Our goal at Sporty's is to make flying safer, easier, and more fun. Sometimes we do that with a great new product, but sometimes we do that with original content. In addition to our main website at Sportys.com, we publish three online magazines that focus on important topics in aviation: iPad Pilot News covers apps and accessories, Flight Training Central serves up tips to improve your flying skills, and Air Facts shares stories and lessons learned from other pilots. Plus, our Product PIREP series on the Sporty's blog delivers hands-on demos of the latest pilot gear. If you missed something this year, it's OK—we published almost 400 articles across these sites in 2023! Here were the top 10:
10. Top 20 apps for pilots—2023 edition. Looking for a new app to try or just getting started with the iPad? This list, updated every year by our team of pilots, is the place to start. It lists 20 popular aviation apps, from simple weather apps to full-featured electronic flight bag apps. READ MORE >>
9. TAFs are so last century—here are four new tools to try. Terminal aerodrome forecasts are helpful, but there are many new tools available that should not be overlooked. Air Facts Editor John Zimmerman explains the limitations of TAFs and reviews four new options. READ MORE >>
8. Quiz: understanding the airplane pitot-static system. Almost every essential instrument in the panel of a GA airplane relies on the pitot-static system. Do you understand how each one operates, and what the possible failure modes are? Take this quiz to find out. TAKE QUIZ >>
7. Which handheld aviation radio should I buy? A portable radio is an essential tool for pilots of all experience levels. If deciding to buy a radio is easy, deciding which one to buy can be a lot more complicated: what is the range, and which one is best? Here's our advice. READ MORE >>
6. What’s the best iPad for pilots? If you're shopping for your first iPad or you're just in the market for an upgrade, the options can be daunting. In this article, iPad Pilot News Editor Bret Koebbe walks through all the models and explains which ones are best for pilots. READ MORE >>
5. I was at Meigs Field. It was a day that will live in infamy, at least for GA pilots: Chicago's beautiful lakefront airport, Meigs Field, was destroyed in an overnight raid 20 years ago. Dr. George Shehl landed the night before it was closed, and relates his story in this Air Facts article. READ MORE >>
4. Pilot’s guide to Class E airspace. Class E airspace is all over the place, but that ubiquity sometimes makes it easy to misunderstand. In this detailed article, generously illustrated with graphics and charts, Chris Clarke reviews where Class E airspace starts and what the VFR weather minima are. READ MORE >>
3. Bose A30 vs. Lightspeed Delta Zulu—what's the best ANR headset? The two dominant brands in aviation headsets have both launched new products in the last 14 months, so it's not surprising we often get asked to compare them. This article lays out all the details and even offers some opinions. READ MORE >>
2. Quiz: IFR approach chart symbols. Understanding a terminal procedures publication is key to completing a successful flight under instrument flight rules. How well can you interpret all the codes and symbols on an IFR approach chart? TAKE QUIZ >>
1. Charging your iPad—it’s all about the watts. The most common way an iPad can fail is lack of battery life. This detailed article explains how the latest technology works, including a review of electricity 101, and reviews the best charging accessories for pilots to use both at home and in the air. READ MORE >>
