If you’ve spent any time in a flight school lounge or a hangar on a rainy day, you know the best learning often happens when the Hobbs isn’t running. It’s the "What would you do?" conversations—the debates over a tricky weather problem, an obscure avionics failure in IMC, or a confusing ATC instruction—that truly sharpen a pilot’s judgment and make them safer.
For years, PilotWorkshops Mastery has been the gold standard for this type of real world training. Now, we are thrilled to announce a major evolution: Mastery is officially available in the Sporty’s Pilot Training app for iOS and online.
This isn’t just a change of address; it’s a complete overhaul of the user experience, combining the unique content of PilotWorkshops with the cutting-edge technology of the Sporty’s app. Here is everything you need to know about the new and improved Mastery experience.
What is Mastery? (And Why You Need It)
In aviation, there is a distinct difference between being current and being proficient. You can pass a flight review every two years and remain legal, but true proficiency is a perishable skill. While stick-and-rudder skills are vital, most accidents aren’t caused by a poor flare—they are caused by poor decision-making.
Mastery is designed to build that decision-making experience without the cost or risk of actually being in the cockpit.
The concept is simple but brilliant: every month, you are presented with a real-world flight scenario. It might be a mechanical issue, a weather trap, or a complex regulatory puzzle. You get to review all the resources, consider how you would act, and then vote on the best course of action.
Then the learning really starts. You’ll watch a featured response video, where one of PilotWorkshops’ world-class flight instructors explains how they approached the problem, sharing tips along the way that you can apply to your everyday flying. Then listen to a roundtable discussion featuring six instructors, including some of the best in the business, like Wally Moran, Doug Stewart, Dave Hirschman, and Catherine Cavagnaro. They wrestle with the scenario, consider different alternatives, and share lessons learned from their decades of experience.
They don't always agree. In fact, the magic of Mastery is in the disagreement. Hearing experts debate the pros and cons of different techniques helps you develop a flexible, safety-oriented mindset that you can call upon when things go sideways in real life.
Two Great Brands, One App
In 2025, PilotWorkshops joined the Sporty’s family of companies. Since then, our goal has been to maintain the independent, expert-driven soul of PilotWorkshops while integrating it into the seamless customer experience Sporty’s is known for.
By moving Mastery into the Sporty’s Pilot Training app, we’ve eliminated the friction of managing multiple accounts, and also added the option of dedicated apps for iPad, iPhone, and Mac in addition to our easy-to-use online platform. If you use any of Sporty’s 35 aviation courses, like our award-winning Learn to Fly Course, your proficiency training is now right there next to it. It’s a one-stop-shop approach to pilot education that ensures your training is as organized as your flight bag.
New Features for Maintaining Proficiency—Anywhere, Anytime
The transition to the Sporty’s app brings a suite of powerful new features that make staying proficient easier and more enjoyable than ever. Here are the highlights:
1. Download Scenarios for Offline Learning
We know pilots are busy people, and sometimes you don’t have access to a computer or a WiFi connection. That’s why Mastery scenarios can be downloaded in the Pilot Training app for iPad and iPhone, allowing you to watch the videos and listen to the roundtable whenever it’s convenient. Best of all, progress syncs automatically between the online platform and the iPad/iPhone app, so you can start a Mastery scenario on your phone and finish on your laptop.
2. Background Audio and CarPlay
One of the most requested features was the ability to listen to the Roundtable discussions on the go. Now, with background audio support, your morning commute or your workout at the gym becomes a productive training session. You can listen to the experts debate a scenario with your phone in your pocket, just like your favorite podcast, with simple on-screen controls. Plus, we’ve also added Apple CarPlay support, which makes it easy to tune into the latest Mastery scenario from your car’s touch screen.
3. Favorites and Watch Lists
Found a scenario that really challenged your thinking? Or perhaps you want to save a specific discussion on mountain flying for your trip to the Rockies next summer? The new Favorites and Watchlist features allow you to bookmark specific scenarios for quick access later. It’s your own personalized library of aviation wisdom.
4. Effortless Archive Browsing
Mastery has been around for over a decade, which means there is a massive library of scenarios waiting for you, covering everything from engine failures on takeoff to complex IFR clearances. The new app features an intuitive interface that allows you to browse the archives by topic or date. Whether you want to focus on weather this month or emergencies next month, the entire library is organized for easy browsing.
5. Instant FAA WINGS Credit
This is a game-changer for anyone who participates in the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. Typically, syncing your training with the FAA’s database is a manual, sometimes clunky process. Now, once you complete a scenario in the Sporty’s app, you can earn instant three WINGS credits. The app handles the heavy lifting, ensuring your participation is recorded so you can stay on track for your next phase of WINGS credit without the paperwork headache.
How to Try It for Free
We believe that once you experience the unique Mastery format, you’ll see why thousands of pilots consider it an essential part of their flying life. To make it easy to get started, we’ve unlocked two free scenarios: one VFR and one IFR. Click the links below to see what Mastery is all about (and learn a few tips along the way), or download the Sporty’s Pilot Training app on the iOS App Store for the full experience.
- VFR Mastery - Perfect for pilots of all experience levels; test your flight planning, stick and rudder, weather, and airplane systems knowledge.
Try a free scenario: ATC just canceled your flight following clearance in busy Class B airspace. What's your next move? - IFR Mastery - Designed for the instrument pilot; explore instrument approach, navigation, ATC, emergency, and in-flight weather challenges.
Try a free scenario: The glidepath disappears while flying an RNAV LPV approach. Will you continue flying the approach to LNAV mins?
Once you’ve completed a free scenario, be sure to sign up for a 30-day trial of Mastery and continue your learning. You’ll receive a new scenario every month and continued access to the extensive Mastery archives, all for just $19/month (VFR) or $24/month (IFR). If you’re already a PilotWorkshops subscriber, just download the free Pilot Training app and log in with your existing Mastery account.
