Sporty's PIREPs

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Hal Shevers on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Founder and longtime chairman of Sporty’s, Hal was a pioneering force in pilot training and a beloved leader in the aviation community. Hal’s life’s work shaped the landscape of general aviation for more than six decades.

The PJ2 GPS isn't just a backup radio; it’s a powerful situational awareness tool designed for simplicity when you need it most. Let’s jump in and look at how to set up the GPS portion of this radio. 

For Addison Morgan, aviation has long been part of the background—but in late 2024, at a crossroads in his career, it moved to the forefront. Now nearing his Private Pilot checkride, Addison has been awarded Sporty’s $2,500 Pilot Training+ Scholarship to help him complete the final cross-country requirements of his training.

Learn to Fly Week at Sporty's is dedicated to helping more people start their journey toward becoming a pilot. From May 9–18, Sporty’s will feature practical training content, valuable free resources, and special savings on essential tools for new and aspiring pilots. Whether you are ready to begin flight lessons, still researching the process, or looking for the right resources to stay motivated, Learn to Fly Week is designed to make that first step feel more approachable and exciting.

Just in time for those long summer days on the ramp and evenings at the hangar, Sporty’s has introduced a new lineup of AeroWear Polo shirts. These performance shirts combine aviation-inspired design with performance comfort that pilots are sure to appreciate.

Tailwheel airplanes demand excellent situational awareness and sharp manual flying skills, two things that modern pilots often lack, according to taildragger expert Damian DelGaizo. The longtime flight school owner, who learned from an aviation legend, talks about the finer points of three-point landings, wheel landings, and Piper Cubs. He also explains why a touch pass is important for evaluating grass runways and why you might have to carry a garbage bag full of rocks when flying skiplanes. In the Ready to Copy segment, Damian talks about dancing on the rudder pedals, how to fly with heel brakes, and teaching Harrison Ford to fly taildraggers.

At our home airport (I69), the traffic pattern stays busy—especially with our flight school airplanes. It’s common to have multiple airplanes in the pattern, a steady stream of radio calls, and a lot happening in a short amount of time. For many student pilots, that’s where things start to feel overwhelming.

For pilots, the airport isn’t just a destination—it’s part of who they are. Now, Sporty’s is bringing that identity home with its new Custom Taxiway Light Display, a bold, personalized display inspired by instantly recognizable airport signage.

Sporty’s is proud to announce the launch of ForeFlight Power Users Training, a new online training course developed by ForeFlight and available exclusively in Sporty’s Pilot Training platform. Designed for pilots of all experience levels, the course provides a complete, real-world guide to using ForeFlight—from initial setup and flight planning to advanced in-flight tools and digital logbook management.

The GA accident rate is getting better, but aviation safety researcher Douglas Boyd says there’s still plenty of work to do. He shares a fascinating array of statistics in this episode, pulled from the 300+ papers he has authored, including how many hours is enough to stay proficient, what really causes landing accidents, and the truth about older pilots’ safety record. In the Ready to Copy segment, Dr. Boyd talks about flying out of CG, whether engine TBO really matters, and the best places to visit in Scotland.