Video: learning to hover a helicopter

Learning to fly an airplane is intimidating for new pilots, but learning to hover a helicopter can seem like a truly impossible task. As this video shows, though, that's not the case at all. Once you understand the aerodynamics, it's just a matter of keeping everything balanced. Ride along on this first lesson to see what it's like to fly an Enstrom helicopter.

What’s in your flight bag?

In this series, we ask the pilots at Sporty's what gear they carry when they go flying. While every pilot's flight bag is unique, some common principles apply to everyone: carry enough to be prepared but not too much so that you're weighed down with unnecessary junk. In this episode you'll see what JC Mayerle, a product designer at Sporty's, has in his flight bag.
Fuel gauges

Common Aircraft Fuel Myths

There are a number of fuel related myths and misrepresentations floating around the general aviation industry. While I can't touch them all, I hope to provide some enlightenment around a couple of them in this post.

Friday Photo: 1st solo (16th birthday) Sunflower Ross

  The moment: first solo on my 16th birthday, August…

Video: flying from Alaska to Argentina

You could fly from Alaska to South America in less than a day with an airline ticket. But what fun would that be? In this video, ride along as an adventurous pilot begins the journey of a lifetime: flying a Piper Super Cub from Alaska all the way to Patagonia.
Cessna off runway

Why you need renter’s insurance

As you get close to your first solo, your flight instructor may talk to you about buying renter's insurance (sometimes called non-owned insurance). While it's never fun to contemplate an incident or accident, this is an important discussion that deserves some careful study.

My unexpected bush pilot adventure

Want to do some bush flying in Alaska? “Yes, yes I do.” It took all of 1.3 seconds for me to reply when an opportunity arose to fly the backcountry of Alaska for a couple days. Flying a taildragger in the remote wilderness should be on every pilot’s bucket list.

Friday Photo: 1st solo (16th birthday) Steven Solloway

  The moment: first solo on my 16th birthday The pilot: Steven…
mixture

Quiz: Aircraft Engine Mixture Control

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For some student pilots the mixture control is a thing of mystery.…

Video: flying the Icon A5 seaplane around Miami

The Icon A5 is a different kind of airplane. Instead of focusing on speed, range, and payload, it focuses on fun. As an amphibious Light Sport Airplane, it's as comfortable with jet skis and boats as other airplanes. In this video, ride along as one pilot gets a demo flight around Miami in the sleek seaplane, beaching on quiet islands and flying over blue-green water.