Country of origin:

Australia

Description:

Single-seat ultralight sport monoplane

Power Plant:

One 45 kw (60 hp) Volkswagen conversion four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Mr John Corby, a Sydney-based consultant aero engineer, designed the Starlet for an English competition conducted by Rollason Aircraft Ltd in 1964. Although the design was placed eighth, it was the first entry to be completed and flown. Mr Corby had designed at least two other types before the Starlet. The first was a simple design which was aimed at the market for an aircraft that was small, light and easy to build, in appearance being similar to the Volksplane. A further design was known as the Star Baby and this had input from a group of Qantas engineers and a friend, Eric Morris.

Like the earlier design, the aim for the Star Baby was also for a single-seat light aircraft of simple construction for the amateur builder. In the event this design did not reach the airworthy stage and was never completed.

Work then proceeded on the CJ-1 Starlet. The prototype VH-CBS (c/n N32) was built by the designer, John Corby, and flown on 9 August 1967 by Peter Hodgen. It was powered by a 1500 cc Agusta GA.40 two-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine and initial flight testing was carried out at Camden, NSW.

A second aircraft was built as VH-ULV (c/n V8) as a group project by members of the Latrobe Valley Division of the Ultralight Aircraft Association (as it was then known – later becoming the Sports Aircraft Association of Australia). This aircraft was flown for the first time in mid 1971. More than 800 sets of plans have been sold and in the order of 150 examples have been completed around the world.

As noted, the prototype was initially fitted with a 32 kw (42 hp) Agusta MV motor-cycle engine converted for aviation use but this proved to be unsatisfactory and a British-built VW conversion known as the Rollason Ardem 4CO2 [1600 cc] was installed. Engines producing 60 kw (80 hp) and weighing no more than 72 kg (159 lb) could be fitted and a number of Starlets have been fitted with the four-cylinder Jabiru [2200 cc] unit. Other engines installed have included the Agusta GA.14, various variants of Volkswagen conversions, the Rollason Ardem, the Hapi, and the Revmaster.

The Starlet was designed and built at a time when there was a category for aircraft known as “semi-aerobatic” with a +4.5G limit load factor. In 1973 a Starlet won the Australian National Aerobatic Championship. However, present-day limits are +7/-3G and the Starlet does not meet this requirement. Those registered under ultralight regulations are not permitted to perform any type of aerobatics.

The Starlet was a semi-aerobatic sport aircraft of all-wood construction. The fuselage was made of spruce longerons and frames with plywood covering. The wing was a single-piece structure, consisting of a laminated spar and built-up ribs. The “D” nose leading-edge was plywood covered, and the remainder of the wing, including the ailerons, was fabric covered. The undercarriage comprised spring-steel legs bolted to a stiffened frame. Normal fuel capacity was 36.4 litres (8 Imp gals) in a tank immediately behind the firewall.

The aircraft could be easily dismantled for movement. At one stage it was announced the Starlet was to be re-designed for all-metal construction as the CM-2, and since then plans have become available, one being completed in Australia and one in New Zealand, these being known as the Corby Kestrel, the latter becoming ZK-SJM.

New Zealand Starlets have included: ZK-TOY (c/n AACA/679), ZK-TNT (c/n 272), ZK-EEZ (c/n AACA/130/1), ZK-JAM (c/n AACA/774), ZK-MGM (c/n 152), ZK-DEO (c/n AACA/110/1) and ZK-ONE (c/n AACA/570/1).

Australian registered Starlets have included: VH-AGM (c/n V196), VH-ALY (c/n 354), VH-ATW (c/n Q10), VH-BCS (c/n V63), VH-BIP (c/n 58), VH-CBS (c/n N555), VH-CKM (c/n W18), VH-CSX (c/n 338), VH-JPT (c/n N39), VH-KLK (c/n V437X), VH-LDD (c/n V100), VH-MIW (c/n Q19), VH-NEZ (c/n CJ1-310), VH-NSG (c/n CJ1-042), VH-PVS (c/n N74), VH-PXM (c/n S9), VH-RKY (c/n V254), VH-UOK (c/n N238), VH-XCD (c/n S28) and VH-YLD (c/n N265).

In addition a number have appeared on the RAA Register. In late 2017 the prototype VH-CBS (c/n 555)was donated to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) at Albion Park, NSW, being registered to that organisation as part of its fleet of historic aircraft in January 2018.