Aviator Jacket & Watches

[HighDreams]

I'm wondering what your thoughts are on where to buy a good pilot's watch and the classic look jackets.

Thanks.

JB

[Beefitarian]

I thought you were having a sale here.

[jpilot77]

Gibson & Barnes has some nice jackets.

[Doc]

I have a US Army Air Force A-2. Short season for it, but it's a great jacket. A good spring and fall, go anywhere jacket. Bought it from the big Cessna dealer in Wichita when I was at FSI a couple of years ago.

[cgzro]

Wallmart - the Timex indiglow watches .. most any one of them with a timer is useful and cost about $20. You don't need anything else.

[SuperchargedRS]

Wallmart? Really?

These guys have some QUALITY jackets
http://www.uswings.com/

For a watch a good citizen crono ecodrive is a great and not too spendy (don't care for their pilot/flight line of watches though). If you want something fancy look into anything with a Valjoux 7750 movement, Sinn or O&W are great, Breitling is a little overrated but nice, as is Omega.

[snoopy]

Aviation is not a fashion statement.

Real pilots are recognized by good airmanship, good decision making skills, situational awareness, professionalism, anticipatory behavior and confidence (but not cockiness) - none of which can be purchased or worn. The best pilots often don't look like pilots at all - leastwise not the stereotypical kind.... Instead of buying a fancy jacket or a heavy watch, why not spend your money on maps, training, tools of the trade or tools for your motorcycle, car, suv or truck? Or buy a book specific to the type of flying you do or would like to do? Or spend it on the spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, family and/or friends you disappoint frequently with your lack of stability, presence, decent paycheque and/or permanent home? Your cell phone likely has a watch, calculator and flight-planning capability built right in. Consider the purchase of a SPOT and/or Sat phone that might one day save your ass.
Just a thought...

What the heck is a "classic look" anyway? In northern coastal BC it's the grey Stanfield itchy-scratchy long undershirt worn on the outside of your normal attire. In the winter arctic/northern climes, it's whatever is warm - and usually colourful, creative and/or ugly. In summer Ontario/Manitoba/Saskatchewan it's whatever keeps the bugs out. In Alberta it's redneck, oilfield or both. If it's corporate, it's classy business attire. If it's airline - they issue your clothing and and regulate your appearance. If it's military they issue your clothing and regulate your appearance. If it's cargo it's a flight suit. You're allowed to wear a sheepskin pilot's jacket with leather helmet and goggles if you fly an open cockpit biplane. Green satin bomber jackets and big watches are usually worn by "pilot's in training". The successful ones quickly figure out more suitable attire based on their chosen profession and adapt to the wisdom and advice in the first paragraph.

Cheers
Kirsten B.

edited because I should have spent my extra $$ (if I had any) on a dictionary LOL

[trey kule]

Snoopster.....are you sure about all this...?

I mean a watch just to tell time? Whats up with that? And a jacket that does not tell the world I am a C 152 fighter jock...I am just not sure about this.

Next you will probably expect us to believe pilots dont need to drink beer from a bottle so everyone can know the brand, or put a piece of fruit in it to show how cool they are...

I just dont know. Snoop...It seems all a bit farfetched to expect pilots to be normal.

[. ._]

http://www.cockpitusa.com/catalog/page15.php

[Jack Klumpus]

Why do some feel the need to slag others based on what they like?

I won't make fun of your goater look, wearing a timex indiglo, and using a holiday inn express pen.

[Doc]

Don't really know how some people can spot pilots? I was sitting in the park after being dragged to a Lady GaGa concert by my wife and daughters. I wasn't wearying anything "pilot", and this guy about 22 comes up to me and starts asking my advice on whether or not he should get into one of the many pilot courses offered in the Chicago area, and is the right seat programme on the RJ a good investment.
Seriously......the Rolex was at home. Too hot for a leather A2 jacket. I was in Tevas and shorts (looking pretty HOT, I might ad) and some nondescript T.

Oh, and Snoopy, if folks want to wear "aviation oriented" garb, WTF?

[Dayofthedogs]

Oh, and Snoopy, if folks want to wear "aviation oriented" garb, WTF?

+1

Never thought I would see someone belittled for wanting to find out were they can buy a decent watch and a retro jacket.....

I don't own either but it seems very silly to tell someone else how they should spend their money and come down on them for not spending it on other gear that i'm sure even a 50 hour guy owns. Who knows maybe it was going to be a christmas present from his significant other. You should loose the condescending attitude when someone is just trying to ask a simple question.

The more time I spend on the forums the uglier some of your personalities seem to shine.

Michael E

[FenderManDan]

I'm wondering what your thoughts are on where to buy a good pilot's watch and the classic look jackets.

Thanks.

JB

Hi, I asked about a watch in the past and received various opinions, so I reckon you get whatever you can afford and it has a few nice to have features such as automatic no battery movement, 24h utc time, date, night light indiglo type and the most obvious and mandatory requirement is to be accurate. I have a nicer regular watch (approved copy for the swiss military), but is a dog and not accurate at all. Date movement is garbage I have to readjust every month.

Putting these features together can be a hard to find task and can cost you between $25 and $25000. I have spent around $32 with tax for a casio (iluminator) and it has most of the features and does the job for now.

As far as jacket goes it seems it depends where you live and fly. I am just flying as a student in a bug smasher and found that I am the most comfortable in the fluffy duck filled vest and the light jacket under. It is a bit cold during the pre flight, but it is really comfortable once strapped in.

EDIT: To really answer your question, pilot shops, the brick ones and web usually carry "pilot" watches and wardrobe. Propshop at CYKZ had a good sale on clothing and accessories recently and it seems last time I passed by that they did well.

HTH

Dan

[Beefitarian]

Dan don't do it!! Indiglo is too bright, a watch light like that will bleach your rods. They're great if you dropped your keys or need to head for the outhouse and don't have any other flashlight but not for in the cockpit at night when you want your night vision to develop.

My Sieko pilot's watch™ which I can wear because I'm just a posuer here, has that keen self radioactive glow in the dark stuff on the arms and number marks that seems super bright once my night vision kicks in.

[Doc]

Dan don't do it!! Indiglo is too bright, a watch light like that will bleach your rods. They're great if you dropped your keys or need to head for the outhouse

And I thought I was the only one who's peed by the light of an indiglo Timex!

[Beefitarian]

Those thing's are like a search light once your eyes adjust to being out in the dark. Someone lit theirs when we were in the dark room on a night vision course once and it was like they took a flash picture.

[FenderManDan]

Those thing's are like a search light once your eyes adjust to being out in the dark. Someone lit theirs when we were in the dark room on a night vision course once and it was like they took a flash picture.

You are right about the "indigloooooo" thing, it's too damn bright. I meant to say to the op that find a watch with some kind of night glow feature. I bought the casio one since has a bit tamed glow feature. It is far from perfect but at the price can't go wrong. Hopefully wife will buy me something better once I prove airworthy.

[Meatservo]

Aviation is not a fashion statement.

Real pilots are recognized by good airmanship, good decision making skills, situational awareness, professionalism, anticipatory behavior and confidence (but not cockiness) - none of which can be purchased or worn. The best pilots often don't look like pilots at all - leastwise not the stereotypical kind.... Instead of buying a fancy jacket or a heavy watch, why not spend your money on maps, training, tools of the trade or tools for your motorcycle, car, suv or truck? Or buy a book specific to the type of flying you do or would like to do? Or spend it on the spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, family and/or friends you disappoint frequently with your lack of stability, presence, decent paycheque and/or permanent home? Your cell phone likely has a watch, calculator and flight-planning capability built right in. Consider the purchase of a SPOT and/or Sat phone that might one day save your ass.
Just a thought...

Maybe not.. But if you're doing any serious navigation an accurate watch/stopwatch is pretty essential to determine longitude, and time between fixes, where a minutes' error can cost you a couple of miles or degrees.

But if you're just talking about "professional" pilots, I guess a five dollar alarm clock and a bottle of advil is all you really need.

[Prairie Chicken]

I agree with Snoopy. Unfortunately, the 'pilot look' seems to be a common phenomenen for newly minted pilots. I'll even admit to wearing my Ray Bans on my belt.

Kule, Right on!

[Doc]

I agree with Snoopy. Unfortunately, the 'pilot look' seems to be a common phenomenen for newly minted pilots. I'll even admit to wearing my Ray Bans on my belt.

Kule, Right on!

C'MON, you can't have it both ways! If you wear your Ray Bans on your belt, you're one of US! Wear your leather flight jacket proudly! In public!
Whenever I'm not in my A2 jacket, I'm in my tight leather mini....

Reading a post like Snoop's makes me want to slip into the soft leather jacket (has a map of the world on the lining) strap on my big GMT Master II, and head down to the local watering hole and start telling anybody who's listening about flying "back in the day".....Have a great Christmas!

[Dayofthedogs]

Yes I understand the disdain from the community for newly appointed pilots to show up at the watering hole wearing their 3 gold bars proudly, or the kid who goes and gets a set a wings tattooed on his chest after his/her first solo.

I don't understand why one would have to hijack a thread about where to find a nice watch and jacket and go off on a tangent about how they feel "pilots" should look. The question as far as i could see was where to find these items not what you think about people who wear them. Isn't that a new thread topic?

Never heard a pilot tell me a decent watch is a bad investment (not talking about a 2k movado) My cellphone is a nice backup but if I forget to charge my battery before leaving the house, how is it gonna help me with my timed fuel burns or timed turns if things got ugly for that matter? I've always wanted a bomber jacket I have to admit, I fly off of Skis in the winter and as much as I love my giant bulky and annoying parka, I think i'd be a little more comfortable with it in the back with my snowshoes and having something a little less restrictive on. Plus I ride motorcycles when I can afford to and living in Winnipeg if i'd like to ride more then 2 months a year a solid warm leather jacket would be nice (I'm not into biker leather). Cant afford it though.

Then again maybe i'm just a tool wannabe!

Cheers, Michael

[Prairie Chicken]

Hey Michael, not disdain but rather smiling acknowledgement of having been there, done that.

Also, some of the best threads on here have diverted from the original topic.

Cheer up ... tis the season!

PC

[Dayofthedogs]

PC,

I am cheery!

I'll apologize to snoop for my ill humor in my first post, was probably a result of spending a couple hours trolling around the forums working myself into a rabid frenzy. I do believe she was a little more patronizing then was required. As a younger guy on here, I've witnessed some pretty pointed remarks towards some of the youth in aviation. Some warranted, some seems like grumpy old men taking pot shots, some what seems like good honest advice trying to help.

Like I said earlier I just don't see why having a decent multi function "pilot oriented" watch is such blasphemy to some here. I don't own one myself, but a little birdie told me a might be getting one for Christmas. I own dozens of books on aviation already, have vnc charts for half of Canada, own a spot tracker, ect. ect.

I don't know about avcanada but at my flying club those who will probably laugh at my new watch are the same ones who sat in the clubhouse all winter long hanger flying while I was bombing around putting 60 hours on skis using timed fuel burns (essential in a PA20/22). I'm pretty sure I bought more gas that winter then everyone else at the club combined.

Cheers again!

[flyincanuck]

Aviation is not a fashion statement.

Real pilots are recognized by good airmanship, good decision making skills, situational awareness, professionalism, anticipatory behavior and confidence (but not cockiness) - none of which can be purchased or worn. The best pilots often don't look like pilots at all - leastwise not the stereotypical kind.... Instead of buying a fancy jacket or a heavy watch, why not spend your money on maps, training, tools of the trade or tools for your motorcycle, car, suv or truck? Or buy a book specific to the type of flying you do or would like to do? Or spend it on the spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, family and/or friends you disappoint frequently with your lack of stability, presence, decent paycheque and/or permanent home? Your cell phone likely has a watch, calculator and flight-planning capability built right in. Consider the purchase of a SPOT and/or Sat phone that might one day save your ass.
Just a thought...

AMEN!!!!!

This is THE best paragraph I've ever read on avcanada, and couldn't agree more!!!

You'd be surprised to see how many people are floored I don't wear a watch. There's usually 5 clocks in the cockpit not to mention my blackberry and iPod touch.

I get a real kick out of the ones who personalize their licence plates. Capn so-and-so; Boeing Pilot, etc, etc, etc

To each their own, I suppose, but thank god someone out there is thinking along the same line as me.

[Just another canuck]

If it's unstylish or unnatural for a pilot to wear an aviator jacket, who is it stylish or natural to?