Ernest Tips was born at Temse on October 2nd, 1893. He was the youngest of thirtheen children. At the age of thirteen,
after the death of his father, he moved in with his older brother Maurice who lived in Jumet.

Two years later they started the construction of their own biplane. With this plane they took part in the famous Semaine d'Aviation d'Anvers. Ernest and Maurice even produced their own engine for it: a 35hp, 7 cylinder rotary engine. Later versions of this engine even produced up to 120hp.

At the outbreak of World War I, Ernest moved to England where he met Sir Richard Fairey. After working for the Fairey Aviation Company for a couple of years, he was sent back to Belgium to build a new factory that would construct Fairey Firefly's for the Belgian Air Force.

During 1935, Ernest decided to built an aircraft of his own. The first aircraft he designed was known Tipsy Sport and it was fitted with a Douglas Sprite engine. Later this aircraft was modified into the Tipsy S.2. Thanks to the success of these aircrafts, the Tipsy B and Bc were built.

Because of World War II, he stopped designing new airplanes for some years, until in 1946 he developed the Tipsy M, which was later developed into the Tipsy Primer. That same year he also developed the Tipsy Junior.

His 66th and most famous design is without any doubt the Nipper. Seventy eight Nippers were constructedat Gosselies.

During 1960 he retired as director of Avions Fairey.
On March 10th 1968, at the age of 85, he died at his home in Brussels.