A half-century training legacy Sporty’s Pilot Shop marks its fiftieth anniversay STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE COLLINS Plus— See a Sporty’s order go from website to shipment. Sporty’s Pilot Shop founder Hal Shevers and his wife, Sandy, in the bustling warehouse. 1988 2007 Shevers named honorary chairman of AOPA Foundation Legacy Society 2008 Hal Shevers starts selling pilot supplies—from the trunk of his car 1961 Sporty’s computerizes 1982 First training courses released on VHS tapes Moves across the airport to current facility Weekly fly-in at Sporty’s serves 150,000th hot dog 1986 Sporty’s Academy founded 1990 Courses released on DVD 2001 Mobile courses launched 2010 1960 1965 1970 1973 1975 1980 1985 Awards first sweepstakes airplane 1990 Begins selling AOPA-branded merchandise 1995 2000 Shevers named to AOPA Air Safety Institute Board of Visitors 2005 Sporty’s Foundation launched 2010 Partners with EAA Young Eagles in Next Step program First catalog published 1963 Moves from Cincinnati’s Lunken Airport to Clermont County Airport in Batavia, Ohio 1985 1987 2002 2007 2008 AOPA PILOT • 67 • APRIL 2011