As Sporty’s lead aviation course and video producer, Bret is usually flying an interesting airplane, and often with a camera rolling. He oversees the development, production and distribution of over 30 aviation courses from Sporty's, including the Private Pilot Learn to Fly Course. He is a flight instructor and check airman at the Sporty's Academy flight school and a senior captain on a Cessna Citation.
Welcome to the latest edition of the Flight Maneuver Spotlight series. Here we’ll highlight the various maneuvers you’ll practice during your flight training and be expected to demonstrate during your private pilot checkride. Each maneuver is part of Sporty’s 2023 Learn to Fly Course and includes a narrated video animation, along with step-by-step instructions.
The soft-field takeoff technique will be required when departing from runway surfaces made of grass or dirt and will allow you to keep as much weight off the nose wheel as possible during the takeoff roll.
Instrument approaches are designed to guide pilots to the runway in IFR conditions when the visibility and/or ceilings are low. In this video, we’ll review the different types of instrument approaches and the information you’ll find in each section of an instrument approach chart.
Sporty’s courses are the ideal pilot training companion – everything you need to prepare for your written test and earn your certificate or rating, with ground school, test prep, and real-world training all in one easy-to-use system. Students enrolled in Sporty’s courses enjoy free lifetime updates to both content and features available across all online, mobile app and TV platforms. Here’s a quick rundown covering the latest set of updates added this month.
Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course isn’t just for independent studying; a comprehensive CFI portal connects instructors with their students’ at-home study sessions, making the flight training process more organized and efficient. This suite of tools includes lesson plans, a flight instructor refresher course, and access to Sporty’s award-winning pilot training courses. Best of all, every feature is available free to any active flight instructor.
Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course is used by tens of thousands of pilots every year and are famous for a relentless pace of innovation; every year, we add new content, new training tools, and new platforms. This year is no exception, with a number of significant upgrades that make training more engaging and more efficient. Here’s a look at some highlights.
Taking the time to thoroughly brief the weather before every flight will significantly decrease the odds that you’ll inadvertently fly into instrument conditions as a VFR pilot. This week’s tip takes a look at the actions to take though if you do stumble into the clouds or an area of reduced visibility, to help you safely return to VFR conditions.
You’ll find a “how-to” manual on every airplane that describes how to operate that particular model, called the pilot’s operating handbook, or POH. This week’s tip takes a look at the information contained in the POH, along with the differences between the version that must be kept on the airplane and the one sold off the shelf at the local pilot shop.
You’ll need to modify your takeoff and landing procedures when operating from shorter runways to obtain the maximum performance from the airplane. These techniques will allow you to shorten the ground roll and also provide additional clearance over obstacles if they are present near the runway.
The magnetic compass is the only “self-powered”, north-seeking instrument in the panel and you’ll find one in just about every airplane. It’s not a perfect instrument though and has some inherent errors due to its design and construction. This week’s tip takes a look at when you’re most likely to experience these errors and how to compensate for them should you ever need to rely on the compass for primary navigation guidance.
Sign up for our FREE email newsletter. Twice a month our team of flight instructors shares advice and video tips to help you become a safer pilot.