Maule M-7-260c (MM16)
ICAO MM16 Light Piston

Maule M-7-260c

Single Piston

The Maule M-7 is a rugged American short takeoff and landing (STOL) taildragger built by Maule Air in Moultrie, Georgia, since the 1980s. Designed for backcountry operations, the M-7 series features a welded steel tube fuselage, fabric covering, and a conventional gear configuration optimized for unimproved strips. The 260-horsepower variant delivers exceptional climb performance and can operate from grass, gravel, or dirt surfaces as short as 300 feet, making it a favorite among bush pilots, hunters, and remote-area operators who need to reach places where pavement ends. With its high wing, excellent visibility, and docile handling, the M-7 balances utility with forgiving flight characteristics, though pilots must respect its tailwheel nature and strong engine torque on takeoff. The type remains in production today, a testament to its enduring appeal in the niche world of serious backcountry aviation. SkyMeter has tracked 26 flights across 15 airframes and 8 operators, with MCTEARNEN ROBERT the largest observed operator.

ACTIVE AIRFRAMES
15
last 7 days
🏢
OPERATORS
8
unique airlines
📊
FLIGHTS
26
tracked
AVG DURATION
1h 25m
per flight
INCIDENT RATE
0.0%
0 flagged

Safety in context

The incident rate counts flights with ANY safety event detected by SkyMeter: go-arounds (a routine response, not a failure), unstable-approach gate flags (advisory thresholds), rejected takeoffs (the system working as designed), and runway events. It is NOT an accident rate or fatality rate. For accident statistics, refer to the NTSB Aviation Accident Database (USA) or the Aviation Safety Network. See methodology for what each event type measures.

Performance

Speed envelope & approach

Vref
55 kt
Vref range
Vmo
Mmo
Vne
157 kt
Vno
133 kt
Vs0 (landing)
38 kt
Vfe
80 kt
Approach category

Dimensions

Airframe geometry

Wingspan
Length
Tail height
Wheelbase
Gear width
Wake category
L

Weight & identification

Operating limits

MTOW
2,500 lb
MALW
Manufacturer model
M-7-260C
FAA designator
Registered

Recent incidents

Flagged flights of MM16

6
8/5/2026
42m
△ Low approach-stability score
7/25/2026
37m
⛨ TFR entry
1/31/2026
1h 17m
△ Low approach-stability score
11/12/2025
32m
△ Low approach-stability score
9/19/2025
54m
△ Low approach-stability score
8/16/2025
1h 15m
△ Low approach-stability score

Recent flights

Real flights of MM16 · airborne ≥ 20 min

30
8/15/2026
39m
No alerts
8/14/2026
5h 9m
No alerts
8/14/2026
1h 12m
No alerts
8/14/2026
46m
No alerts
8/14/2026
3h 26m
No alerts
8/13/2026
1h 10m
No alerts
8/13/2026
41m
No alerts
8/13/2026
1h 8m
No alerts
8/13/2026
1h 29m
No alerts
8/13/2026
2h 32m
No alerts
8/11/2026
48m
No alerts
8/11/2026
36m
No alerts
8/11/2026
6h 25m
No alerts
8/10/2026
1h 11m
No alerts
8/10/2026
6h 42m
No alerts
8/9/2026
1h 23m
No alerts
8/9/2026
1h 53m
No alerts
8/9/2026
2h 18m
No alerts
8/9/2026
2h 57m
No alerts
8/8/2026
36m
No alerts
8/8/2026
1h 57m
No alerts
8/8/2026
3h 9m
No alerts
8/8/2026
5h 24m
No alerts
8/8/2026
6h 10m
No alerts
8/7/2026
1h 36m
No alerts
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© SkyMeter · All flight data subject to ODbL attribution · Tracking window: 7 days (free tier)