Video: Building confidence with aerobatics

Aerobatics might bring to mind 8G turns and flat spins, but most aerobatic flying is much smoother and more fun than that. In this video, you'll ride along with a new student pilot as she experiences loops and rolls in an RV, and even flies some herself. As she discovers, aerobatic flying doesn't have to be scary - it can actually build confidence and skills that make you a better pilot when you're straight and level.

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Video: Landing where nobody has before

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Not all airplanes need a runway to land, as this incredible video shows. Ride along with Trent Palmer in his experimental taildragger as he creates his own landing strip on a ridge in northern Nevada. While you shouldn't try this in your Cherokee, it does show the freedom and excitement that comes with a Private Pilot certificate.

Video: Grass runway on Martha’s Vineyard

Flying to an airport restaurant for a "$100 hamburger" is a popular way for pilots to use their certificate and have some fun. This video shows one of the best spots in America for such a flight - Katama Airpark on Martha's Vineyard. Fly along with Matt Guthmiller in a Beechcraft Bonanza as he tours the coastal scenery, lands on the 50 ft. wide grass runway, and parks next to the historic restaurant. Yet another trip that's only possible in a light airplane.

The first and last time I skipped the preflight checklist

"Lunken tower, this is Cessna Eight Eight Uniform, our windshield is covered with oil, we're returning for immediate landing." I'll never forget making that radio call 14 years ago, and today I can still visualize the oil-soaked windshield as vividly as the day it happened. Even more memorable is how one small, easily-preventable oversight led to this in-flight emergency.

Video: F-16 airshow at Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is one of the world's largest fly-ins, but what makes it so special is the wide variety of airplanes on display. You'll see everything from single seat homebuilts to the latest jets, and that includes the airshow. In this incredible video, you'll ride along in an F-16 for a thrilling aerobatic routine that begins on takeoff. The video finishes with a heritage flight, when the F-16 and a P-51 Mustang fly in close formation.

Video: Boeing 777 landing at LAX

For many student pilots, their ultimate idea of fun flying is a job at an airline. Being an airline pilot has its ups and downs, but one thing never gets old: the incredible views from the cockpit. In this week's video, ride along with an Air France crew as they descend into Los Angeles and land at the busy LAX airport at night. You'll see everything from the cockpit flows to the stunning lights of the LA basin, plus hear the ATC communications.

Video: STOL drag racing in the high desert

You may have heard of STOL competitions - where pilots in bush planes show off their Short TakeOff and Landing skills. The unique High Sierra Fly In, which takes place on a dry lake bed in Nevada is like that, but with a twist. The organizers call it STOL Drag racing, and it looks like one of the more interesting aviation gatherings of the year.

Hands-on with Sporty’s new 2018 Learn to Fly Course

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Sporty's has introduced some major upgrades to its award-winning Learn to Fly Course, including an all-new iOS app, new video segments, CFI tracking, and much more. Here's a look at all the new features.

Video: intro to aerobatics

Aerobatics isn't always about custom-built airplanes and big airshows. As this video shows, regular pilots can fly basic aerobatic maneuvers in affordable general aviation airplanes with the right training. Ride along here for a series of loops, hammerheads, and barrel rolls in a Robin R2160. It's fun flying, but it's also great for developing stick and rudder skills.