Carlson Aircraft · Since 1987
Carlson Aircraft · Est. 1987
Carlson Aircraft
From the award-winning Carlson Sparrow to the aircraft that followed, Carlson Aircraft has spent decades helping pilots and builders experience recreational aviation through straightforward, proven aircraft designs.
Aircraft
Four aircraft grew from one design: a single-seat ultralight, a tailwheel single-seater, a two-seat side-by-side, and a higher-powered two-seater for four-stroke engines.
The original 1987 Sparrow: a single-seat, high-wing ultralight with a welded steel-tube fuselage and an enclosed cockpit.
View the Sparrow Ultralight
The taildragger Sparrow: single seat, conventional landing gear, and Rotax 503 power in an experimental airframe.
View the Sport Special
Two seats side by side with dual controls, tricycle gear, and an available folding wing — the Sparrow for sharing the flying.
View the Sparrow II
The two-seat Sparrow developed for larger engines such as the Rotax 912 UL, Subaru EA-81, and Continental C-85.
View the Sparrow II XTC
Also from Carlson: the Criquet and the Skycycle, legacy designs from the 1990s.
Oshkosh, 1987
Carlson archive photograph to be added
Heritage
Ernie Carlson introduced the Sparrow in 1987, and it earned Grand Champion recognition at Oshkosh that same year. It was an ultralight built like a real airplane — a welded steel-tube fuselage, a strut-braced high wing, and a fully enclosed cockpit when many ultralights still seated the pilot in the open air.
Carlson’s thinking was practical. Use proven materials. Keep the systems simple enough for a builder to understand and maintain. Design an airplane that flies predictably and holds up to regular use. That approach carried through every Sparrow that followed.
Design & Construction
The Sparrow family is built from materials and methods that aircraft builders have trusted for generations. Details vary by model; each aircraft page lists what applies to that design.
01
A chromoly steel-tube structure forms the fuselage of every Sparrow, giving a rigid airframe and a strong structure around the occupants.
02
Sparrow wings are built around aluminum I-beam spars with stamped aluminum ribs, braced by struts.
03
Airframes are fabric covered: light, repairable, and familiar to anyone who has worked on a traditional light airplane.
04
Sparrows are flown with conventional aircraft controls. The two-seat models have dual controls.
05
A fully enclosed cockpit was a defining Sparrow feature from the first aircraft in 1987.
06
Sparrows were supplied as kits and completed by their owners, many of whom still fly and maintain them today.
Since 2025
Carlson Aircraft is now part of Av8r Capital Group Corp and operates alongside Mini-Max USA. Our work starts with the airplanes already out there: gathering the original documentation, reconnecting with owners and builders, and supporting the Carlson fleet.
From there, we are taking a careful look at what comes next for these designs. When we have news about kits, components, or plans, it will be posted here first.
Whether you are researching a Sparrow, restoring an existing Carlson aircraft, or considering a future build, tell us what you are working on.