Video: flying the Hudson River exclusion zone

One of the great privileges of being a pilot in the United States is the freedom to fly almost anywhere. That includes a VFR flight right up the Hudson River, with a stunning view of Manhattan. Ride along in this video as some friends fly a Mooney up the East Coast of the US, including a scenic flight past the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and so many other landmarks. All with a private pilot certificate and a single engine airplane.
Sporty's 2021 Learn to Fly Course

What’s new in Sporty’s 2021 Learn to Fly Course

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Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course has been a popular home study tool for decades, and is famous for its relentless pace of innovation. Every year, we add new content, new training tools, and technological enhancements. This year is no exception, with a host of upgrades that make training more engaging and more efficient. Here’s a look at some highlights.

Friday photo: short final on a glassy morning

The moment: short final The place: Lake Cumberland Regional…
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Five Gadgets for Solo Cross Country Flights

I remember planning my first cross country flight. There were…

Video: flying the DC-3

The Douglas DC-3 might be the hardest working airplane in aviation history. From pioneering airline routes to flying World War II missions to hauling freight in remote areas, this tail-dragging radial twin has done it all. In this fantastic video, you'll get to fly in a DC-3 with the world's highest time DC-3 pilot.

Video Tip: Touch and Gos

As you start to feel comfortable with takeoffs and landings after solo, your flight instructor may have you practice touch and gos during landing practice. This week's video tip takes a look at the maneuver and some factors to consider to help execute them properly.

Friday photo: prop contrail

The moment: Prop contrails The place: Northeast Florida Regional…

Video: Flight Gear Captain’s sunglasses

Every pilot needs a reliable pair of sunglasses, but the cheap gas station ones usually don't work. In particular, you need a pair that won't distort avionics or iPad screens. Go flying with Sporty's Chris McGonegle in this video to see the Flight Gear Captain's sunglasses in action.

What’s the point of ground reference maneuvers?

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Confession: I hated ground reference maneuvers as a student pilot. Eventually, my flight instructor broke through and explained why we were spending so much time on these seemingly boring lessons. I began to appreciate that doing these simple maneuvers really well was going to help me make better landings. Let’s review the point of these exercises.

Video: flying the Cirrus Vision Jet

The Vision Jet from Cirrus is the first single engine personal jet to be delivered in significant numbers, and it's a unique blend of turbine performance and single engine simplicity. In many ways, it really feels like a bigger and faster SR22. You'll get to go flying in one with this video, as the pilot flies from New York to Atlanta. See the startup sequence, watch the takeoff, and listen to all the ATC calls. It's a real world look at a fascinating airplane.