Sporty's PIREPs

One of the many pre-flight tasks pilots perform on aircraft involves fuel, and it’s not just confirming you have enough for your flight and required reserve. Specifically, pilots need to inspect the fuel to make sure it’s the right type and that it is free from contaminants. That is where a fuel tester comes into play.

Saturday morning's most interesting reads, with five can't-miss posts every week. Exclusive articles, new videos, interactive quizzes, and special aviation events–it's your weekly connection to what's happening in general aviation. Sign up for the weekly Fast Five email here.

Juan Browne has flown everything from Air Force jets to vintage biplanes, but he’s best known for his accident analysis channel on YouTube, blancolirio. In this wide-ranging episode, he describes his unique approach to researching crashes and explains why he thinks all pilots can learn from others’ misfortunes. Juan also talks about his varied flying career, including fighting fires with the US Forest Service, flying C-141s all around the world, and life as an international airline pilot. In the Ready to Copy segment, Juan tells us what he’s changed his mind about since starting his channel, flying the open-cockpit Waco, and the best place to eat in Sydney, Australia.

Saturday morning's most interesting reads, with five can't-miss posts every week. Exclusive articles, new videos, interactive quizzes, and special aviation events–it's your weekly connection to what's happening in general aviation. Sign up for the weekly Fast Five email here.

REALSIMGEAR offers the best in-home flight simulation for pilots of all stages to hone their skills. That's why we've partnered up to help pair you with the best possible simulator for your needs.

These complete setups are more than just a statement piece in your home or business, they provide the most realistic simulation experience for you and your friends to practice flying. 

These simulators are not toys; as such, we recommend you utilize help from Sporty's and REALSIMGEAR to make the right purchase, plan your installation, set up, and start flying. 

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.

Saturday morning's most interesting reads, with five can't-miss posts every week. Exclusive articles, new videos, interactive quizzes, and special aviation events–it's your weekly connection to what's happening in general aviation. Sign up for the weekly Fast Five email here.

As pilots here at Sporty’s, we know your passion for aviation doesn't stay at the airport and how important it is to wear your love for aviation wherever you go. Finding shirts that make this statement without overcomplicating your look is the key to displaying your love for flying without compromising comfort. From t-shirts to polos, and everything in between, we’ve got you covered (literally). Here are the top 5 shirts at Sporty's for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

In late July, I flew a Cessna 182 on an IFR trip from Cincinnati to Charleston, anticipating an uneventful flight under a high-pressure system. But as I approached the destination, spotty storms near Charleston added complexity to the arrival. With the help of my Sentry ADS-B receiver and ForeFlight, I carefully tracked the evolving weather and made adjustments along the way. With each Sentry Story, you’ll see how Sentry ADS-B Receivers can be used to make flying safer and easier, plus you’ll learn some tips for flying with datalink weather. Want to share your story? Email ipad@sportys.com for a chance to be featured in one of our Sentry Stories.

A few weeks ago Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was released and reenergized the longest running software product line under Microsoft’s umbrella. It’s a great program, and the sim community is vibrant with videos of digital pilots pushing the envelope. But what does MSFS 2024 offer to real world pilots? We decided to test it out and here are five things we like, and one we don’t.