Aeronautical engineer, aircraft designer honoured for service

As an eight-year-old, John Corby was fascinated by planes. Now in his 80s, he’s still as enthralled as ever.

John Corby has always had a passion for planes. Pictures: Tim Pascoe

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The saying goes, if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life, and that was certainly true for John Corby.

The aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer had an impressive career spanning 50 years, and every day when he woke up he could not wait to get to work.

“I’m very thankful that I’ve maintained this fascination for flight,” he said.

“It’s never changed — I’m just as excited and impressed now … when I get onto an airliner as I ever would have been.”

Mr Corby, of Waitara, said he was “very surprised and delighted” to discover he had been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the aviation industry.

John has been awarded an OAM for his service to the aviation industry. Picture: Tim Pascoe

He said aviation was “not just a job” but a lifetime interest.

“It’s been a lifetime pursuit and a lifetime interest, (I) never lost interest and I guess the aspect of flight has always fascinated me,” he said.

The 86-year-old’s interest in flight began when he saw some model aeroplanes in a Mascot shop as an eight-year-old.

“I guess several years later I was building models and trying to successfully fly them,” he said.

“It took quite awhile for me to be able to do that but I persevered.”

Mr Corby joined QANTAS as soon as he finished school and worked there for more than 20 years, starting as an apprentice ground engineer before moving into the design office.

“I worked with a number of really first class engineers, it was a wonderful experience,” he said.

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“It was exciting, in the time I was with QANTAS — 22 years — they had five different aircraft types, each one was better than the last.”

His work took him to Singapore, where he achieved his pilot’s license, and to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Canberra where he worked in certification.

In his spare time, Mr Corby designed a single-seat light aircraft for home builders called the Starlet.

The Starlet has now been flying for more than 50 years and remains one of the world’s most popular home designs; more than 900 sets have been sent to 31 countries.

Mr Corby still regularly flies model aeroplanes with friends, and enjoys travelling — including a recent trip overseas.

“I like to get to Mascot at least an hour earlier than necessary and I buy a coffee and sit down and I just watch these man-made machines weighing several thousand kilograms just lifting off and flying away,” he said.

“And I think it’s magnificent and one of man’s greatest achievements.”