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Carlson Aircraft

The Aircraft

Carlson Aircraft

Explore the aircraft that made Carlson a recognizable name in recreational and experimental aviation.

Since 1987

The Sparrow Family

One design, four aircraft. Every Sparrow shares a welded steel-tube fuselage, a strut-braced aluminum wing, fabric covering, and an enclosed cockpit.

  • Legacy fleet supported

    Sparrow Ultralight

    The original 1987 Sparrow: a single-seat, high-wing ultralight with a welded steel-tube fuselage and an enclosed cockpit.

    Seats
    1
    Category
    Ultralight (designed for FAR Part 103)
    Configuration
    High wing, strut-braced, enclosed cockpit
    Landing gear
    Tricycle
    Historical engines
    Rotax 277

    Contact Carlson Aircraft regarding current kit, component, plan, and support availability.

    View the Sparrow Ultralight

  • Legacy fleet supported

    Sparrow Sport Special

    The taildragger Sparrow: single seat, conventional landing gear, and Rotax 503 power in an experimental airframe.

    Seats
    1
    Category
    Experimental amateur-built
    Configuration
    High wing, strut-braced, enclosed cockpit
    Landing gear
    Conventional (tailwheel)
    Historical engines
    Rotax 503

    Contact Carlson Aircraft regarding current kit, component, plan, and support availability.

    View the Sport Special

  • Legacy fleet supported

    Sparrow II

    Two seats side by side with dual controls, tricycle gear, and an available folding wing — the Sparrow for sharing the flying.

    Seats
    2 (side-by-side)
    Category
    Experimental amateur-built
    Configuration
    High wing, strut-braced, enclosed cockpit
    Landing gear
    Tricycle
    Historical engines
    Rotax 582

    Contact Carlson Aircraft regarding current kit, component, plan, and support availability.

    View the Sparrow II

  • Legacy fleet supported

    Sparrow II XTC

    The two-seat Sparrow developed for larger engines such as the Rotax 912 UL, Subaru EA-81, and Continental C-85.

    Seats
    2 (side-by-side)
    Category
    Experimental amateur-built
    Configuration
    High wing, strut-braced, enclosed cockpit
    Landing gear
    Tricycle
    Historical engines
    Rotax 912 UL, Subaru EA-81, Continental C-85

    Contact Carlson Aircraft regarding current kit, component, plan, and support availability.

    View the Sparrow II XTC

Availability. Contact Carlson Aircraft regarding current kit, component, plan, and support availability.

Part 103. Historical compliance of a particular configuration with FAR Part 103 does not mean that every aircraft, including modern or modified examples, meets Part 103 today. Owners are responsible for determining the correct regulatory category for their aircraft.

From the Archive

Carlson Legacy Designs

Ernie Carlson’s later projects looked back at aviation history. These designs are part of the Carlson story and are not currently offered as kits.

  • Legacy design

    Criquet

    A two-seat, tandem, high-wing STOL design inspired by the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, with the prototype completed around 1999.

    Seats
    2 (tandem)
    Category
    Experimental (prototype)
    Configuration
    High wing, STOL-oriented

    This is a historical Carlson design and is not currently offered as a kit. Contact Carlson Aircraft for historical information.

    View the Criquet

  • Legacy design

    Skycycle

    A single-seat recreation of the post-war Piper PA-8 Skycycle, with the Carlson prototype completed in the mid-1990s.

    Seats
    1
    Category
    Experimental (prototype)
    Configuration
    Low wing, single seat

    This is a historical Carlson design and is not currently offered as a kit. Contact Carlson Aircraft for historical information.

    View the Skycycle

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