Maule M-5
# Maule M-5

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

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 $m^2)$
* 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)
