The Sunbird is a single-seater homebuilt motor glider, designed and built in New Zealand by Charles Stanton.
[1] Charles Stanton of Nelson, New Zealand had previously built and flown an AmEagle American Eaglet motor glider, registration ZK-GOE (c/n AACA/641).
Stanton then went on to design and build a motor glider, and utilised components from the American Eaglet.
The Sunbird met the New Zealand specifications for Class 1 Microlights, and was issued with the registration ZK-JEA.
[3] It first flew on 26 February 1995, with Stanton reportedly making numerous flights in it over the next ten years.