Eric Radtke

Throughout February, Sporty’s will be celebrating IFR Month, with a focus on the challenges and rewards of instrument flying. In addition to special savings on pilot gear and training courses, we will offer interactive webinars, articles, videos, and answers to common IFR questions. Our goal is to encourage all pilots to earn their instrument rating, get current, and enjoy more utility from their pilot certificate.

Familiarize Yourself with the Format—the Private Pilot written test FAA test contains 60 multiple-choice questions, and you have two hours to complete it. Any of the written tests may also include validation questions, which are questions used to accumulate data for statistical analysis of test question validity and performance. Validation questions are non-scored questions, and do NOT count for or against your final test score. The posted number of questions does NOT include validation questions.

A description of each test, allotted times, and total questions are available via the Airman Knowldge Testing Matrix.

Sporty’s Aviation Gifts is thrilled to announce the release of its highly-anticipated 2025 Limited Edition Cessna 172 Die-Cast Model—a must-have for all pilots and for anyone with an affinity for classic aviation.

This exceptional replica is inspired by the 1969 Cessna 172K, N46418, owned by Brandon and Casey Bates, winners of Sporty’s annual contest to select the most worthy aircraft. Sporty’s invited Skyhawk owners everywhere to submit photos of their amazing aircraft and selected tail number N46418, among dozens of submissions, to become legendary.

The Richard Collins family has once again partnered with Sporty’s to offer The Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. To qualify, the writer must be a pilot (including student pilot) who is 24 years of age or younger. The article must be original, not previously published, and no longer than 1,500 words. The topic should be “my most memorable flight.”

Landing an airplane is often described as a blend of precision, practice, and intuition—yet even seasoned pilots can fall victim to the bounced landing which occurs when the airplane contacts the ground with a sharp impact as the result of an improper landing attitude or an excessive sink rate. Though the airplane's tires and struts provide some springing action, the airplane does not bounce like a rubber ball. Instead, it rebounds into the air because the wing's angle of attack was abruptly increased, producing a sudden addition of lift.

When the bounce is very slight and there is no extreme change in the airplane's pitch attitude and sufficient runway remains, a follow-up landing may be executed by applying just enough power to cushion the subsequent touchdown.

Zachary Erck is the latest recipient of Sporty’s $2,500 Pilot Training+ Scholarship, an award he intends to apply toward accomplishing his dream of becoming an airline pilot. Since that magical first flight more than 20 years ago, Erck, with the help of his supportive family, has taken several more Discovery Flights.  Until recently, though, he had never been in a position to pursue aviation as a career.

As 2024 comes to a close, Sporty’s is thrilled to showcase the year’s most innovative and in-demand products. These top picks highlight cutting-edge technology, enhanced functionality, and thoughtful designs. Sporty’s 2024 Gear of the Year is sure to inspire, from groundbreaking tools for pilot training to must-have accessories for every flight deck, so get ready to explore these industry-leading essentials. 

Special Visual Flight Rules (SVFR) is a mechanism that allows pilots to operate in conditions that are less than those required for basic VFR flight within the lateral boundaries of Class B, Class C, Class D or Class E surface areas below 10,000 feet—useful to pilots for getting in and out of airports under VFR when the weather is changing rapidly or when the weather may differ in specific directions surrounding the airport.

Put an aviation stamp on your holiday decorations with this exclusive collection of Aviation-Themed Christmas Inflatables from Sporty’s Aviation Gifts. Whether you are a pilot, an aviation enthusiast, or a person who just wants to outdo the neighbors, these inflatables will make your yard the talk of the town.

A constant-speed propeller is a controllable-pitch propeller whose pitch is automatically varied in flight to maintain a constant speed (RPM) despite varying air loads. Engine RPM is controlled and changed by changing the pitch, or the blade angle, taken by the propeller. This is regulated by the propeller governor which changes the pitch to maintain the RPM that you have selected.