User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:19:36 PM EDT
My brother-in-law's birthday is soon, and I need to pick up something for him. He's a good guy, takes good care of my sister and nephew, and has been shooting with me a couple of times. He's about to graduate from a civilian aviation college, and already has his private pilot's liscense. The last couple of Christmases I've gotten him boxed DVD sets from his favorite shows, but I don't want to rehash that again if I can help it. I don't have the money for a kickass bomber jacket or anything expensive. I thought about a model kit of the plane he is currently training in, as a way to remember the first plane he ever flew, but I don't want to give him something he'd have to spend hours putting together himself. Any ideas? KA3B and Planewrench, I'm looking in your direction. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:20:41 PM EDT
[#1]
How bout a Garmin GPS?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:21:23 PM EDT
[#2]
http://www.flywings.com/catalog.htm
They have some neat stuff, and ship very quickly. Go to Desktop Models, they have 300 aircraft available. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:21:50 PM EDT
[#3]
Surefire Aviator.
..... or some kind of Multi-Tool (Gerber / Leatherman etc.) ..... Victorinox Swiss Knife. The smaller ones can be practical and cheap. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:22:11 PM EDT
[#4]
hmmm...A Pilot...he must like to drink....Buy him some Makers Mark whiskey.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:30:12 PM EDT
[#5]
+1 |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:41:34 PM EDT
[#6]
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:43:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Well it aint a big gift but get him Where in the World is Joe Merchant by Jimmy Buffet....
Absolutely great book...has alot about flying seaplanes in and around the Keys...Banana Wind would be a good complementary CD. Yes, I know Jimmy is a lib....but he has some really good stuff. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:44:53 PM EDT
[#8]
Surefire A2 Aviator with Red LED's
Best gift I ever got as a pilot. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 6:50:07 PM EDT
[#9]
Consider the green A2 Aviator. -you can see the hyd fluid leaking out of your brake lines during preflight -easier to read the charts -compatible with NVGs (should you ever use them) I have a green one. Matt |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 7:00:14 PM EDT
[#10]
Hello, checking in. A professional pilot will secretly cringe at any poser type gifts (believe me this has caused more than one marital spat). Even what you think is a kick ass bomber jacket will get hung in the back of the closet. The flashlight (of exceeding quality) or a multi-tool (again of exceeding quality will say "you know what you are doing and deserve the best". Gift certificates to Sportys are good too so he can buy what he really needs (usually charts or other little trinkets that you would not think of). Thats all I can add unless you hear through the grape vine about some unique thing he really wants. Planerench out. (Big ass watches are a no, no. Only poser flight instructor types wear those until they learn that everyone else is laughing at them behind their backs.)
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 7:03:34 PM EDT
[#11]
+1 on the sportys gift certificate.
Wait... one... minute... He is a pilot in training? In this aviation job market? Food man, buy him food! 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/11/2006 7:15:37 PM EDT
[#12]
Oh god, whenever I see an ad for those huge "pilot watches" I think "Who in the world would EVER use this in an airplane?" |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 5:55:42 AM EDT
[#13]
I also have the green one. I lost my red one. Bought the green, and then found my red one. Now i've got two wonderful flashlights. +1 on being able to read the charts better. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 5:59:05 AM EDT
[#14]
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 6:19:36 AM EDT
[#15]
You can wear them………..just make sure you review your Weight and Balance!  Quib “Scouts-Out!” |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 6:32:25 AM EDT
[#16]
Not a big watch, but is a pilot type watch is a military issue GG-113. They can be found fairly easy on the Internet for about $190. The Smithsonian Store sell a Benrus reproduction one here for $130. Or if you look at the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Watch, it's pretty much the same thing and will run $200-$300 for a slighlty larger 38mm or 42mm sized version.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 6:37:19 AM EDT
[#17]
Something like this is not too expensive, and handy in the cockpit on long trips:
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 8:17:00 AM EDT
[#18]
Thanks for the info guys, I think I'm going to go with the Sportys gift certificate. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 6:38:16 PM EDT
[#19]
Where can one buy one of those old Benrus watches? |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 7:41:38 PM EDT
[#20]
 Yeah, when I was a student pilot I must have gotten one of everything out of the Sporty's catalog. I bought their large flight bag (and filled it) and thought I needed all that shit every time I went up. How my flight instructor put up with me I'll never know. 90% of it I never use - fucking METAR decoder wheel, probably 5 different kneeboards, E6B's, various styles of plotters - all kinds of gay shit. After I flew a few 1200 mile cross country flights (most at night), I realized I need only a few things: Charts Pencil Small notepad Shitload of flashlights A GOOD headset Good sunglasses Of course, I wasn't one of those dorks who buy a flight suit and all kinds of military-type shit (yes, they exist, you can read about it on flightinfo). |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 7:44:12 PM EDT
[#21]
Being a minimalist in the cockpit is a good thing.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 7:45:56 PM EDT
[#22]
Visit the Sporty's website. They have anything you will ever need for pilots. They usually have next day shipping if you are not too far. Plus each purchass registers him in the sweepstakes to win a new Airplane.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 7:48:14 PM EDT
[#23]
My father who spent twenty years driving Army rotary wing vehicles, wore a crappy little ISGI Timex watches that he had to wind every day, his flashlight was a USGI gooseneck with the red lens. He has aways been hard to buy for, I guess when your job is driving gunships, what more could you want? ETA: I just remembered one gift I got him that he used, still uses to this day as a matter of fact. One year for christmas I bought him a set of Ray-Ban Aviators with the yellow tint, he really seems to like them. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 7:53:08 PM EDT
[#24]
For a reasonably priced gift check out
http://www.onesixright.com/ One Six Right - The Romance of Flying just released within the last few months It is a DVD supposed to have really neat flight footage and music Edited to add as a private pilot I would love to have some time in a Pitts or any acro plan actually. FYI my birthday is in February
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 8:14:09 PM EDT
[#25]
Pete, I can say that in winter, a nice set of .mil flyin gloves kick serious ass. Sometime those heaters don't work too well.
But yeah, my normal gear for x-c is headset sunglasses writing utensil applicable charts knee board plotter flashlight calculator(yeah, I know, not essential, but hey, I am an engineer.)  bottle of water ps. A pet peeve of mine is holding a flashlight while flying. I found a really handy light that is made for military helicopter pilots. It is tiny, has bright green LEDs, and mounts on your boom mic on the headset. What is really cool about it is that can be operated completely hands off! |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 8:24:11 PM EDT
[#26]
I have a neat little one, I am actually fiddling with it as I browse Arfcom. It's made by "CMG Infinity", runs on one AA cell, and has a neck lanyard. Hanging around my neck, it works great for charts and actually lights up the panel quite well (one red LED). The way the tail end is made, I can stick it in my mouth, biting down on it, to use for looking more closely at something specific. The best part is this - TWO YEARS ago, I put a "dead" AA battery from a mini-maglite in it, and I use it to read in bed at night. That battery is still running strong. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/12/2006 8:29:47 PM EDT
[#27]
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/13/2006 1:30:20 AM EDT
[#28]
For an original just have to look around. Hit a few watch bopards like Equation of Time or the Poor Mans Watch Forum. The One sold by the Smithsonian is a Benrus, it's mechanical (you have to wind it) and is supposed to eb exactly like the old ones. The price isn't too bad either at $130, it's just not a "real" military issued one. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/13/2006 2:26:11 AM EDT
[#29]
I got one of these knee boards for my dad when he was flying.
 from London bridge trading. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/13/2006 3:49:44 AM EDT
[#30]
i bought one of those watches from the smitsonian. Kinda neat but the band is a little the smallish side. Its about bout the same size as a casio g-shock band. |
||
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
