PIREPs

Sporty’s Founder shares his regret at not wearing headsets

I’ve been flying for over 50 years, in everything from single engine Pipers to twin engine jets. But for the first 30 years of my flying career, those flights did not involve an aviation headset. Communicating with Air Traffic Control meant listening to a scratchy cabin speaker over the roar of the engines, and then, if I was lucky enough to understand the instructions, replying with a hand-held microphone.

We are proud to have over 25,000 customer reviews at sportys.com, real opinions from real pilots on the products you're interested in. They are a great resource for deciding which product to buy or how to use the latest technology, but some reviews go beyond just words. Every Sporty's review has the option to add a photo, and we've received some great pictures of our products in use. Check out some of our best ones below.

Sporty's has a long history of giving back to aviation, with a particular focus on young people and the future of aviation. We simply think it's the right thing to do. In 2007, we formalized our philanthropic efforts by establishing The Sporty's Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting worthy aviation causes. In 2018, for example, the foundation donated over $225,000 to programs - and all with no overhead (Sporty's Pilot Shop underwrites all expenses).

This is the second in a series of articles where we'll highlight individual programs we support at The Sporty's Foundation. Our goal is to shine a light on some great organizations and encourage other pilots to support them.

Rene Wilson of Columbia, South Carolina, has been selected to receive the second Sporty’s Flight Crew Scholarship, which all Gold and Platinum members are eligible to apply for. Rene plans to use the $2500 scholarship to complete his private pilot training.

Securing your iPad in the cockpit is important for both safety and ease of use while flying. For those pilots who prefer a kneeboard to a mount, there are as many options as ever, from basic leg straps to multi-purpose lap desks. Here's our list of the top five kneeboards, as chosen by the pilots at Sporty's.

Sporty's has a long history of giving back to aviation, with a particular focus on young people and the future of aviation. We simply think it's the right thing to do. In 2007, we formalized our philanthropic efforts by establishing The Sporty's Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting worthy aviation causes. In 2017, for example, the foundation donated over $280,000 to programs - and all with no overhead (Sporty's Pilot Shop underwrites all expenses).

This is the first in a series of articles where we'll highlight individual programs we support at The Sporty's Foundation. Our goal is to shine a light on some great organizations and encourage other pilots to support them.

While a headset or a flight bag is always a great gift option, sometimes you're looking for a unique option - something for the home or office, and not the cockpit. For those hard-to-shop-for pilots, Sporty's Wright Bros. Collection has a wide variety of products that will bring a smile to the face of any aviation enthusiast. Here's our top 8 list.

A home flight simulator is a great way to keep your flying skills sharp when the weather is bad or your airplane is in the shop. That's always been true, but recent rule changes make advanced flight simulators much more valuable for training. Here's what the new rules say, and how you can use a Redbird TD or TD2 to save money on proficiency training.

One of the best parts of our jobs here at Sporty's is meeting all the passionate, creative pilots who invent new products. We love to test crazy ideas and partner with fellow pilots to bring new concepts to market. In fact, almost everything we sell was created by an aviation enthusiast, whether it's a single person with a vision or a large company packed with pilots. To celebrate these pilot-entrepreneurs, we're kicking off a new series today called "The Pilots Behind the Products." Over the next weeks and months, we'll introduce you to the people and the stories that make favorite pilot supplies a reality.

Last week we introduced the latest edition of Sporty's award-winning training system, the 2019 Learn to Fly and Instrument Rating courses. These feature plenty of new technology, from a new Android app to customized test prep tools to CloudAhoy integration. Beyond the powerful new tools, though, are a host of video updates and additions. We're continually working to make our courses the most practical, up-to-date, and comprehensive videos available anywhere. Here's a look at some of the new segments in the Instrument Rating Course.