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Doug Ranly

An avgeek's guide to pre-gaming for AirVenture

AirVenture, held annually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is the world's largest aviation celebration and is often considered a must-attend event for pilots from all backgrounds. Whether you're a seasoned aviator or just starting your journey in the world of aviation, Airventure is the place to be in late July. If you are like me, the weeks preceding Oshkosh seem to drag on forever. While we can’t alter the space-time continuum to get AirVenture here sooner, we can embrace our inner avgeek to fully immerse ourselves in pre-KOSH activities. Here are five things you can do to get your KOSH fix pre-AirVenture. 

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Posted in PIREPs

Pilot's guide to portable oxygen systems

Oxygen systems are only for turbocharged airplanes and flights above 12,500 feet, right? Wrong. Even pilots of normally aspirated airplanes will find plenty of uses for a good portable system, from increasing passenger comfort to flying safer at night. Here's our advice for when to use oxygen and how to choose the right system.

 

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Posted in PIREPs

Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset - hands-on review

Lightspeed Aviation is known for thinking outside the box when it comes to headset innovation, and their latest product continues that tradition. The new Delta Zulu headset incorporates their best ANR technology ever, but this platform can do more than traditional aviation headsets. Everything from the ANR box to the integrated CO detector has been reengineered for maximum efficiency in the cockpit. As always, Sporty’s team of expert pilots took the new Delta Zulu for a bunch of test flights. Here's what we found.

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Posted in PIREPs and Headsets

Five essential products for instrument flying

Flying IFR can be stressful for some pilots. For many of us, the IFR muscle is one that we don’t exercise too often. But just like in any stressful activity, having the right gear can help alleviate some of the pressure. These are the five items that I don’t get an IFR clearance without. 

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Posted in PIREPs

Adapting a LEMO panel-powered headset for use in a PJ plug aircraft

Panel-powered headsets (often called LEMO plug headsets, after the connector used) are a great way to enjoy active noise reduction but without having to worry about batteries—just plug into the panel and go flying. But what if you want to use the headsets outside of a LEMO environment? If you're flying in a plane that doesn't have a LEMO plug, you will need an adapter that could not only go from LEMO to PJ plugs, but also provide power for your ANR. Here's how it works.

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Posted in PIREPs and Headsets

What the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) say about using oxygen

The FAA spells out when oxygen is required in FAR Part 91.211. It's important to review this rule and understand the law, but many pilots need oxygen below the altitudes specified there—especially at night. Do you or your passengers always arrive tired or with a headache? It’s probably because of mild hypoxia. Spending a few hours at 10,000 feet is often enough to cause significant discomfort. 

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Posted in PIREPs

Garmin D2 Mach 1 Smartwatch - Long Term Pilot Report

Garmin is well known in the fitness world for creating high end smartwatches that can track all your activities. Biking, hiking, swimming, running, gym workouts… if you can move, a Garmin watch can track it. Of course there's another activity that can be tracked, and it's very close to our hearts: flying. Garmin's line of D2 pilot watches includes all the fitness features you'd expect, plus powerful aviation tools like built-in GPS and a pulse oximeter. I’ve had the pleasure of using the Garmin D2 Mach 1 every day for the last few months. There are many things I love and a few things I’m not too fond of—here's my pilot report.

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Posted in PIREPs

How to maximize the life of your aviation headset

Aviation headsets can be a sizable investment for pilots. Plopping down over a thousand dollars for something that will protect your hearing is a common practice for modern pilots (and a smart choice). After spending that hard-earned money on a headset, what can we do to make sure we get the most life out of our investment? Here are four things you can do to maximize the performance of your Bose, Lightspeed, or David Clark.

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Posted in Headsets

Top 5 ASA Gifts for Pilots

Sporty’s Pilot Shop is proud to offer high-quality gear from ASA. Aviation Supplies and Academics (ASA) manufactures plotters, E6Bs, logbooks, kneeboards, and is a leading publisher of aviation books. With such a vast product range, there is sure to be a gift for the aviator on your list. Here are the top 5 ASA gifts for pilots. 

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Posted in PIREPs