Sporty's PIREPs

Sporty’s has announced its upcoming webinar schedule, featuring four free online presentations covering new avionics, modern autopilots, handheld radios, and iPad flight tools. All webinars begin at 3:00 p.m. Eastern and are open to pilots of all experience levels.

As one of the few people to ever fly an airshow at Oshkosh, a competition aerobatic routine, and a Red Bull Air Race, Michael Goulian has a unique perspective on flying at the edge of the envelope. In this episode, he takes us behind the scenes to share how he prepares both physically and mentally for a performance, what’s unique about modern aerobatic airplanes, and what his favorite maneuver is. Michael is also a longtime flight instructor and flight school owner, so he connects the intense focus of the airshow world to the job of a primary flight instructor, with tips for improving stick and rudder skills in the age of glass cockpits. In the Ready to Copy segment, he talks about his favorite fly-in destination in New England, his pre-show playlist, and golf.

Has it been a while since you logged PIC time? At Sporty’s, we get it—we’re pilots too, while juggling jobs, families, and busy schedules. That’s why we created Rusty Pilot Week: a great chance to refresh your skills, save on essential gear, and rediscover why you fell in love with flying in the first place. All it takes is some study, a few hours with an instructor, and a plan to polish the skills that have gotten rusty.

An unexpected bathroom break can turn into a flight-planning consideration, especially on longer legs. Pilots may find themselves considering a fuel stop, an unplanned diversion, or how an unexpected stop could affect the flight. Having a portable relief option onboard eliminates one more variable to manage and provides peace of mind when the nearest airport is still miles away. 

Professional pilot and podcast host Justin Siems says aviation is “a welcoming community that feels like it's not.” He explains why, based on his experience interviewing nearly 400 pilots. Justin also talks about making the transition from fractional flying to the major airlines, why he launched a print magazine in a world dominated by short-form video, and how his background as a Big Ten college football player translated directly to the flight deck. In the Ready to Copy segment, he shares the best advice he’s received from a guest, his humbling experience landing the Boeing 737, and his routine for early morning trips.

A microburst is a powerful, localized downdraft that spreads outward when it reaches the surface. The resulting wind can change rapidly from a strong headwind to a tailwind, producing a significant loss of airspeed and performance close to the ground.

Mnemonic acronyms are wonderful mechanisms for condensing complex terms, phrases or lists into something more manageable to commit to memory.  Aviation has its fair share of clever—and sometimes silly—recall devices, which stands to reason when there is critically important information that should be committed to memory.

Speaking of clever and silly, "ATOMATOFLAMES" is a mnemonic acronym used to help pilots remember the critical components required for aircraft airworthiness for daytime flight in visual (VFR) conditions. Each letter in ATOMATOFLAMES corresponds to a specific item that must be operational before takeoff.  This equipment list can be found in § 91.205.

Rather than simply repackaging information from the Garmin manual, this course uses a series of progressively complex flights to teach the foundational principles, best practices, and practical workflows needed to use the Garmin GFC autopilot effectively. Along the way, pilots will discover common misconceptions, subtle nuances, and potential traps that can catch even experienced pilots.

As a former airline pilot and industry analyst for more than four decades, Kit Darby has seen a lot of job market cycles. In this episode he shares his wisdom, with plenty of practical advice for aspiring professional pilots, including an honest assessment of the job market right now, what airline pilots actually make over a 30-year career, and what COVID changed about the airline business. Kit also talks about some lessons learned from his airline and military career, including mastering full motion airline simulators and flying the unique OV-1 Mohawk in the Army. and In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear about preparing for job interviews, under-appreciated airlines, and helicopters vs. airplanes.

You can buy an aviation headset from almost anyone these days. But why settle for just a shipping box when you could have a co-pilot? At Sporty’s, we know that buying a headset isn't just about reading a spec sheet—it’s about matching the right product to your specific aircraft and your personal preferences. That’s why every headset purchase automatically includes Sporty’s Signature Headset Service.