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. New content, flexible app options, and smart study tools all combine to offer an unmatched training experience in Sporty’s 2021 course editions. And better yet, your training content is accessible anywhere, on any device.

For a single purchase, you gain access to all available formats: the online course, iPad/iPhone app, Android app, Apple TV and Roku TV apps at no additional cost. Once enrolled in the course, your access never expires and includes lifetime updates.

How can you gain the most from your investment in a Sporty’s course?

Video Training

Complete the core, video-based training from start to finish in the order in which it is presented. The video-based training will build a solid foundation and provide a valuable perspective for all of your future training. Don’t worry, Sporty’s courses do not include boring classroom lectures. You’ll be trained in a modern style with small, manageable training segments and engaging video shot in and around airplanes. Your video training is complemented with sophisticated graphics and animations.

When a topic has been viewed, it is noted with a green checkmark helping you recall where to resume your study and providing an easy-to-interpret snapshot of your progress. There will be some topics you may choose to review depending on how well you’ve comprehended the information. You can search for a topic at any time with the new search tool, to find specific videos based on the video script and keywords.

Many of the video training segments include on-screen quizzes and review notes to further assess your progress. To learn more about any question, press the Play Explanation button and the course will jump right to the spot in the video training that covers that specific topic.

Each video segment includes review notes which summarize key learning points along with a full transcript to cater to diverse learning styles.

Flight Maneuvers Guide

As you prepare for each flight lesson, you’ll want to use the Flight Maneuvers component to study step-by-step instructions on how to complete each flight maneuver.Each maneuver, like takeoffs or ground reference maneuvers, includes text and animations so that you can view a complete maneuver in an artificial, 3D environment.

It’s important to review a plan with your instructor after each flight lesson to know what maneuvers are planned for the next lesson and study them here first. You’ll find this extra preparation will pay off big time in the airplane, as you’ll know what to expect when flying each maneuver.

Test prep

With video training complete, transition to the dedicated test preparation module. Sporty’s test prep includes multiple modes of operation. Start in the Study Categories mode to select specific areas of study or choose a random mix of questions. Answering each question provides real-time feedback with detailed explanations and references. Question references link to the specific FAA resource for further review – learn the material, don’t rely on rote memory.

Be sure to mark questions that you don’t fully understand or that you want to review later. You’re able to create future study sessions based on incorrect or marked questions. There’s also a Smart Study session option, which will automatically generate a session that focuses on your weakest subject area – great for a quick study session without having to select any options.

After proceeding through each category at least once, the performance analysis charts will provide a clear indication of weak versus strong subjects so you may continue focusing on your lower-performing categories.

After strengthening any weak subject areas, transition to the test mode that will generate a random mix of questions to provide a simulated exam – just like the real thing. After grading a session, you’ll have the option to begin a new test based on only those questions answered incorrectly.

Further testing on deficient areas will help maximize your performance. The completion of at least two tests with a minimum score of 80% are required to earn the written exam endorsement. When you’ve completed the course and received your written test endorsement, you can log it in your ForeFlight digital logbook – complete with instructor signature.

FAA Handbooks and Resources

Your course includes access to all the digital FAA books, like the Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. Each book is presented in a full-featured digital reader, complete with annotation and bookmarking features. We’d suggest referencing these on an as-need basis when you’d like to learn more on a particular topic when progressing through the video training or studying FAA test prep questions.

When you’re looking for information on flight maneuvers, like slow flight or landings, check out the Airplane Flying Handbook. For more technical subjects, like weather or airplane systems, you’ll want to reference the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (this is a great reference when you want to learn more about a specific test prep question). The digital reader interface includes a search function, making it easy to jump right to any section based on keywords.

You’ll also find Sporty’s Training Course Outline (TCO) in the Resources section of the course. This is a detailed flight training syllabus to serve as a bridge between your online training and the training with your instructor, to provide structure for your training. And the Interactive Airman Certification Standards (ACS) is the FAA’s outline of all the knowledge and skill areas you need to know regarding the certificate you are pursuing. It’s even cross-referenced to the appropriate video training segment within Sporty’s course.

CFI Sharing and CloudAhoy

Along the way, you have the option to share your learning progress with your CFI. Once you’ve granted access, your instructor will see your video training progress and your practice test sessions. He will also have the option to view how you answered each question so that he may provide further guidance in your study.

After transitioning to the airplane you can connect your CloudAhoy account so any flights logged with CloudAhoy will sync, including a listing of each flight maneuver from the lesson.

Checkride Prep

The final phase of studying in the course takes place in the Checkride Prep. First watch the FAA Checkride Tips and Tricks video segment, presented by an FAA-designated examiner, to learn what the expectations are on the checkride. You can then use the Checkride Prep Flashcards to review a comprehensive set of questions that may be asked of you in the oral portion of the checkride.

FREE demo

A FREE demonstration of each course component is available at www.sportys.com/demo.

Download the Pilot Training app for iPhone/iPad here.

Download the Pilot Training app for Android here.

New for 2021

• New content – ATC Flight Following, cross-country flight planning with iPad, ForeFlight weather briefing and dozens of smaller updates include the latest technology and FAA regulation changes
• New online platform
• Video transcripts
• Test prep question search
• Microsoft Flight Simulator lessons
• Upload your own documents
• Lifetime updates

 

Traffic pattern entries, especially at non-towered airports, can be confusing and even chaotic without a proper plan. Sporty’s CFI, Charlie Dietz, discusses strategies to help execute a safe and appropriate traffic pattern entry.