Like most boys Mikael Carlsons interest in aviation started with plastic models. However, these models were not flyable and therefore he soon started building balsa models with rubber band motors. 
At the age of ten Mikael was old enough to use real model engines and two years later he controlled his models with radio. The aircraft were mostly authentic replicas of real aeroplanes, mainly from World War I. His building and flying skill made him winner of many competitions and he honourably represented Sweden in Canada and USA in 1980 and 1982.
The dream for Mikael was to become a real pilot and at the age of fourteen he started gliding. After national service as technician in the Swedish Air Force he went to the US to get a pilots license. The costs were paid by building a number of beautiful aircraft models for the Swedish Air Force Museum!
 Today Mikael is an experienced Boeing 737 Captain and over the last fifteen years he has also flown Piper L-4, Texan, Pitts, Stearman, P-51 Mustang and Vampire on air dispalys, apart from the Bleriot XI and Tummelisa.
Mikaels interest in World War I aircraft resulted in a decision to build a real aircraft reproduction. His choice was Tummelisa (Thumbelina), a Swedish fighter trainer from 1919. He went out in his father´s forest and picked out some pine trees suitable for the wings and fuselage construction. At the Air Force Museum he got some drawings but more important, there was a real aircraft to measure and study. He really started from scratch!
It took Mikael ten years to build his fighter trainer Tummelisa and a crucial problem was to get a rotary engine. He finally managed to get a rotary le Rhône engine from 1915 and he made the first flight in 1989.
During the building of the Tummelisa, Mikael managed to find and buy a Bleriot XI, built in Sweden in 1918. The airplane was complete, inclusive a rotary Gnôme engine, and after an extensive renovation Mikael made the first flight in 1991. About seventy years after the last flight!
During the last almost 20 years Mikael has performed with his Tummelisa and Bleriot XI at air shows all over Europe, in the US and in New Zeeland. Everywhere the audience is astonished to see the almost 100 years old Bleriot XI in the air, one of the oldest flying airplanes in the world.
After the success of the Bleriot XI and the Tummelisa Mikael has in recent years built a reproduction of a Fokker D VII and a Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker, both with original engines from the days of World War.
There is something special with Mikaels building capacity, as he does everything himself. He is the highly skilled carpenter, the welder, the mechanic who renovates engines, he takes care of all fabric work and rigging. Besides, he is flying the aircraft, including the first test flight.

Bleriot XI, the monoplane
The monoplane Bleriot XI represents the earliest successful flying in Europe. With modern terminology Bleriot XI could be classified as the second generation of aircraft, the step after the experimental more or less flying pioneers.
Louis Bleriot was the first aviator to cross the English Channel and did this on July 25 in 1909 with his Bleriot XI. The aircraft was powered by an Anzani engine. The Bleriot XI flying in Abu Dabi today has also crossed the English Channel. This took place in 1999 to celebrate the 90:th anniversary of Bleriot´s historic flight in 1909.
After the success by crossing the English Channel, Bleriot XI´s were mass produced and spread all over Europe and some also to the Middle East. The type was mainly used as a trainer but also for scouting. In the latter case it was a two seater. Derivates of the construction also flew during the beginning of the first World War.
The Bleriot XI on exhibit on the forthcoming Al Ain Air Show is one of the oldest flying original aircraft in the world. It was built in 1916-18 in Sweden by Thulin Aircraft Company as a trainer.
The rotary engine, a 50 hp Gnôme, is built in 1916 and constructed in 1909. The reason why the whole engine rotates is to cool it. Earlier airplane engines had problems with cooling and the rotary engine was a revolution for early aviation. From now on (1909) there was a fast evolution in flying, especially in Europe.
The Bleriot XI is very special to fly as it has no ailerons but wing-warping (twisting the wings when turning), and in case of a dead engine it almost flies like an piano (untuned). It takes a lot of care to keep this old engine in perfect condition and it needs major maintenance each tenth flying houer, but sometimes this is not enough.
The aircraft is very sensitive for winds and is generally flown in early mornings or calm evenings. Mikael feels, however, great responsibility for the spectators at air shows as the Bleriot flight often is the peak of the show. This far he has been lucky, but once the “landing” in brisk wind was pretty hard and the landing gear broke on one side.   
Mikaels Bleriot XI served as a trainer at Thulins Flying School in Sweden 1915-1920 and was then sold to a pilot for joy flying. However, he never flew it and it was stored for almost 70 years before Mikael got hold of it. After a careful renovation, of aeroplane as well as engine, and replacing all canvas, Mikael took off for the first flight after more than 70 years, in 1991.
“Sun´n Fun” Air Show in Florida Mikael 2003 got first price for “Replica Aircraft Preservation” for the Tummelisa and the same year he got ”Grand Champion” for the Bleriot XI! For the first time a “Grand Champion” with no adverse remark.