Sporty's PIREPs

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.

Light up your holiday celebration with Aviation Christmas Lights—a unique addition to your holiday décor that combines festive spirit with a love of the skies. Available exclusively from Sporty’s Aviation Gifts, each strand features 12 charming airplane-shaped LED lights, available in bright multicolor or bright white. Each airplane on the strand measures 3” in length with a 2.75” wingspan. The airplanes are spaced 6” apart along a generous 100-inch strand that includes a UL-listed plug.

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.

A headset is always a great gift idea for a pilot—it's one of the few products that gets used on every single flight. But with so many options (and so much jargon), choosing the right one can be a challenge. Here's a look at what's hot right now, and our suggestions for some smart holiday shopping.

Every pilot needs a headset, but every pilot has different wants and needs when it comes to hearing protection. To help you find the perfect headset, Sporty's has created this series of three videos covering the most popular options. Whether you're looking for the best overall headset, the best value ANR headset, or the best passive headset, we'll show you what to look for and offer tips for our favorite models. 

A headset is one of the most important investments a pilot will ever make, and not simply because of the expense. A quality aviation headset can protect your hearing, reduce fatigue, and even improve flight safety. That's why Sporty's offers a variety of tools and resources to make your next headset purchase fast, easy and affordable. We are proud to be the #1 headset retailer in aviation.

Shopping for that special aviator on your list? A Christmas ornament can make the perfect gift.  Whether it’s the plane they learned how to fly in or the plane they dream of one day owning, there is bound to be an ornament at Sporty’s to fit the occasion. 

Sporty’s Aviation Gifts is excited to announce the launch of its exclusive collection of aviation-themed Christmas ornaments, just in time for the holiday season. Designed to capture the magic and thrill of flight, Christmas ornaments make the perfect gift for pilots or for anyone with an affinity for flight.

When looking at student pilot headsets, the first thing to consider is your budget. The saying, “You get what you pay for” is pretty accurate when it comes to aviation headsets. Many student pilots are on a tight budget. This has them looking towards less expensive passive headsets. Most pilots will start out with one of these headsets, then graduate to an active noise canceling headset once they get their license. Their original passive headset then becomes a passenger headset.

The success of BasicMed proves the third-class medical is obsolete—that’s according to senior AME Brent Blue. He covers a wide range of medical topics in this episode, including how to fill out the FAA medical application, what the latest rules are on mental health treatment, and whether new drugs like Ozempic are safe for pilots. Dr. Blue is also a leading advocate for pulse oximeters and carbon monoxide detectors, and he shares his rules of thumb for using both in the cockpit. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear why patients need to occasionally say no, a simple habit for healthy living, and what it’s like to fly a Canadian bushplane.