Sorrell Hiperbipe

SoonerAviator

SoonerAviator

Final Approach
Joined
Jul 21, 2014
Messages
9,337
Location
Broken Arrow, OK
Display Name
Display name:
SoonerAviator
Anyone know much about these? Saw one at an EAA Fly-In last weekend and the wife asked when we are going to buy one, lol. Seem like a low-production kit, negative stagger, 2-seats and seem like a hoot to fly. Best I can tell is they cruise between 150-160mph and are full aerobatic. The fuselage is part of the lifting surface. Around 650lbs useful load. Not made anymore, but Thunderbird Aviation may own the SNS-7 rights. This was the one at the fly-in, and had a smoke system installed. I think the wife liked the color scheme more than anything!

281v3mjt3ko51.jpg

181464502_10109275757150282_4327658375965492018_n.jpg
 
SoonerAviator said:
The fuselage is part of the lifting surface.
Click to expand...
Oft repeated, but if it were true, it seems to me that it would be a real performance killer due to the abysmal aspect ratio of the fuselage.
Other than that, they seem to be pretty cool, capable, aircraft.

I suspect that @Hiperbiper would be the person to ask...
 
Fast, aerobatic, and biplane... what's not to like?

Although, I've heard that they're sensitive enough that IFR without an autopilot is not recommended.
 
Dana said:
Fast, aerobatic, and biplane... what's not to like?

Although, I've heard that they're sensitive enough that IFR without an autopilot is not recommended.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd heard that an autopilot makes it a better XC bird, but I wouldn't imagine it would be well-suited for IFR even with one.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Oft repeated, but if it were true, it seems to me that it would be a real performance killer due to the abysmal aspect ratio of the fuselage.
Other than that, they seem to be pretty cool, capable, aircraft.

I suspect that @Hiperbiper would be the person to ask...
Click to expand...

I'm sure if it does generate any meaningful lift, the drag penalty is probably enough to cancel it. The reason it may have *some* merit is that the fuselage stays wide/flat all the way through the empenage.
 
They are good airplanes! A friend of mine has one that he just rebulit. This is his 3rd one and the first one he built...
The Sorrell brothers are no dummies. I have had lots of biplanes and I always say I will own one of these but just have not bought one yet.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I'm sure if it does generate any meaningful lift, the drag penalty is probably enough to cancel it. The reason it may have *some* merit is that the fuselage stays wide/flat all the way through the empenage.
Click to expand...

Nooooo!!!!! Stop!!!!! Don't start in on Bernoulli vs Newton. It's a cool lookin plane. Yer wife digs it. Life is good.:fingerwag:
 
I remember the first write up in Sport Aviation..kind of reminded me of a Tailwind made into a biplane..nice !
 
SoonerAviator said:
I saw the same thing, but I didn't notice until I saw the wife's picture the next day. Certainly looks like it, but I suppose it could be something else making appear like it's a barcode.
Click to expand...
Looks like an air outlet for something...
 
Yes they are a hoot to fly. Yes the fuselage is a lifting surface. And yes they are stable...except in the yaw axis. The oddest thing to get used to is the rudder; poke right pedal and the nose slews right. And stays there. Same to the left. Kind of like a Bell 47 or Hiller helicopter. After a few flights you don't notice it. Almost 0 roll coupling.
20210409_143136.jpg20210322_121448.jpg
Unfortunately, due the ill health 7HT is going up for sale...

Chris
 
SoonerAviator said:
Anyone know much about these? Saw one at an EAA Fly-In last weekend and the wife asked when we are going to buy one, lol. Seem like a low-production kit, negative stagger, 2-seats and seem like a hoot to fly. Best I can tell is they cruise between 150-160mph and are full aerobatic. The fuselage is part of the lifting surface. Around 650lbs useful load. Not made anymore, but Thunderbird Aviation may own the SNS-7 rights. This was the one at the fly-in, and had a smoke system installed. I think the wife liked the color scheme more than anything!

281v3mjt3ko51.jpg

181464502_10109275757150282_4327658375965492018_n.jpg
Click to expand...



I go to 2K9 every Saturday that the weather permits. What do you fly, I'm sure I've seen you? I fly the RV9A with no paint, blue spinner, and pink cowling.
 
Marshall Alexander said:
I go to 2K9 every Saturday that the weather permits. What do you fly, I'm sure I've seen you? I fly the RV9A with no paint, blue spinner, and pink cowling.
Click to expand...

I have been renting the veritable ol' C172s from Christiansen at RVS since I got the Private in '09. I live in South BA, so I'm about equidistant to 2K9 and RVS. I honestly hadn't been out to 2K9 since they did the new runway, so it's much nicer with so many new hangars and a longer/wider runway. Dave Embry is an acquaintance I know through a friend who is very active out there, builds some really stellar Carbon Cubs.
 
Hiperbiper said:
Yes they are a hoot to fly. Yes the fuselage is a lifting surface. And yes they are stable...except in the yaw axis. The oddest thing to get used to is the rudder; poke right pedal and the nose slews right. And stays there. Same to the left. Kind of like a Bell 47 or Hiller helicopter. After a few flights you don't notice it. Almost 0 roll coupling.
View attachment 96103View attachment 96104
Unfortunately, due the ill health 7HT is going up for sale...

Chris
Click to expand...

Very sorry to hear about the health issue. The lack of roll coupling is an interesting behavior, but it escapes me how it would be detrimental aside from having to be more proactive on the opposite rudder to correct yaw angle, say in a crab (versus just releasing the rudder).
 
unsafervguy said:
one holds the record for most consecutive outside loops (208) set by joann osterud in 1989
Click to expand...

I think I read that the aerobatic (flip-flop) tank, in normal build spec, was like 13 gallons. That's like over an hour of inverted flying, lol. However, that doesn't address issues with engine oil.
 
Hiperbiper said:
Yes they are a hoot to fly. Yes the fuselage is a lifting surface. And yes they are stable...except in the yaw axis. The oddest thing to get used to is the rudder; poke right pedal and the nose slews right. And stays there. Same to the left. Kind of like a Bell 47 or Hiller helicopter. After a few flights you don't notice it. Almost 0 roll coupling.
View attachment 96103View attachment 96104
Unfortunately, due the ill health 7HT is going up for sale...

Chris
Click to expand...
Sorry about the health issues. Your plane looks very cool.

Tim

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
 
The Hiperbipe has two tanks; 26 gallons with a fixed pick up and 13 gallons with a flop tube. In the "Super Nova" Hiperbipe Joann flew there were flop tubes in both tanks. She also doubled up the tail brace wires for some reason...
7HT has full inverted fuel and oil. Also has a 7 gallon smoke oil tank and a Smoking Airplanes smoke pump.
The lack of yaw centering isn't a bad thing, it's just different from a Decathlon etc.

Chris
 
MauleSkinner said:
Looks like an air outlet for something...
Click to expand...
That IS ACTUALLY bar code. John and Mark Sorrell, when they were building it wanted to just have a plain black and white paint scheme. Generic! So John found a barcode generator and printed it out. The barcode say SNS-7 N123HX
SNS stands for Sorrell Negative Stagger and N123HX is the N number HX is for Hiperbipe Extreme. I was a 1/3 owner in this plane and did the test flying. It was then sold to Shannon Hankins in Tulsa. It flys Great. The one I built and fly is N2814P
 
Hey guys, talk to us about the wing skin issues please.
 
Wayne Sargent said:
That IS ACTUALLY bar code. John and Mark Sorrell, when they were building it wanted to just have a plain black and white paint scheme. Generic! So John found a barcode generator and printed it out. The barcode say SNS-7 N123HX
SNS stands for Sorrell Negative Stagger and N123HX is the N number HX is for Hiperbipe Extreme. I was a 1/3 owner in this plane and did the test flying. It was then sold to Shannon Hankins in Tulsa. It flys Great. The one I built and fly is N2814P
Click to expand...
Very cool info. Welcome to PoA by the way!
 
Guy Zindel said:
Hey guys, talk to us about the wing skin issues please.
Click to expand...
Some of the Hiperbipes had some failed glue joints. Usually evident by the I Strut, you could see a bump about 3 inches behind the leading edge. I’ve never had an issue with mine, but a few have. Their solution was to reskin the top skin of the wing and while it was open, RE glue the bottom skin and all the other joints.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top