Maule M-4

Single Piston

The Maule M-4 is a rugged four-seat tailwheel aircraft built by Maule Air in Moultrie, Georgia, since the 1960s and renowned for exceptional short-field performance. Designed by Belford Maule — a pioneer in STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) technology — the M-4 family includes variants like the Rocket, Jetasen, and Strata Rocket, powered by engines ranging from 145 to 220 horsepower. With its fabric-covered steel tube fuselage, high wing, and robust landing gear, the M-4 thrives in backcountry strips, gravel bars, and unprepared surfaces where most aircraft fear to tread. Takeoff rolls under 400 feet and landing distances under 500 feet are routine, making it a favorite among bush pilots, hunters, and remote operators in Alaska, Canada, and the Mountain West. The type's simplicity and field-repairability have kept examples flying for decades, often in harsh environments far from maintenance facilities. While cruise speeds are modest — around 130 knots — the M-4's real mission is getting in and out of places other aircraft cannot reach, not covering distance quickly. SkyMeter has tracked 76 flights across 15 airframes and 14 operators, with MONTANA WILDLIFE OBSERVATION LLC among the most active observed users.