“Airplane has been flown numerous times in the past. I have only taxi tested it and hopped it off.
Item specifics
| Used |
| “Airplane has been flown numerous times in the past. I have only taxi tested it and hopped it off the runway a few times to get the feel of a taildragger. Needs nothing but could use new covering for cosmetic reasons only.” |
| Make: | Sorrell Hiperlight SNS-8 |
So... Here we go again -
One of the most sought after ultralights, the Sorrell Hiperlight is a negative stager biplane stressed for advanced aerobatics (though in all the literature, it expressly prohibits you from doing so due to liability concerns!).
I purchased this aircraft from the second owner who had passed away several years ago. The engine - a Rotax 447 was zero-timed with a full rebuild prior to my purchase. As this was an estate sale, documentation for the rebuild was limited, so I had the engine stripped by an A&P mechanic who gave the engine a new zero-time sign-off. He (based out of the Tracy, CA FBO) also went through the entire airframe and replaced all fuel lines, did some minor covering repairs from hangar rash and essentially went through the aircraft over a span of about two months. The trailer looks pretty ugly, but I towed it from southern AZ to Oakland without issue - it comes with a couple of spare tires as well. I had a new Second Chantz chute installed and did high-speed taxi tests with it before putting it back in the trailer, which is where it has been since. Could use recovering, but the covering itself tests fine (just a bit unsightly).
This is a "heavy" ultralight, so I make no claims that it will pass FAR 103 or the 254 pound weight limitation. It does have an oversize, 15 gallon fuel tank that would have to be replaced with a 5 gallon version to help make it legal...
If you research Sorrell Hiperlights on Google, you will see this very aircraft come up in your search often. Probably one of, if not THE best known Hiperlights in existence. It was not a "hangar queen" - well, until I purchased it, that is. As there is no Hobbs meter, I do not have any idea of how many flight hours it has had on it, but I suspect more than a few hundred. From what I was told and by doing much research, this particular aircraft flies extremely well and has incredible performance with the 447 installed.
Unfortunately, I simply have no time for it - and I also moved down to the San Diego area a few months ago and elected not to bring it with me, anticipating selling it in place. The Hiperlight is sitting in its trailer at the Alameda Marina storage facility in Alameda, CA (across the estuary from Oakland). It can be transported by pretty much any standard size pickup and tows very well, The trailer opens up length-wise and the airplane simply rolls off where you then install the empannage/tail section (a few minutes worth of work), install the prop and spinner and you"re ready to go flying. I was just at the storage facility last weekend where I inspected it and took many additional photos - other than some surface rust on the prop hub and a LOT of dust, it looks just like it did after I finished taxi testing it at the Tracy airport.
I have some video on my YouTube channel of me taxi testing it last summer: here ... The link doesn"t seem to work, but if you"re interested, just contact me via "contact seller" and I will send you a direct link.
Not real exciting, but you can at least hear the engine run - it runs fantastic, by the way. I taxi tested it without the cowling in place and the chute was still pinned, so I made sure not to actually fly it, though I did hop it off the runway numerous times in later testing (I had never flown a tail-dragger so I wanted to get as much time as I could taxiing it around).
All the specs are readily available on line, so I will avoid repeating them here. Bottom line: One of the finest "advanced" ultralights on the market, these were/are very expensive kits, so there are not a lot of them in the field. The kits are still being sold, though I don"t know how active the current owner of the company (Thunderbird Aviation) is. In fact, now that I looked on their website, hiperlightaircraft.com, my airplane is shown on the front page - it"s the blue and yellow Hiperlight that looks like a WWII trainer paint scheme.
I do have all the manuals for the aircraft as well. They unfortunately got shipped to our vacation home in West Virginia, but I will send them to the owner - we are heading out there in mid July. It"s not much - just an owners manual and the log book that I had purchased new and had the A&P mechanic sign off on - as this is not a certificated aircraft, log books are not needed, but again, I"ll send you what I have. What year is it? Good question. I really have no idea. I believe it was built in the 80s, but I cannot be sure. Maybe the original owner will come forward with some additional answers??
The Second Chantz chute was sold to me new and installed by none other than John Dunham himself! He came over from his shop in Carson City, NV where I met him and he gave me his recommendation for a chute then installed it with the A&P mechanic while the Hiperlight was going through its tear down at the FBO facility. It has never been used (obviously) and has always been on the aircraft in the trailer - it has about 2 hours of UV exposure, all during my limited taxi time! The chute (I believe) was around $3,000 or so installed. The airplane kit itself is around $20k minus engine and covering/paint/instruments/shipping/tax/etc. So you can save yourself some serious money, not to mention LOTS of time building one from a kit!
It also has a Powerfin ground adjustable prop. No damage history (that I am aware of).
I am selling the Hiperlight at no reserve, starting at a dollar. Hopefully it will go to a great home - she deserves to be in the air again. The winning bidder can elect to come pick it up or make for arrangements to have it shipped OR to pay for storage to keep it at Alameda Marina storage. The monthly storage fees are $135/mo and you will be responsible for any fees after the sale (I pay on a calendar monthly basis, so it will be paid up until the end of the month). Again, you will be responsible for arranging any shipping required.
Please note: This sale is "as is, where is" and I make no claim as to the flight-worthiness of the vehicle. You are purchasing/flying at your own risk. You are welcome to inspect the aircraft at the storage facility with advance notice - my daughter lives in the Bay Area and I can send her the keys to the trailer. She does have a full time job, so it would have to be on a weekend only or if she happens to have a day off during the week! And, if you are not in a position to inspect the aircraft yet are the winning bidder, but feel that I described the aircraft poorly - I"ll be happy to refund your money. I don"t want anyone going away from a purchase of something as big as this without the reassurance that I honor what I am selling - and please check out my feedback. I"ve been buying and selling on eBay for a LONG time.
I"m not here to rip anyone off or fabricate stories as to the condition of the aircraft. If you have any questions, please, please feel free to ask!
The trailer is tagged with an Arizona tag and I did not get a title with it - it is considered to be a "home made" trailer and as such will be sold with a bill of sale only, as will the aircraft.
On Jun-11-15 at 11:24:06 PDT, seller added the following information:UPDATE: For whatever reason, one of the messages never posted, so I will try and re-create it here (because it is kind of neat!). It was a message from Ron Jones, the owner of Thunderbird Aviation/hiperlightaircraft.com: Hi Matt, Just wanted to drop you a quick line. I saw your being offered a couple of days ago, and am seriously considering bidding on it myself. Regardless of who the next lucky owner is, I want to let them know that factory support is available. Ron Jones Thunderbird Aviation, LLC And my response: Hello Ron! Wow - great to hear from you again, and great to hear too that factory support is available - as always. I remember speaking to you (I believe via email, but maybe a phone call) after I picked her up a few years ago and you gave me some excellent information about this very one. So many good things to say about the Hiperlight - it very much sells itself. I have received so many emails - I didn"t realize how many people knew about these aircraft. I really had hoped to make a lot better use out of her - I have heard nothing but great things for the design as well as this airplane on its own. How has business been? I wish I could make it out to Oshkosh this year - it would be great to meet you in person and take a look at your display. I assume you will have a Hiperlight there? Give me a call anytime - I"d love to catch up! Thanks again and hope this sale helps you out in the sales of new Hiperlights - I hope these fantastic aircraft stay with us long after you and I are gone! Take care - Matt Current date: 2015-06-14