Sorrell Aviation

Sorrell Aviation
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Foundedcirca 1958
FounderHobart C Sorrell and sons John, Mark and Tim
Defunctcirca 1983
FateOut of business
Headquarters
Tenino, Washington
,
United States
ProductsKit aircraft
Sorrell Hiperbipe
Sorrell Hiperlight

Sorrell Aviation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Tenino, Washington, founded by Hobart C. Sorrell and sons John, Mark and Tim in about 1958. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of light aircraft in the form of plans and kits for amateur construction including for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules.[1][2][3]

The company's first design was the Sorrell Dr.1, a single seat, 3/4 scale replica of the First World War Fokker Dr.1 triplane that was produced in 1957.[3]

Well known for designing negative-stagger cabin biplanes, the company produced the single seat homebuilt Sorrell Guppy, first flying in 1967. The aerobatic Sorrell Hiperbipe was introduced in 1973. A later design of the company was the 1983 single-seat Sorrell SNS-8 Hiperlight design for the US FAR 103 ultralight category. It was sold initially by Sunrise Aircraft of Sheridan, Oregon and was still in production by Thunderbird Aviation of Ray, Michigan in 2015.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

The company's final design was the 1985 two seat version of the SNS-8, the Sorrell SNS-9 Hiperlight, which also remained in production in 2015 by Thunderbird Aviation.[3][8]

  1. ^ Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 153. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN 0-918312-00-0
  2. ^ a b Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-30 and B-83. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  3. ^ a b c d Eckland, KO (March 15, 2015). "Sorrell Aviation". Aerofiles. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 69. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  5. ^ Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 69. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  6. ^ Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 75. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  7. ^ Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 72. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  8. ^ a b Jones, Ron (2009). "Thunderbird Aviation". Retrieved March 15, 2015.