What's New in Sporty's 2026 Learn to Fly Course
Published by:
Matt Wilkins
Published on:
Updated on:
Read time:
6 min read
Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course has expanded for 2026 with new video lessons, real-world flight training demonstrations, updated knowledge-test preparation, and more ways to prepare for the Private Pilot checkride. Every addition is included with the course’s lifetime access, so current students can use the new material without purchasing an upgrade.
The 2026 update covers the full training journey: foundational maneuvers, takeoffs, cross-country flying, instructor-led cockpit demonstrations, FAA test prep, AI-assisted oral-exam practice, and a new physical flashcard set. Here is a closer look at what is new and where to find it in the course.
New Content in Your 2026 Learn to Fly Course
Thank you for choosing Sporty’s as your training partner as you progress toward your Private Pilot certificate. We’re always adding new content and features to your course to ensure you have the most up-to-date study material. Best of all, these updates are always free and included with your lifetime access to the course.
New Flight Training Lessons
We’re committed to providing both the best ground school and flight lesson training content possible to not only prepare you for the tests but to make you a well-rounded pilot after the checkride.
In Chapter 1, you’ll find two new lessons in stunning 4K video covering the Four Fundamentals of Flight:
Four Fundamentals Part 1 - Turns
Four Fundamentals Part 2 - Straight & Level, Climbs and Descents
We also updated the two Air Facts sections with real-world training on the same topics:
Air Facts: Pitching and Turning
Air Facts: The Proper Attitude
Then check out our new Takeoff lesson which uses the latest in 4K video, aerial videography, and detailed in-cockpit footage. You’ll learn how to use the REACT memory checklist to guarantee a smooth departure every time.
Lastly, check out the two new lessons covering Ground Reference Maneuvers. These incorporate sophisticated in-flight footage to show you how to effectively fly ground patterns in stronger winds:
S-Turns and Turns Around a Point
NEW Cross-Country Flight Lesson
We’re excited to introduce an all-new lesson covering how to fly a cross-country trip between 3 airports in a Cessna 172. This puts into practice what you learned in the earlier Flight Planning lessons and demonstrates how to complete the trip using pilotage, dead reckoning and GPS navigation. You’ll also learn modern skills, such as how to best use the digital charts on your iPad, and other technology like ADS-B and autopilots.
New Flight Instructor Focus Segments
The new Flight Instructor Focus segments puts you in the cockpit with a CFI who demonstrates each maneuver step-by-step, highlights common errors, and shares practical tips for checkride success. Here are the lessons added this year:
Private Pilot Test Prep Updates
The FAA is continuously adding new questions to the Private Pilot Knowledge Test and we want to make sure you’re prepared. We’ve added 40 new questions this year covering the new topics you’re likely to see on the actual test.
View the August 2026 Test Prep Update
View the June 2026 Test Prep Update
View the February 2026 Test Prep Update
Explore New Study Modes in ChatDPE
Sporty’s Aviation Intelligence℠ features continue to get smarter this year. We encourage you to use ChatCFI throughout your training to answer your toughest aviation questions along the way.
Then, when it comes time to prep for the checkride, check out ChatDPE to simulate the experience of the oral exam with our AI examiner. This feature was recently expanded with four new modes to challenge your aviation knowledge:
- Study Mode - Review checkride questions with each answer provided.
- Practice Mode - Work through answering checkride questions with a CFI coach.
- Checkride (Easy) - Take a simulated checkride with coaching from the examiner.
- Checkride (Hard) - You must provide a complete and correct answer on the first try!
NEW Private Pilot Checkride Prep Flashcards
If you’d prefer to study for the checkride the old-fashioned way, we’ve developed new Checkride Prep Flashcards. This set of 320 cards includes a comprehensive set of questions and answers that will come up during the oral portion of your checkride, organized by category.
Help Us Improve Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course for Future Pilots
Have you already completed the course? In an effort to ensure Sporty’s courses contain the best test preparation tools and resources for future pilots, we’d like to hear your feedback on your preparation level for the knowledge test and if you saw questions or topics that were not a part of Sporty’s test prep.
