Sporty's PIREPs

If you fly regularly at a non-towered airport, radio calls quickly become second nature—a rhythm of position reports that helps everyone stay on the same page. But if you're used to the towered environment, the transition can feel a little disorienting, like you're flying blind. The good news? You’re not alone on frequency, and with a few key calls, you can confidently communicate your intentions and stay in sync and safe while operating with other traffic.

Lightspeed just introduced the new Zulu 4 headset. It has the latest and greatest features of a modern, premium ANR headset. But Lightspeed already has a premium ANR headset that is almost $200 more expensive: the Delta Zulu. What is the difference between these two juggernauts, and which one should you buy? Let’s look at the differences.

Sporty’s has introduced the newest generation of its popular Flight Gear line—six brand-new bags, designed from the ground up for today's pilots. Using customer feedback from thousands of flight hours and real-world testing at Sporty’s, these bags offer the ideal blend of thoughtful organization, modern features, and affordability.

Whether you're a student pilot heading to your first lesson or a professional pilot flying multiple legs per day, there's a Flight Gear bag built for your mission.

The job market for pilots has been through some wild swings lately, but aviation career coach (and former airline pilot) James Onieal says it’s neither as good nor as bad as you might think. He offers frank advice about the dangers of social media for aspiring pilots, explains why networking matters now more than ever, and discusses the differences between airline jobs and corporate jobs. In the Ready to Copy segment, James talks about the biggest career mistakes to avoid, what it’s like to flight check instrument approaches, and his favorite joke about cops.

Lightspeed just introduced the new Zulu 4 headset. It has the latest and greatest features in modern, premium ANR headsets. What improvements have they made since a Zulu 3? Let’s jump in and take a look.

Which headset is the best? We get this question more than any other during headset demos. The Lightspeed Zulu 4 and Bose A30 are two of the top contenders, each packed with premium features from trusted brands. It’s a bit like asking, “Lamborghini or Ferrari?”—both are excellent, but the best one for you depends on what you value most in the cockpit.

Sporty’s is proud to announce the launch of the Lightspeed Zulu 4, the latest generation of premium ANR aviation headsets, available now exclusively at Sporty’s. With a sleek new design, improved audio clarity, and industry-first Bluetooth capabilities, the Zulu 4 represents a bold step forward in flight deck technology—and Sporty’s customers will be the first to experience it!

“It’s magic.” At least that is what I thought the first time I turned on an Active Noise Reduction (ANR) headset. WOW! What kind of wizardry is happening in these ear cups? I was instantly convinced that ANR might be the single greatest innovation in aviation history. The noise environment of a piston airplane makes communications tough, but modern ANR headsets have revolutionized the way pilots communicate.

Learning to fly is all about the challenge for YouTube creator Ethan O’Rourke. That meant training in a J-3 Cub with no electrical system and now traveling the country in an Aeronca Chief. Ethan explains the joy of low and slow flights, shares his approach to making memorable aviation films, and describes what it was like to fly over the North Atlantic in a WWII bomber. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll learn tips for hand-propping airplanes, what it was like to fly a MiG-15, and how to land on a frozen lake.

As summer temperatures climb, density altitude becomes more than just a textbook concept—it becomes a real-world performance factor that can catch even experienced pilots off guard.

So what is density altitude, really?
In simple terms, density altitude is the altitude your airplane thinks it’s operating at, based on the current air density. As temperature, humidity, and elevation increase, air becomes less dense. This means your engine produces less power, your wings generate less lift, and your propeller becomes less efficient.