Question 1

Is Maule still building airplanes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Maule Air continues to build the M-7 / MX-7 / MXT-7 STOL family at Moultrie, Georgia under continuous family ownership since the original Maule design line was launched by Belford Maule. The factory maintains an unusually broad active product list for a small GA manufacturer — M-7-235 Super Rocket, M-7-260 Orion, MX-7-180 Star Rocket, MXT-7-180 tricycle-gear variant, and several sub-variants.

Question 2

Is the Maule M-7 a good tailwheel trainer?

Accepted Answer

The M-7 covers the FAR 61.31 tailwheel endorsement and is widely used at backcountry / STOL / bush schools for both the endorsement and for unimproved-strip training. The airframe is heavier and more powerful than the legacy J-3 Cub or Citabria, which means the pedagogy environment is closer to the operating envelope of a working utility tailwheel rather than the slow-flight light-airframe environment of the lighter trainers. Schools choose accordingly based on the syllabus they want to teach.

Question 3

What is the difference between the Maule M-7, MX-7, and MXT-7?

Accepted Answer

All share the same fundamental airframe and tube-and-fabric construction. The M-7 series (M-7-235 Super Rocket, M-7-260 Orion) uses the larger Lycoming O-540 / IO-540 engines at 235 to 260 hp. The MX-7-180 Star Rocket uses the smaller Lycoming O-360 at 180 hp. The MXT-7-180 is a tricycle-gear variant of the MX-7-180 for operators who want the airframe without the tailwheel endorsement. Maule's broader factory list also includes the longer-range M-9 and other sub-variants.

Question 4

Is the Maule M-7 a high-performance airplane?

Accepted Answer

Both the M-7-235 (235 hp Lycoming O-540) and the M-7-260 Orion (260 hp Lycoming IO-540) are above the 200 hp FAR 61.31 high-performance threshold and qualify for the high-performance endorsement. The MX-7-180 / MXT-7-180 at 180 hp does not qualify. The M-7 series is not complex (no retractable gear, no constant-speed propeller on standard configurations) so it does not generate the FAR 61.31 complex endorsement.

Question 5

How much does a Maule M-7 cost?

Accepted Answer

Used-market pricing varies substantially with variant, engine time, fabric condition, and overall airframe condition — typically in the 80,000 to 230,000 USD range across the family. New-build pricing varies with engine option and customer configuration; the Maule factory accepts direct orders with a published price list. Validate against current Maule Air factory quotes for any acquisition decision.

M-7 / MX-7 / MT-7 STOL family

Performance

Weights

Dimensions

Powerplant

Cockpit & avionics

Certification

Why is the M-7 / MX-7 / MT-7 STOL family popular?

The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.

How flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize

Editorial confidence

Sources

Related aircraft

Cub family (J-3 / Super Cub / Carbon Cub / Husky)

Citabria / Decathlon family

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