Corby Cj-1 Starlet

Single Piston

The Corby CJ-1 Starlet is a single-seat homebuilt aerobatic biplane designed by Australian John Corby in the 1960s, offering amateur builders an affordable path to open-cockpit sport flying. With its compact dimensions, wood-and-fabric construction, and typically powered by converted Volkswagen or small Continental engines producing 65 to 85 horsepower, the Starlet delivers spirited performance in a package that can be built in a home workshop. The design became popular in the experimental aircraft community for its straightforward construction, low operating costs, and surprisingly capable aerobatic envelope despite its modest power. The Starlet's light wing loading and responsive controls make it well-suited to local recreational flying and basic aerobatics, though its single-seat configuration and open cockpit limit its utility to fair-weather sport aviation. Plans have been distributed worldwide through the EAA and other homebuilder organizations, resulting in several hundred examples constructed over the decades. SkyMeter has tracked 4 flights across 3 airframes and 3 operators, with PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM the most frequently observed.