Move over gauges, here comes the iPad

A mere 10 years ago, aircraft were still being manufactured with…

Ode to General Aviation

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Twas the day after Christmas and snow covered the land. We needed…

5 can’t miss stocking stuffers

For a pilot, working at Sporty’s can be compared to a daily…

First Solo, Again!

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Here at Sporty’s Academy, we love to celebrate the achievements of our students. One of our biggest celebrations comes when a student successfully completes his or her first solo. We really think that this is a big deal and we want the student to understand this as well! It has been many years since my first solo in an airplane. In fact, I’ll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of that event in a couple of years. Even with the intervening years, I can still remember my takeoff from Runway 29 at the Flagler County Airport in Florida. I don’t really remember the landing but I remember the takeoff. I looked out the side window after liftoff, watched the left main spin to a stop, and thought to myself, “Well, now you have to land it!”

Stop and smell the avgas

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We all set goals as pilots, whether it’s completing the first solo, earning a private pilot certificate or simply getting current again. There’s nothing wrong with that (in fact, I think it’s part of what makes flying so rewarding), but we need to be careful that the destination doesn’t overshadow the journey.

A pilot looks at 60

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Mother, Mother Ocean I have heard your call. Wanted to sail upon…

Giving Back to Aviation

You may know Sean D. Tucker as one of the best air show pilots in the business, but did you also know that he is the current Young Eagles Chairman? Sean has held this title since AirVenture 2013 when he took over from Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles. Only a few people have held this title over the years and Sean is as hard working as they come.

Flying Clubs

Flying clubs come in many shapes and sizes. What they have in common is a group of members interested in flying and in saving money on their flying activities.

Welcome to the Club – Now What

Five ways to celebrate getting your wings Aviators are a unique…

More Keeping Flying Fun

The last time I posted, we looked at flying just for fun and some of the fun things that you can do with your pilot certificate, now let's take a look at what I would call some of the "fun ratings" available to you. These are ratings on your pilot certificate that you may not use on a regular basis but are a lot of fun to pursue.