Our companies and brands.
Mini-Max USA
Kit aircraft / owner-built aviation
Plans, Mini-Kits, full kits, parts and builder support for the Mini-Max family of lightweight wood-and-fabric aircraft — a design line that began with Wayne Ison in the 1980s and has been built in garages and workshops for decades. Kits are produced and supported from Niles, Michigan, with a builder-assist program at the facility.
What Mini-Max USA does
- Aircraft plans, Mini-Kits and full aircraft kits
- Replacement parts and sub-kits for the fleet
- Builder support and a builder-assist program in Niles
- Continued development of the Mini-Max, Hi-Max, V-Max and AeroMax lines
- Focus
- Aircraft kits, plans, parts and builder assist
- Base
- Niles, Michigan
- Family
- Acquired in 2025 and relaunched as Mini-Max USA, a brand of Av8r Capital Group Corp.
- Contact
- info@flyminimax.com
SD Planes USA
Light-aircraft distribution / U.S. support
The U.S. distributor for Spacek SD aircraft and engines. SD Planes USA brings the single-seat SD-1 Minisport kit and the SE33I XP four-stroke engine to American builders, with sales, parts and builder support from Niles. The two-seat SD-2 SportMaster is planned as a future U.S. offering.
What SD Planes USA does
- U.S. sales and distribution of the SD-1 Minisport kit
- SE33I XP engine sales and support
- Parts supply and builder support from Niles, Michigan
- SD-2 SportMaster — a planned future U.S. offering
- Focus
- SD-1 Minisport · SE33I XP engine · U.S. builder support
- Base
- Niles, Michigan
- Family
- A brand of Av8r Capital Group Corp.
- Contact
- info@sdplanes.us
Carlson Aircraft
Legacy aircraft support
Home of the Carlson Sparrow family: a welded steel-tube, strut-braced, enclosed-cockpit ultralight introduced by Ernie Carlson in 1987 and recognized as Grand Champion at Oshkosh that year, followed by the Sport Special, the two-seat Sparrow II and the Sparrow II XTC. The work today is keeping those airplanes flying — gathering the original documentation, supporting owners and builders with parts and answers, and laying the groundwork for Carlson designs to be built again.
What Carlson Aircraft does
- Documentation, drawings and history of the Sparrow family
- Parts and components for the existing Carlson fleet
- Owner and builder support
- Groundwork for continued production of Carlson designs
- Focus
- Sparrow documentation, owner and builder support
- Base
- Niles, Michigan
- Family
- A brand of Av8r Capital Group Corp since 2025.
- Contact
- info@flycarlson.com(605) 299-1175
- Powerplant type
- 4-stroke
- Sport aviation, ultralight and other performance uses
- Program status
- Testing
- Engines in build, on the dyno and in flight test
- Ordering
- Not yet
- Opens as each engine is proven
ThrustCraft Performance
Propulsion development
Development of four-stroke powerplants and power systems for sport aviation, ultralight aviation and other performance applications. Engines are built and dyno-tested in house; several are in build, on the dyno and in flight testing, and ordering opens as each one is proven.
What ThrustCraft Performance does
- Four-stroke engine and power-system development
- In-house build, dyno and flight testing
- Engines for experimental, ultralight and other non-certificated applications
- Focus
- Four-stroke powerplants, built and tested in house
- Family
- A sister company under common ownership with Av8r Capital Group Corp — affiliated, not a subsidiary.
- Contact
- info@thrustcraft.com
ACE Redrives USA
Reduction-drive distribution
The authorized distributor of Ace Aviation belt-drive propeller speed reduction units for the United States and Canada. Stateside inventory, USD pricing and North American support for a redrive line with more than 700 units flying worldwide — covering Briggs & Stratton V-twins, GK/Odes, Honda, Yamaha and other popular engines.
What ACE Redrives USA does
- Authorized U.S. and Canada distribution of Ace Aviation PSRUs
- U.S.-stocked inventory and domestic shipping
- Fitment guidance and spare-parts support for builders
- Focus
- Ace Aviation PSRUs, U.S.-stocked and supported
- Family
- Part of the Av8r family of aviation businesses.
Have a design, a place or a skill that belongs in this family?
- 01
Acquisitions
For aviation companies and designs that need a future — founders, heirs and owners who want the airplane to keep flying.
- 02
Opportunities
For airports, properties, communities and strategic opportunities that could give our businesses room to grow.
- 03
Join us
For people, EAA chapters, schools and partners who want to help build aircraft, engines, companies and community.