Hal Shevers, the founder and longtime owner of Sporty’s Pilot Shop, died Tuesday, according to company vice president Eric Radtke. He was 90.
Shevers retired from Sporty’s in 2024 after 63 years.
Sporty’s Pilot Shop Founder Dead at 90
Hal Shevers leaves behind more than 60 years of aviation education and innovation and community service.
![Hal Shevers [Credit: Sporty's Pilot Shop]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-12.30.38-PM.png)
Key Takeaways:
- Hal Shevers, founder of Sporty's Pilot Shop, passed away at 90, leaving a 63-year legacy in aviation retail and education.
- He pioneered aviation mail-order catalogs and remote ground schools, building Sporty's from selling radios out of his car into a leading pilot supply company known for rigorously tested products.
- Shevers was a driving force in the aviation community, transforming Clermont County Airport into an economic hub and accumulating over 10,000 flight hours and numerous instructor certificates.
- Beyond his entrepreneurial success, he was an ardent aviation educator, a NAFI Hall of Fame inductee, and a dedicated community service advocate.
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