Video tip: How to handle crosswinds during takeoff

When planning for takeoff, it's best to choose a runway at the departure airport that is most aligned with the wind. Unfortunately, the winds rarely blow right down the runway, so you must learn how to accomplish takeoffs and landings under crosswind conditions. This week's tip looks at the control inputs required and performance implications when performing a crosswind takeoff.

What does that airport sign mean? Take our interactive quiz for pilots

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All airports with ATC control towers in the U.S. (and some non-towered airports) use a standard set of pavement markings and elevated signs to guide pilots from the parking airport to the active runway. Test your knowledge of their location and meaning in this interactive exercise so that you’ll be well prepared on what to expect when taxiing at a large airport.

Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Find Your Flight School

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Thinking about learning to fly? Fall is a fantastic season to start planning your flight training journey. Cooler temperatures and calmer skies make for some of the most enjoyable flying conditions, and there’s no better time to explore your options.

How to avoid wake turbulence from large airplanes (video tip)

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A hazardous phenomenon that all pilots learn to avoid when operating at airports is wake turbulence. This invisible turbulence is caused by a pair of counterrotating vortices behind an airplane's wingtips, generated whenever a wing develops lift.

MOSAIC Rule Explained: New Sport Pilot Privileges and LSA Standards

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The 1320-pound limitation was removed from the definition of LSAs (July, 2026) and Sport Pilot eligible (October, 2025) aircraft. The new rule shifts to a performance-based standard for both LSAs and Sport Pilots, though the criteria for both are not the same.

Sporty’s Most Frequently Missed Test Questions—Summer 2025

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Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course generates thousands of simulated Private Pilot exams every month, giving us a clear picture of where students struggle most. The same problem areas keep surfacing: detailed regulations, subtle planning considerations, and complex weather scenarios. By spotlighting these questions, you’ll see exactly where others are making mistakes.

Video Tip: Steep Turns

Whether you’re just starting out or have logged hundreds of hours, mastering steep turns is all about precision, coordination, and feel. In our latest video tip, we break down practical strategies to help you fly steeper, smoother, and safer turns every time.

Flight Maneuver Spotlight: Normal Landings

All pilots look forward to learning how to master the approach and landing since it is one of the most dynamic moments of every flight. Follow along with our 3D flight maneuver video to see how it's done.

Webinar: Pilot Hiring Trends and Insights with James Onieal

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The pilot hiring landscape continues to evolve, and staying informed is essential for every career-minded aviator. Join us for a free webinar with James Onieal, a familiar name to Flight Training Central and IFR Focus readers, as he breaks down the latest trends in pilot recruitment.

Video Tip: Get a “Big Picture” Weather Briefing

Checking the weather is one of the few constants in aviation. All pilots do it, whether it’s a trip around the pattern in a Cub or a trip across the Atlantic in a Gulfstream. But merely getting a weather briefing isn’t enough; it has to be a good weather briefing to make the flight safer. So what exactly does a “good briefing” involve?