Five overlooked features in Sporty's Learn to Fly Course
- By John Zimmerman
- Feb 23, 2021
- 0 Comments
PIREPs
New FAA chart cycle starts this month
- By John Zimmerman
- Feb 9, 2021
- 0 Comments
Starting February 25, 2021, chart subscribers (and pilots everywhere) will notice an important change to the effective dates of charts. The FAA is shortening the update cycle for VFR charts to match the dates on IFR charts. This means that, whereas sectional charts used to be updated every six months, now all FAA charts will be updated every 56 days.
Posted in PIREPs
TSO'd aviation headsets—what does it mean?
- By Doug Ranly
- Dec 21, 2020
- 0 Comments
When going through the plethora of data available about aviation headsets, you will inevitably come across the abbreviation TSO. This stands for Technical Standard Order and it is the FAA’s way of saying an item is approved for use on an airplane. Why does that matter? We'll explain.
iPad gifts for pilots—what's hot right now
- By John Zimmerman
- Nov 2, 2020
- 0 Comments
First impressions of the Garmin D2 Air smartwatch for pilots
- By John Zimmerman
- Sep 30, 2020
- 0 Comments
Posted in PIREPs
Flying with the GoPro MAX
- By Bret Koebbe
- Sep 22, 2020
- 0 Comments
The next wave in small camera technology takes aviation videography to a new level, thanks to the 360° recording capabilities of the GoPro Max camera. Think of it as two GoPro cameras joined back to back, allowing it to capture literally everything around you, including the cockpit and the views outside, while keeping both perfectly exposed. Here's what pilots should know about this incredible vamer
Posted in PIREPs
Flight simulator hardware maps for Logitech, CH Products, Redbird
- By Chris McGonegle
- Sep 8, 2020
- 0 Comments
If you're upgrading your flight simulator controls to take advantage of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator, you'll first need to configure a few things in the Options menu (click on Controls). This requires selecting which control inputs creates which effects, and assigning important functions to some buttons—often called a hardware map. This article explains how to get off to a fast start with the popular hardware options, including Logitech, CH Products, and Redbird.
Posted in PIREPs and Flight simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 - What Pilots Need to Know
- By Chris McGonegle
- Aug 14, 2020
- 0 Comments
You've probably heard the buzz about the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, the first clean sheet simulator in over a decade. The graphics look amazing and gamers all over the world are excited to start flying missions. But what about pilots? Will it be valuable for training or proficiency flights? And how do you get started? At Sporty's, we believe this new program will be more useful as a training aid than most perceive. Here's what you should know.
Posted in PIREPs and Flight simulator
Free wallpaper downloads
- By John Zimmerman
- Jun 18, 2020
- 0 Comments
Want to add a little aviation twist to your next Zoom call or iPhone homescreen? Check out our collection of free wallpapers. Click on an image below for full size.
Posted in PIREPs
David Clark passive headsets - how to choose the right one
- By Doug Ranly
- Jun 1, 2020
- 0 Comments
The famous green domes of David Clark headsets have been around longer than most of us have been flying, with a legendary reputation for durability. A little known fact is that David Clark started in aerospace by making high altitude spacesuits for the military. Communication became part of the suits, so speakers and microphones were developed. David Clark made their first pilot headset in 1975 and quickly became a mainstay in cockpits around the world.