What's the best CERTIFIED 4-place rough country plane? Bushmaster? Maule? C185?

[lcdrles]

I’m with Steve. I have a ‘56 C180 as well as a Maule M5 180C. Both good airplanes, but if I had to have just one, it would be the C180, hands down. It’s fast (140 KTS), will haul whatever you stuff in it and will land and takeoff anywhere I want to go. Is way more comfortable on long trips, and is all around the most capable aircraft I’ve ever owned.
The Maule, if it’s LIGHT will get in and out shorter, and into rougher places, but again only if it’s light. I’ve flown lots of Maules (M5 180C, M5 235, M4 220, MT7 180, M5 210, etc), and none are very fast 110-115 KTS about it, although some of them will climb like homesick angels. The doors on the Maule make it easier to load than any airplane I’ve seen. It will haul a big load, but will not get out loaded like the C180.
C180 costs more to maintain as parts more expensive. Maule is easy to maintain. Parts relatively cheap and the folks at Maule in Moultrie, treat you like family.
But it ain’t no C180.....

[alaskadrifter]

I'm curious how Airframes 4 place SC would compare to Bushmaster.

PA-18 AOI and legally running 35” tires makes a difference I’m sure. I love my Pacer, and it does really well when I’m light (150hp, borer, squared wings). For my budget it’s hard to beat, but when I have three people and stuff she chews up a lot more Realestate. The four place cub I was in still performed like a cub when it had four people in it.

[Stephen]

PA-18 AOI and legally running 35” tires makes a difference I’m sure. I love my Pacer, and it does really well when I’m light (150hp, borer, squared wings). For my budget it’s hard to beat, but when I have three people and stuff she chews up a lot more Realestate. The four place cub I was in still performed like a cub when it had four people in it.

I agree with what you say about the Pacer. But, a Bushmaster is much different. My Bushmaster performs more like a Cub than a Pacer. As it should with basically a Cub wing, similar weight and same length. Except, better roll, 2100 GW and more flap than a Cub I would guess a Bushmaster will perform very similar to Airframes four place Cub and cost a lot less to build.

[alaskadrifter]

I agree with what you say about the Pacer. But, a Bushmaster is much different. My Bushmaster performs more like a Cub than a Pacer. As it should with basically a Cub wing, similar weight and same length. Except, better roll, 2100 GW and more flap than a Cub I would guess a Bushmaster will perform very similar to Airframes four place Cub and cost a lot less to build.

I’m sure it performs very closely, I’ve never seen a Bushmaster or Producer fly in person. Still can’t run 35s on a certified one from what I can tell. Pacer does everything I need it to and most of what I want, so I’m not complaining!

[Stephen]

I’m sure it performs very closely, I’ve never seen a Bushmaster or Producer fly in person. Still can’t run 35s on a certified one from what I can tell. Pacer does everything I need it to and most of what I want, so I’m not complaining!

Great pictures. I loved my Pacer with squared off wing, long prop on 29's. Flew it 30 years with a lot of back country flying. Now as a Bushmaster (Super Pacer), it performs significantly better in every category except, cruise.

[bvmbandit]

PA-18 AOI and legally running 35” tires makes a difference I’m sure. I love my Pacer, and it does really well when I’m light (150hp, borer, squared wings). For my budget it’s hard to beat, but when I have three people and stuff she chews up a lot more Realestate. The four place cub I was in still performed like a cub when it had four people in it.

Ha...sounds like a Producer....

- Vern

[scotthayd]

I'm curious how Airframes 4 place SC would compare to Bushmaster.

Well to start with it costs 2-3X as much as a Bushmaster!

[Stephen]

Well to start with it costs 2-3X as much as a Bushmaster!

I not surprised, widening a PA 18 is a lot more complicated than lengthening a PA 22.

[scotthayd]

I talked to Ron Sullivan about this. He was one of the original STC holders on the four seat cub. In the initial super cubs they did widen existing cubs.
What airframes alaska is doing now is fabricating a whole new fuselage... Still a lot more work than extending a pacer.

One advantage the cub has is extended baggage. It would sure be nice to stuff my sleeping bag and wing covers back further into the wayback of the fuselage, but that pesky bulkhead is in the way on my Bushmaster!

[Stephen]

I talked to Ron Sullivan about this. He was one of the original STC holders on the four seat cub. In the initial super cubs they did widen existing cubs.
What airframes alaska is doing now is fabricating a whole new fuselage... Still a lot more work than extending a pacer.

One advantage the cub has is extended baggage. It would sure be nice to stuff my sleeping bag and wing covers back further into the wayback of the fuselage, but that pesky bulkhead is in the way on my Bushmaster!

When I use my plane for camping I remove my rear seat.