Aviation-related retirement gift ideas?

[gkainz]

A friend of mine is a corporate pilot and retiring. Any gift ideas that are aviation related?

 

[rachelk.tailwinds]

If you can find someone with a plasma cutter, take the airport diagram of his home field and make a steel cutout of the runways and taxiways. I could easily see that hanging on any pilot's wall. It'd be something only a few people could recognize so it'd be a great conversation piece for years.

 

[AggieMike88]

Bronze some epaulettes like they do baby shoes and do up a plaque commemorating his career

 

[Everskyward]

Something relating to whatever he or she is planning for recreation during retirement?

 

[steingar]

Sorry, the only appropriate retirement gift is and has been a gold pocket watch. You could probably find one with an airplane drawn on it, or have an airplane engraved into the solid gold case.

 

[gkainz]

ironically, in his retirement, he's going to continue to fly the Challenger as a contract pilot ... as he says "and probably fly more that I am now."

 

[GlennAB1]

I've bought lots of aviation related neck ties for friends that have retired and family, my dad must have a dozen ranging from instruments, hot air balloons, Wright Flier, airliners, fighters, bombers, biz jets. A couple good online stores are 2decker.com and tieguys.com

 

[signtwist]

Sorry, the only appropriate retirement gift is and has been a gold pocket watch. You could probably find one with an airplane drawn on it, or have an airplane engraved into the solid gold case.

Yes, i was going to suggest it too. I remember my uncle got one when he retired. But you can google to check out some websites. here's a few that i found:

http://www.findgift.com/occasions/retirement/special-themes/aviation/g28v3b1z2325x2376/

http://www.tailwinds.com/

http://www.pilotmall.com/category/gifts-toys-artwork

 

[BigBadLou]

If you can find someone with a plasma cutter, take the airport diagram of his home field and make a steel cutout of the runways and taxiways. I could easily see that hanging on any pilot's wall. It'd be something only a few people could recognize so it'd be a great conversation piece for years.

Great ideas in this thread but I like this one the most (just my personal opinion). I will be looking into it for my buddy's birthday. I know someone with a 3D printer so I can test the layout first on a smaller scale.

 

[JOhnH]

Something relating to whatever he or she is planning for recreation during retirement?

I agree with this.
When I sold my business (cat-only veterinary hospital), the last thing I wanted was anything related to cats. I still love cats (and dogs and other animals too), but I retired because I felt it was time to take on other interests and projects.

 

[rachelk.tailwinds]

Great ideas in this thread but I like this one the most (just my personal opinion). I will be looking into it for my buddy's birthday. I know someone with a 3D printer so I can test the layout first on a smaller scale.

Hey thanks! Let me know how it turns out, I might have to look into getting my own 3D printer if it goes well!

 

[silver-eagle]

ironically, in his retirement, he's going to continue to fly the Challenger as a contract pilot ... as he says "and probably fly more that I am now."

In this case, I think a model of the airplane, as flown, would be appropiate. Get a plaque engraved with years flown. Add captain's bars to the whole thing. Write his name under the window.

 

[Ravioli]

How good a friend? Buy them a Cirrus or a Bo!

 

[Everskyward]

ironically, in his retirement, he's going to continue to fly the Challenger as a contract pilot ... as he says "and probably fly more that I am now."

That's not "retirement".

 

[gkainz]

geez, guys! This is "a friend!" not "my employee!"

Yeah, Mari ... but Gary is busier than any 2 people I know ... even when he's relaxing, he's doing something like zip lining, climbing a 14er (or 2 ... one just for kicks "on the way home"), etc.

 

[Everskyward]

Yeah, Mari ... but Gary is busier than any 2 people I know ... even when he's relaxing, he's doing something like zip lining, climbing a 14er (or 2 ... one just for kicks "on the way home"), etc.

Yeah, but zip-lining, climbing 14ers, etc. is retirement. Going back to the same kind of work isn't.

 

[Busflyer]

Try eBay to find a turbine blade from whatever it was he was flying. Have it framed in a shadow box.