Video tip: How to determine the wind direction for takeoff and landing

When departing or approaching an airport, it's important that you choose a runway that allows you to takeoff or land into the wind. This week's tip looks at some common wind direction indicators found on the ground at many airports, along with how to use the radio to tune into automated weather reporting systems.

How to recover from an airplane spin, with Patty Wagstaff

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While spin training is only required for new flight instructor candidates, pilots of all skill levels should still know the steps and control inputs to recover from a spin. Join Patty Wagstaff in her Super Decathlon aerobatic airplane, as she first explains what an airplane spin is, and then the proper spin recovery steps to return to straight and level flight.

Video Tip: Steep turns in flight

Steep turns are one of those core pilot skills - whether you're a new student pilot or an experienced pro, being able to complete this maneuver safely and smoothly requires coordination and good "seat of the pants" flying. Learn some helpful tips for making better steep turns in our latest video tip.

How to brief the weather before an IFR flight (video tip)

The FAA encourages pilots to conduct a self-weather briefing before each flight and no longer considers a Flight Service phone briefing as the primary source for preflight weather. In this video, we'll highlight various sources of weather products you can use and how to ensure you always get a complete briefing.

Ride along on an IFR cross-country to Daytona Beach with Spencer Suderman

Have you ever wondered what it's like to plan and fly an IFR flight? Join Spencer Suderman as he does just that, on a flight from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach, FL. You'll learn about the entire process, starting with filing a flight plan in ForeFlight to retrieving an IFR clearance from ATC, en-route navigation, and how to fly the instrument approach at the destination.

RNAV/GPS Instrument Approach Tips – LPV, LNAV+V and more (video tip)

What is the difference between an LPV and LNAV approach? Do you have to adhere to the altitudes on stepdown fixes when flying the glideslope on an LNAV+V approach? And on what segments of an ILS approach can you use an IFR-approved GPS for primary navigation? Learn the answers to these questions and more in our latest IFR video tip.

Flying an instrument approach in the clouds with Spencer Suderman

Welcome to Sporty’s new IFR Insights Series, hosted by Spencer Suderman. Spencer is an airshow pilot and instrument flight instructor and will show what it's like to fly IFR cross-country trips and instrument approaches. In this first episode, Spencer flies an RNAV approach through rain showers and a low cloud layer into St. Augustine, FL, in a G1000-equipped Cessna 172.

IFR Flight Plans: What really matters to ATC (video tip)

Most of the information filed in an IFR flight plan is based on weather forecasts that are released well before your wheels ever leave the ground. Here's a look at what parts of the flight plan actually matter to ATC so that you know how to react if and when the weather conditions don't match the forecast.
aerodynamics

Video Tip: Aerodynamics of a Wing Stall

During your flight training you will practice stalling the airplane to better learn the low-speed handling characteristics of the airplane, and how to recover if an unintentional stall occurs. In this video tip we'll look at how the airflow changes over the wing as it nears the critical angle of attack and eventually stalls.

How to use ForeFlight to plan a cross-country flight around airspace (video tip)

There are many considerations when planning a VFR cross-country flight and a direct course between two airports isn't always an option. This week's tip takes a look at how to use the 2D and 3D planning tools in ForeFlight to evaluate both controlled and special-use airspace that might get in the way and how to choose the optimum route and altitude based on these variables.