It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed. Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including FlightTrainingCentral.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.
Flight bags are like logbooks—every pilot has one, and every pilot has opinions about them. After years of using the original Flight Gear bags, I was curious (and a little skeptical) when I heard Sporty’s had completely redesigned the line. But after flying with a few of the new models over the past month, I can confidently say this is more than a refresh—it’s a total reimagination.
Scheduling your FAA knowledge test is an exciting step toward achieving your goals, but navigating the process can feel overwhelming if you’re unsure where to begin. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) partners with PSI Services to administer these exams, offering flexible scheduling options at numerous locations. Whether you’re taking the Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) exam […]
It’s important for pilots to understand the operating requirements and restrictions regarding Special Use airspace (SUA). SUA consists of Prohibited, Restricted, Warning, Military Operation, Alert, and Controlled Firing Areas. All SUA is depicted on aeronautical charts, except for controlled firing areas (CFA), temporary military operations areas (MOA), and temporary restricted areas.
If you’ve earned your instrument rating—or you’re working on it—you know the book knowledge is just the beginning. The real learning begins when you start flying IFR in the system, dealing with fast-changing weather, cryptic ATC instructions, and split-second decisions. That’s where IFR Focus comes in.
In response to a troubling rise in surface safety incidents, the FAA Safety Team recently issued a call to action for all general and business aviation pilots, emphasizing the importance of familiarization with your destination airport. The goal: zero serious close calls on the ground and in the air.
Flying isn’t just about getting from A to B—it’s about discovery, challenge, and the freedom to explore the world from a unique perspective. With that in mind, Sporty’s created a digital guide and ForeFlight content pack that highlights 50 unforgettable flying destinations across the United States.
The FAA recently released its 2024 written testing statistics, and the results offer a look at how pilots are performing across the country. Whether you’re studying for your Private, Instrument, or Commercial, these numbers can help you benchmark your own performance.
Talking on the radio can be one of the most intimidating parts of flight training. Whether it’s your first solo or a cross-country to unfamiliar airspace, clear communication with Air Traffic Control is essential for safety and efficiency—but also a skill that takes practice. The good news? Most of the issues student pilots run into are both common and easily corrected.
Concentrated obstructions of wind turbine farms are portrayed by an overlying hatched area and dotted outline to represent the approximate parameters of the farm. One or more single turbine symbols will populate the farm. A boxed elevation figure representing the MSL elevation of the highest wind turbine within the area is placed inside the farm or, if space is limited, just outside.
The FAA has announced the next step in its ongoing effort to modernize aviation weather products by further transitioning from traditional area forecasts (FAs) to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) tool. This change, detailed in an Information for Operators (InFO 25004) dated April 8, 2025, reflects the FAA’s strategy to provide pilots with more accurate, accessible, and visual weather information.
