Stopwatch

[Lister Noble]

I am about to buy a stopwatch.
My CFI said not to but one of the "1 jewel Russion ones" as they don't last very long.
I don't want a big wristwatch and anyway it isn't really suitable for cockpit use.
I can get a digital one locally for £10 + and fix to the clip board with Velcro,I prefer an electronic digital one as it will be more robust.
What do others use?
Lister:D

[Mark 1]

About a fiver in Maplin's.
It'll do the job fine.

[dwshimoda]

I bought a standard style stopwatch and holder that attached to my kneeboard. However, I found that during the high workload phase of instrument approaches, I was struggling to distinguish quickly between the minutes. I then bought a large scale LCD digital stopwatch, and there is absolutely no confusion for me now.

I'm sure it will come down to personal preference, but I defintiely prefer digital! (It also doubles as a backup watch for telling the time should anything happen to my wristwatch!)

DW

[High Wing Drifter]

I bought one of those cheap Russian efforts and it is not bad at all. You need to give the button a good press and it is very tactile meaning that you know when you haven't pessed it properly. I actually have only ever used it for timed turns, I do all my navigation timing with my sooper-dooper free with Pilot subscripiton wrist watch. However, even for timed turns, I actually prefer the digital EFT function on the Bendix King ADFs (if it is present).

[EGBKFLYER]

Always used a wristwatch or the ADF as described above, even for IR. Still don't own a stopwatch.

[Lister Noble]

Thank for the replies.
I wear gloves so the wristwatch option is tricky and awkward,I've tried it with my normal watch(es)
Into Diss tomorrow for a digital one.
Lister

[IO540]

If buying a stopwatch for aviation use, one of the things to watch for is that the 'minutes' dial on the stopwatch function runs to 30 not 60 minutes. The standard 60-minute dials which are found on all the show-off stopwatches have divisions that are too small to see.

[Lister Noble]

Another reason for a large digit digital one
Lister

[stiknruda]

Lister,

Managed to deliver the camouflaged biplane to a Lincs airbase last weekend with only a map, compass and a wrist watch worn outside a glove.

You could have come along and frozen, too, had I thought about it!

Stik

[Lister Noble]

Stik,
Saw Bob over the w/e and he said it had gone ,I would have come had I known.
I flew all last winter in a Moth with Alan,some days we were frozen after just 45 mins but often it was OK.
I now have a black fabric motorbike jacket with 2 zips and zipped inner lining,I took all the body armour out and it is brilliant combined with lots of layers and lightweight thermal undergear.
Were you over here this afternoon mob handed?
Lister
:D

[soay]

I fell for one of those " Designed by pilots for pilots" Digital Flight Timers (http://www.transair.co.uk/product4.asp?SID=2&Product_ID=1310). You just have to breath on it to start something, and it has the most feeble beeper when whatever it is that you accidentally triggered goes off! It's no more use than a large digit kitchen timer - which would be a lot cheaper and possibly audible in a cockpit.

[Lister Noble]

Have bought a Lorus digital stopwatch £14.99, with a large display area,very clear and simple to use with a backlight when required
Have fabricated a little ali bracket that fits to kneeboard with a butterfly nut and bolt ,and the stopwatch fixes to the bracket with Velcro.
Look very professional and can't wait to try it out.
Lister:D

[High Wing Drifter]

fell for one of those " Designed by pilots for pilots" Digital Flight Timers.
Too many twiddly bits, a dead giveaway. Talking of twiddly bits, some of those so called "aviation watches" like Brietlings, etc, look totally and utterly unreadable. I was gawping at one in Moorgate a while back. They look fab, but what's all them dials and knobs for?

[funfly]

After using a digital one I now use the 'old fashioned' stopwatch clipped to the board. In a timed rate 1 turn or in a holding pattern I find it easier to relate to the passage of time with a moving second-hand than with changing numbers.
Just my own preference.
Perhaps you can get a 'second hand' one:yuk:

[J.A.F.O.]

In the aeroplane I fly you're better off with a calendar.

[RodgerF]

If you are going to use an 'old-fashioned' stop watch get one with a button that resets to zero without stopping the watch. Reduces the workload in the hold.

[tmmorris]

Agree with RodgerF - Transair do a good one. Ironically I broke my previous (Russian) one by dropping it, before it wore out...!

Tim

[sunday driver]

Funfly has a point, but does it depend on what you're using it for?

If your using it for time of flight / DR then IMHO digital or analogue are both OK.

If you're doing IMC holds, surely it's quicker to eyeball the VOR / analogue watch combination ?

With a digital readout, do the extra processes to identify the numbers and translate them into remaining time add significant extra work?

SD

[High Wing Drifter]

With a digital readout, do the extra processes to identify the numbers and translate them into remaining time add significant extra work?
Most definately when you're timing things to the nearest second; as in holds and turns.

[Flyin'Dutch']

quote:
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With a digital readout, do the extra processes to identify the numbers and translate them into remaining time add significant extra work?
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Most definately when you're timing things to the nearest second; as in holds and turns.


Yup, only sky gods need apply!

:}

Come on guys, brain surgery it ain't! Are we taking this all a bit too serious?

[High Wing Drifter]

Come on guys, brain surgery it ain't! Are we taking this all a bit too serious?
I haven't even got started.

[Rickford]

A stop watch you can interpret QUICKLY & ACCURATELY and then not confuse when you reset!

If you want a clock work watch buyt the expensive one they are all the samre for seconds but reading the minutes cannot also be important. Simple electronic watches are accurate but have to many functions and you you doin't want to be starting the the NDB hold discovering you are trying to set the time.

Salters make some quite good kitchin timers that do all you need for IR.

But then if you are doing IR/IMC you already have a timer in the ac so why not use it. Might not be in direct line of sight but the battery doesn't go flat

[funfly]

Sunday Driver.
You're the first person ever in pprune to agree with me. I must be loosing my touch :hmm:

[Lister Noble]

I used the digital one for flying today and it was excellent.
Easy to read and reset.
Lister:D

[englishal]

Buy a cheapo egg timer type stop watch. The one I've got has buttons from 0-9 so if you dial in the time and press start it counts down. If you just press start it counts up.

Useful for timing the approach, dial in the time during the brief, press start at FAF, then when the alarm goes off, go missed.....

Only cost a couple of quid.