Editing Maule Air (section)

== History ==
Belford D. Maule (1911–1995) designed his first aircraft, the [[Maule M-1|M-1]] starting at age 19. He founded the company Mechanical Products Co. in [[Napoleon, Michigan]] to market his own starter design. In 1941 the B.D. Maule Co. was founded,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=General Aviation News|date=8 July 2011}}</ref> and Maule produced tailwheels and fabric testers. In 1953 he began design work, and started aircraft production with the "Bee-Dee" M-4 in 1957.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Experimenter|date=November 1957}}</ref>

The company is a family-owned enterprise. Its owner, [[June Maule]], widow of B. D. Maule, remained directly involved with factory production until her death in 2009 at the age of 92.<ref name=aopa>{{cite news |first=Alton K.|last=Marsh |title=Matriarch of Maule Air dies at 92 |url=http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2009/091030maule.html |publisher=[[Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association]]|date=30 October 2009 |access-date=28 November 2009}}</ref>