The Schreder HP-16 is an American

mid-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing config ...

, single seat, V tailed,

FAI Standard Class Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. However the classes have not been targeted at fostering technological development as in other sports. Instead classes have arisen because of: * t ...

glider that was designed by

Richard Schreder Richard E. Schreder (25 September 1915 – 2 August 2002) was an United States, American naval aviator and sailplane developer, responsible for design and development of the HP/RS-series kit sailplanes marketed from 1962 until about 1982. Sch ...

.Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory,

Soaring Magazine ''SOARING'' is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. It was first published in 1937. The headquarters is in Hobbs, New Mexico. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of i ...

'', page 23. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920

Design and development

After the failure of the HP-15 to perform well in the 1969 US Nationals Schreder started the HP-16 with a new design philosophy. Avoiding the extremely high aspect ratio that the 15 had, he opted for a more modest 21.5:1 aspect ratio and larger wing area to improve performance in weak conditions. The HP-16's wing has 50% more wing area than the HP-15 and uses a Wortmann 67-150

airfoil An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is a streamlined body that is capable of generating significantly more Lift (force), lift than Drag (physics), drag. Wings, sails and propeller blades are examples of airfoils. Foil (fl ...

. Like other Schreder designs the HP-16 is of all-metal construction, but with the wing skins bonded to foam ribs rather than using rivets to provide a smoother surface. The bonded construction also cut building time. The wing features the signature Schreder 90° flaps that allow steep descents and the use of small fields for landing. The HP-16s were all amateur-built aircraft and about 20 were completed and flown.

Operational history

In April 2011 there were still eleven HP-16s registered with the US

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...

and two registered with

Transport Canada Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...

Aircraft on display

National Soaring Museum The National Soaring Museum (NSM) is an aviation museum whose stated aim is to preserve the history of motorless flight. It is located in Big Flats Town, New York, on top of Harris Hill near Elmira. The NSM is the Soaring Society of America's ...

- 1, listed as "in storage"

Specifications (variant specified)

References

External links