Sorrell Hiperbipe
American homebuilt aircraft
title: "Sorrell Hiperbipe" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["biplanes-with-negative-stagger", "homebuilt-aircraft", "sorrell-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "aerobatic-aircraft", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear", "single-engined-piston-aircraft", "1970s-united-states-sport-aircraft"] description: "American homebuilt aircraft" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorrell_Hiperbipe" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American homebuilt aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe |
| image | Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe.jpg |
| aircraft_type | Homebuilt aircraft |
| national_origin | United States |
| manufacturer | Sorrell Aviation |
| Thunderbird Aviation | |
| designer | Sorrell brothers |
| status | In production (2019) |
| introduction | 1973 |
| variants | Sorrell Hiperlight |
| :: |
| name = Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe | logo = | logo_size = | image = Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe.jpg | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Homebuilt aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United States | manufacturer = Sorrell Aviation Thunderbird Aviation | design_group = | designer = Sorrell brothers | builder = | issuer = | status = In production (2019) | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = 1973 | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = Sorrell Hiperlight | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded =
The Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe is a two-seat, negative stagger, conventional landing gear-equipped cabin biplane designed for amateur construction that was produced in kit form by Sorrell Aviation of Tenino, Washington and since 2015 by Thunderbird Aviation.
Design and development
The SNS-7 (Sorrell Negative Stagger, Model 7) was intended to give full unlimited aerobatic performance without sacrificing the comforts of a cabin-style aircraft.
The Sorrell family originated from the state of Oregon, which was the last state to ban homebuilt aircraft. Hobie Sorrell petitioned congress for experimental aircraft regulations, and his son Tim designed the Hiperbipe in a series of family designed homebuilt aircraft. The design is of mixed construction. The fuselage, tail, engine mount, landing gear mounts, interplane struts and flight controls are all built from welded 4130 steel. The wings are made from wood, with wooden stressed skin. The landing gear is sprung steel tube. The engine cowling and wheel pants are fibreglass. The whole airframe is covered in doped aircraft fabric, including the plywood-covered wings. The airfoil is a custom symmetrical design.
The SNS-7 is capable of advanced aerobatics, including vertical eight point rolls and inside and outside vertical eights.
The tooling and manufacturing rights were acquired by Thunderbird Aviation in 2015, who began making parts and basic kits.
Operational history
In April 2010 there were 22 Hiperbipes registered in the United States, two in Canada, and one in the United Kingdom.
Specifications (SNS-7)
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Sorrell_Hiperbipe.jpg" caption="Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe"] ::
|ref=Plane & Pilot and Pilot Friend |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|genhide= |crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft=20 |length in=10 |length note= |span m= |span ft=22 |span in=10 |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |height m= |height ft=5 |height in=10.75 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=150 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil=Symmetrical Sorrell design |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=1236 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=1911 |gross weight note= utility1 category, 1690 lbs (766 kg) aerobatic |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=227 lbs |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Lycoming IO-360-B1E |eng1 type=four cylinder, four stroke, piston aircraft engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=180 |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= |power original= |prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note=
Performance
|perfhide= |max speed kmh= |max speed mph=225 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=160 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=49 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles=502 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=20000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=12.74 |wing loading note= |power/mass=10.62 lb/hp |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=
References
References
- Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', page 153. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. {{ISBN. 0-918312-00-0
- Budd Davison. (October 1991). "Hiperbipe". Air Progress.
- Lednicer, David. (March 2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage".
- Jones, Ron. "Thunderbird Aviation".
- [[Federal Aviation Administration]]. (April 2010). "Make / Model Inquiry Results".
- [[Transport Canada]]. (April 2010). "Civil Aircraft Register".
- [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)]]. (April 2010). "GINFO".
- Pilot Friend. (n.d.). "Sorrell SNS-7 Hiperbipe".
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