Shopping for a Flight Planning App? Start With How You Fly

John Zimmerman Joins the Smart Aviator Podcast to Talk Flight Planning Apps

ForeFlight remains the heavyweight in the EFB world, but with more capable options than ever—and subscription prices that make pilots pause—we’re hearing a familiar question: Should I stick with what I know, or is it time to look around?

That question was front and center on a recent episode of the Smart Aviator Podcast, hosted by Larry Anglisano of AvBrief. Larry sat down with Sporty’s President and CEO John Zimmerman, who also serves as an editor at iPad Pilot News, for a thoughtful discussion on how pilots should approach shopping for a flight planning app.

Rather than comparing features line by line, the conversation focused on something far more useful: how you actually fly. It’s the kind of discussion we value at iPad Pilot News: honest, practical insight that helps pilots make better decisions with the technology they rely on every flight.

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Eric Radtke

It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed. Eric now manages Sporty’s media network. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.

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