics but from straightforward power-to-weight efficiency and low wing loading. Rudder trim is managed via a simple T-handle—pulled until pedal pressure is neutral and then locked—typical of Maule’s practical design philosophy.

Based on the Maule M-4, the MXT-7-180 is a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane of conventional design, available with either tailwheel or tricycle undercarriage, as fitted to G-CROL. The M-7 series features a lengthened cabin compared with earlier M-5 and M-6 models, with two front seats and a rear bench for up to three passengers. Optional third-row “kiddie seats” and additional windows can also be fitted.

The MX-7 uses the same modified M-5 fuselage as the M-6 but with the M-5’s wingspan, larger fuel capacity, Hoerner-style wingtips, and five-position flaps introduced with the M-7 series. The MXT-7 variant extends the cabin further and offers the optional third row of seats with additional windows.

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