TYPE: Two-seat lightplane.
PROGRAMME: First post Second World War design by Belford D Maule. Four-seat M-4 Bee Dee first flew February 1957 and received FAA certification on 10 August 1961. Produced in -145, -180, -210 and -220 versions (indicating power of Continental or Franklin engines), being named Jetasen and Rocket in later versions; some 471 manufactured up to replacement by M-5 from 1975.
In preparation for Light Sport Airplane licensing category, prototype M-4-100 Sport 100 (N5505C) first flew 18 July 2003 and made public debut at AirVenture, Oshkosh, on 29 July. Changes from original include lower-powered engine and deletion of flaps.
DESIGN FEATURES: High wing attached to upper longerons and braced to lower longerons by streamline V struts. Vortex generators along entire wing leading-edge. Curved fin and tailplane tips. Wire-braced tailplane and fin.
Wing section USA 35B (modified); dihedral 1°; incidence 30'.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Cable actuation. Mass-balanced rudder; horn-balanced elevators. Flight-adjustable, metal trim tab in port elevator.
STRUCTURE: Welded steel tube fuselage and integral fin with fabric covering, except aluminium doors and composites engine cowling; all-metal wing (including ailerons and flaps) built on two spars, but with composites tips.
LANDING GEAR: Tailwheel type; fixed. Two faired side Vs with half-axles sprung under fuselage with compressed rubber shock-absorbers. Maule steerable tailwheel. Speed Mainwheels 6.00-6; tailwheel 3.80/2.50-4. Hydraulic mainwheel brakes. 'Half' speed fairings to rear of tyres only.
POWER PLANT: One 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912S flat-four driving a Warp Drive three-blade, ground-adjustable pitch, carbon fibre propeller.
ACCOMMODATION: Two seats, side by side. Baggage space to rear. Door each side.
AVIONICS: Comms: Garmin GTX 327 VHF and Narco transponder.
Flight: Garmin GNC 250XL GPS.