Pilot Wrist watches...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Midlands
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I own a Citizen Skyhawk. I have had it for many years and am very pleased with it. It is clear, the s/w works well and the power indicator removes the risk of it stopping unexpectedly.
Get the titanium version of you will need to do a new W & B just for the watch.
Rod1
Get the titanium version of you will need to do a new W & B just for the watch.
Rod1
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: 45 yards from a tropical beach
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A watch with a Tachymeter can be very useful. Many moons ago, when flying Shacks from Ice Station Kilo, when we came 'off task' over northern waters, I would use the Tachymeter to measure groundspeed, using the Saxa Vord Tacan. I would then calculate ETA ISK and tell it to the crew. It was always very accurate, much to the consternation of our two, very senior, Navigators.
One night in the bar, post-flight, they asked me how I did it. When I showed them my watch and explained, they both roared with laughter and bought me a pint - each.
One night in the bar, post-flight, they asked me how I did it. When I showed them my watch and explained, they both roared with laughter and bought me a pint - each.
I've had a Citizen Eco-drive Skyhawk since my wife got it for me for Christmas about 8 or 9 years ago and still love it.
The multi city function and ease of changing from one to another or to GMT is great as is the GMT hand.
Have never used the whizz-wheel and it's so long since my PPL I have forgotten how to (anyway it's seized up). The phot-cell charging means I've never had to buy a battery and it keeps time to about 10 secs a year.
Only downside is changing all the cities times twice a year depending whether or not they observe daylight saving.
Would buy the same again ... and by trawling the internet, got it about £100 cheaper than the high street.
The multi city function and ease of changing from one to another or to GMT is great as is the GMT hand.
Have never used the whizz-wheel and it's so long since my PPL I have forgotten how to (anyway it's seized up). The phot-cell charging means I've never had to buy a battery and it keeps time to about 10 secs a year.
Only downside is changing all the cities times twice a year depending whether or not they observe daylight saving.
Would buy the same again ... and by trawling the internet, got it about £100 cheaper than the high street.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
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I've been flying for my living since 1977. During my military career we were required to put troops on the ground at a grid reference within fifteen seconds of a given time. I've never once found the need for a watch with anything other than one big hand, one small hand and a second hand.
The date is useful once a day when filling out the tech log for the first time but these days I can get that off my mobile phone.
I now fly using a basic and simple Citzen Eco-drive titanium watch (never needs a new battery), but not the aviation one.
I was given a brand new Breitling Navigator some years ago (then worth about £1200?) but I found the claws on the rotating bezel snagged on my jumper cuff and pulled threads, so I never use it when flying.
I would agree with those above who say that if you need a stopwatch for the type of flying you do, buy a simple, straightforward but separate stop watch. Digital or analogue, whatever you prefer, but make sure it's simple and reliable to operate because the one thing that ruins your split second timing is pressing the control knob then after an unknown number of seconds finding it didn't actually start timing.
The date is useful once a day when filling out the tech log for the first time but these days I can get that off my mobile phone.
I now fly using a basic and simple Citzen Eco-drive titanium watch (never needs a new battery), but not the aviation one.
I was given a brand new Breitling Navigator some years ago (then worth about £1200?) but I found the claws on the rotating bezel snagged on my jumper cuff and pulled threads, so I never use it when flying.
I would agree with those above who say that if you need a stopwatch for the type of flying you do, buy a simple, straightforward but separate stop watch. Digital or analogue, whatever you prefer, but make sure it's simple and reliable to operate because the one thing that ruins your split second timing is pressing the control knob then after an unknown number of seconds finding it didn't actually start timing.
Join Date: Dec 2011
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Most "pilot watches" are a total waste of time.
Most are not usable because they have a 60-minute stopwatch minute dial, which is too fine to read easily. One needs a 30-minute dial.
And one does not need to do timing in what I call normal flying. It is only on flight tests (flying NDB holds etc) that a stopwatch is required. For that I have used a cheap yellow plastic thing, about 3" in diameter with big buttons, which hangs around my neck. The rest of the time one uses radio navigation (GPS usually) which gives you a continuous track guidance, with distance to the next waypoint, so timing is not required. I never time anything during any flights I do myself.
I have used a wrist watch stopwatch, in my US IR, and it was more trouble than it was worth because it was too fiddly. That was actually a nice watch - a Seiko "pilot watch", like the one currently sold by Transair. It packed up (as those Seiko pilot watches tend to do, apparently) and was fixed under warranty. I got rid of it in the end because the fabric straps lasted poorly and cost a packet.
Most are not usable because they have a 60-minute stopwatch minute dial, which is too fine to read easily. One needs a 30-minute dial.
And one does not need to do timing in what I call normal flying. It is only on flight tests (flying NDB holds etc) that a stopwatch is required. For that I have used a cheap yellow plastic thing, about 3" in diameter with big buttons, which hangs around my neck. The rest of the time one uses radio navigation (GPS usually) which gives you a continuous track guidance, with distance to the next waypoint, so timing is not required. I never time anything during any flights I do myself.
I have used a wrist watch stopwatch, in my US IR, and it was more trouble than it was worth because it was too fiddly. That was actually a nice watch - a Seiko "pilot watch", like the one currently sold by Transair. It packed up (as those Seiko pilot watches tend to do, apparently) and was fixed under warranty. I got rid of it in the end because the fabric straps lasted poorly and cost a packet.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: South England
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I am surprised that training aircraft do not have a built in, clear and easy to use stopwatch/clock (ideally with a moveable bug) alongside the other basic flying instruments as standard. Accurate timekeeping was part of my navigation training I seem to remember, which is a rather major part in learning to fly!
But for my PPL, I bought a simple £35 Casio digital watch with stopwatch function, as I found my analogue watch had a cluttered dial and was not easy to read in flight.
But for my PPL, I bought a simple £35 Casio digital watch with stopwatch function, as I found my analogue watch had a cluttered dial and was not easy to read in flight.
Couldonlyaffordafiver
Join Date: Dec 2000
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I have a nice Seiko pilot's watch (with the whizz-wheel bezel), which I've had for nearly twenty years. Never missed a beat and still water tight. I have it serviced in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. £6 for a battery and new seal!
I bought a Timex at the local Sears when my instructor insisted (he wouldn't let me go solo without a watch on my wrist). 9 years on it's still doing its job and I'm quite happy that I got the combined digital/analogue face as I can have the hands on local time while the digital readout stays on UTC.
(looks a lot like this one)
(looks a lot like this one)
Join Date: Oct 2010
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2 watches; one glued to my clipboard (UTC) the other on my wrist (local). Both analogue, dark face white hands, sweeping secondhand, quartz.
Anything else clutters the face and my brain.
Both £12 from Argos.
Spend your squeeze's money on a decent ANR headset, not watches/epaulettes/ray-bans/leather flight bags. The former will allow you to hear her nag, the latter is a free pass into the the tosser camp.
Anything else clutters the face and my brain.
Both £12 from Argos.
Spend your squeeze's money on a decent ANR headset, not watches/epaulettes/ray-bans/leather flight bags. The former will allow you to hear her nag, the latter is a free pass into the the tosser camp.
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
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Any make you like and the price you can afford, so long as it's big. Saves having to buy epaulettes, and assures people you meet in bars that you are the real deal 
The first lacks hands, and if I had the money for the second I'd buy myself another aeroplane (or treat myself to a ME/IR and then go on holiday with the change!).
G
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cilboldentune, Britannia
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I agree Casio F-91W is the best, if only the straps would outlast the batteries. They have been declared iconic according to the Sunday Times a week or two back. As standard they are: waterproof, accurate, 12/24 hour format, day and date, stop watch, alarm, all for less than a tenner. Fab - u - lous.
Join Date: May 2004
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Disagree on both counts.
The first lacks hands, and if I had the money for the second I'd buy myself another aeroplane (or treat myself to a ME/IR and then go on holiday with the change!).
G
The first lacks hands, and if I had the money for the second I'd buy myself another aeroplane (or treat myself to a ME/IR and then go on holiday with the change!).
G
Casio G-Shock for me. Solar powered, radio time signal updating, light, comfy strap, UTC & local at the same time, lots of colours & styles (I think all-black is best), bright long-lasting phosphor on big hands as well as digital displays, wear it in the shower, survives a drop that you wouldn't.
Oh, and I don't think there are any fake ones!
Oh, and I don't think there are any fake ones!
Join Date: Dec 2011
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Sorry Barcli... failed the 170A while going like a one armed bandit keeping the plane straight in turbulence, on NDB holds and inbounds. The examiner took no hostages, too. I've decided to drop it now and maybe have another go in 2013 or 2014. See what develops. The exams are good for 2 years. Spain suddenly looks attractive - should have followed everybody's bl00dy advice and gone down to FIS for a week 
Silvaire - apart from maybe 2 countries in the world, all ATIS is GMT, and all altimeter settings are in mb / hPa. You justy live in an out of touch backwater that is slowly catching up.
G
G