5 hacks for cockpit organization

Staying organized in the cockpit is essential for a safe and enjoyable flight. The rat’s nest of cables combined with unsecured gadgets can make your cockpit feel like you’re on the next edition of Hoarders. But before you call American Pickers or spend a fortune on even more products to get you organized, let me give you my top five hacks to keep you organized in the cockpit. And none will break your budget. 

Updated AIM effective June 17, 2021

On its standard publication schedule, an updated AIM was recently…

Video tip: S-turns across a road

During your flight training you'll practice several different types of ground reference maneuvers to help you understand the effect wind has on the airplane when flying close to the ground. Here we'll take a look at s-turns across a road, giving you a pilot's eye view on how to correctly fly the maneuver.

Video: F-16 airshow over Miami

All airshows are entertaining, but for pure spectacle it's hard to beat a military jet show over a big city. That's what you'll see in this video, as you ride long in an F-16 for a low level demo over South Beach in Miami. Watch out for the high rises, and enjoy the view.

Video tip: explore the differences in airplane cockpits

While the good ol' Cessna 172 is still the most popular training airplane used by flight schools today, there are hundreds of other aircraft types that are also well-suited for flight training. This week's tip takes a look at some of the variations you'll find in these airplanes, including engine controls, switches, flight controls and flight instruments.

“NORDO” – 5 tips for avoiding loss of communication

“NORDO” is a term defined in FAA Order 7110.65 (a.k.a. Air…

CFI Tips: Partial Panel Flying

In this latest installment of CFI Tips, Sporty's Academy CFI,…

Video tip: How to fly a Slow Roll with Patty Wagstaff

Join Patty in a segment from Sporty's Basic Aerobatics Course and see how much fun flying inverted can be, as she demonstrates how to fly a slow roll in a Super Decathlon over the beaches of St. Augustine.

Quiz: ADS-B Rules and Regulations

Since the ADS-B mandate took full effect in 2020 there still…

Video: pulling over 7 G’s in a turboprop trainer

Did you know that one of the most advanced military trainers today has a propeller out front? The Pilatus PC-21 can fly up to 320 knots at low altitude, and is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine. In this video, you'll ride along for a takeoff in the PC-21, complete with a 7.5-G pull-up into a vertical climb and a few rolls. Not your average single engine airplane.