Photograph:
Stolp SA-500 Sprite 28-3133 (c/n not known) at Mr Beauty, VIC in 1999 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 48 kw (65 hp) Volkswagen (1500 cc) conversion, four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.62 m (25 ft)
- Length: 5.18 m (17 ft)
- Height: 2.04 m (6 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 7.71 m² (83 sq ft)
- Max speed: 209 km/h (130 mph)
- Cruising speed: 169 km/h (105 mph)
- Stalling speed: 72 km/h (45 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,658 m (12,000 ft)
- Range: 966 km (600 miles)
- Empty weight: 318 kg (700 lb)
- Loaded weight: 481 kg (1,060 lb)
History:
The SA-500, sometimes known as the Starlet, or the Sprite, was built and marketed by Stolp Starduster Corp in Oroville, California. Produced and sold in kit form, it was one of a number of light sporting aircraft models available, others in the range including the SA-300 Starduster TOO, the SA-101 Starduster, the SA-750 Acroduster TOO, and the SA-900 Starduster.
A stable, relatively fast, high parasol-wing light aircraft with an open cockpit, it was basically built of 4130 steel tubing with fabric covering, the wing using spruce spars and plywood ribs with capstrips. The Company supplied kits to amateur builders all around the world, and more than 1,000 examples of the Starduster TOO alone have been built.
The SA-500 has proved quite popular and a number are flying in this region, most registered under AUF / RAA regulations.