Pilot Watches

A woman goes to the police station to report a sexual assault. When asked to describe the guy she said she didn't see his face but that he was a pilot. When asked how she knew he was a pilot she said easy, "he had a great big watch and an itty bitty p$^er."
 
I wore watches daily from the time I was about 7 years old in 1956. My first watch was a Roy Rogers, WOW!

I have a number of watches including a very nice Rolex and some upscale antique pocket watches and wore or carried a watch most every day of my life until I got stationed as an embedded automation resource in a huge plant. Watches nor any other jewelry are allowed in the plant, so I broke the habit, simply consulting my cell phone if a clock was not in sight.

My plane has a very nice digital IFR timer in the top center of the panel as well as a top quality, quartz analog clock. My Iphone with Foreflight rides in a yoke mount, so there's a third timepiece in the plane.

As much as I love watches of all kinds, I have weaned myself from wearing a watch and it has made day to day life just a little less cumbersome. Most all of us carry a cell phone, have an accurate digital clock in the car and probably fly a plane with a clock or maybe an IPhone or IPad. I just no longer see the need for having a redundant item strapped to my wrist or taking up space in my pocket.

I sure do wish I could find my Roy Rogers watch though.

My $0.02,
Doc
 
BellyUpFish said:
You wanna sell that?

I've got some old epaulettes and a really nice pilot cap I'll cut the OP a really cherry deal on.
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I'd take your dork bars but I don't think they'd go to well with this timex I just bought
 
bluee said:
Germanic simplicity.
http://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/EZM_3.htm
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Now that's what I'm talking about! I prefer that over my Sinn 103 st sa, as I just don't use ore really like chronos anymore. Prepare to spend $$$, even used, especially now with the dollar being essentially worthless.

To the OP. I was just giving you a hard time, all in fun. :D

Pretty much what I'm wearing these days. MKII Blackwater

Blackwater_001.jpg


Or, Marathon Navigator, $160 on the net.

Navigatorface2.jpg


The Timex will work great.
 
MBDiagMan said:
As much as I love watches of all kinds, I have weaned myself from wearing a watch and it has made day to day life just a little less cumbersome. Most all of us carry a cell phone, have an accurate digital clock in the car and probably fly a plane with a clock or maybe an IPhone or IPad. I just no longer see the need for having a redundant item strapped to my wrist or taking up space in my pocket.



My $0.02,
Doc
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I have an iphone / foreflight as well but I don't want to quit foreflight and open up the clock program every time I need to use a stopwatch. I used to carry a stopwatch (like the one a football coach would use) in my flight bag but I found it difficult to use in the cockpit. I'm always juggling it around, there is nowhere good to put it, you have to dig it out of somewhere to look at it. I actually dropped it and lost it in the cockpit on my checkride, that was almost a disaster.

I got the bright idea that it might be nice to just wear a watch. Esp. now that I fly an airplane that requires switching tanks. Having a dedicated stopwatch always available and ready to go is a big help in the cockpit.
 
Here's a dirt-simple Rolex:
 

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dell30rb said:
I have an iphone / foreflight as well but I don't want to quit foreflight and open up the clock program every time I need to use a stopwatch. I used to carry a stopwatch (like the one a football coach would use) in my flight bag but I found it difficult to use in the cockpit. I'm always juggling it around, there is nowhere good to put it, you have to dig it out of somewhere to look at it. I actually dropped it and lost it in the cockpit on my checkride, that was almost a disaster.

I got the bright idea that it might be nice to just wear a watch. Esp. now that I fly an airplane that requires switching tanks. Having a dedicated stopwatch always available and ready to go is a big help in the cockpit.
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You must not have read all of my post. In my cockpit is an instrument stop watch at the top center of the panel, a quartz analog clock AND the Iphone. I don't have a need or desire to open the IPhone stop watch, but if I wanted to simply see the time, it is at the top of the display with Foreflight open.

Doc
 

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All this exciting watch talk got me searching for something useful to hang on my wrist, and I ended up ordering this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001A5LKAS/

$27, sets itself from WWV. Looked at their solar version, but... why? :D

I do love WWV synced stuff... I always laugh when people say "Your clock is off."

Uh-huh, sure Chief... whatever you say.
 
Anthony said:
Now that's what I'm talking about! I prefer that over my Sinn 103 st sa, as I just don't use ore really like chronos anymore. Prepare to spend $$$, even used, especially now with the dollar being essentially worthless.

To the OP. I was just giving you a hard time, all in fun. :D

Pretty much what I'm wearing these days. MKII Blackwater

Blackwater_001.jpg


Or, Marathon Navigator, $160 on the net.

Navigatorface2.jpg


The Timex will work great.
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EZM3 on my wrist. I think the price has increased since I bought mine because of exchange rates.
 
Anthony said:
I took an old Wakmann 8 day clock out of my old plane when I replaced it with an electronic. You could strap one to your wrist and REALLY dork it up. :D


BreitlingWakmann6511.jpg


Seriously, just get something simple that tells time. If you want to tell people you're a pilot, just go to parties and announce it like eveyrone else. :rolleyes:

Play with the e6b in your flightbag, and call me in the morning.
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That clock is outstanding! My uncle was a watchmaker and a pilot. He rebuilt the old clocks and did other instrument work in exchange for flight time. I have one of the clocks that he had torn apart at the time of his death. I wish I could put it back together.

The one in the picture is the nicest one of those old clocks I've ever seen. Plenty of features and cosmetically perfect.

Doc
 
By the way, whoever recommended the Casio Waveceptor, thanks. Been working great for a month or so.

4b94241c-11e5-7b4c.jpg
 
dmccormack said:
I've bought form this guy: http://www.longislandwatch.com/

Decent watches -- I'm not keen at showing up to customer meetings wearing a Timex anymore.

:redface:
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I solved the "status" problem by switching to the $10 "Rolex" my niece bought me in Abu Dhabi!! Keeps good time and can't tell it from the real deal, but then I switch back to the Timex for flying and knock around!
 
LDJones said:
I solved the "status" problem by switching to the $10 "Rolex" my niece bought me in Abu Dhabi!! Keeps good time and can't tell it from the real deal, but then I switch back to the Timex for flying and knock around!
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I had a Faulex and wore it occasionally, but the condensation under the crystal sorta gave it away...

:redface:
 
bluee said:
EZM3 on my wrist. I think the price has increased since I bought mine because of exchange rates.
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Evertyhing has increased because of the exchange rates. The Sinn EZM3 is on my wish list, as I prefer this style of watch over a chrono these days like my Sinn 130 st sa.
 
LDJones said:
I solved the "status" problem by switching to the $10 "Rolex" my niece bought me in Abu Dhabi!! Keeps good time and can't tell it from the real deal, but then I switch back to the Timex for flying and knock around!
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YOu can always find what you need in this shop outside Ephesus, Turkey...
 

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dmccormack said:
I had a Faulex and wore it occasionally, but the condensation under the crystal sorta gave it away...

:redface:
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Fauxlex...I like that! I'm pretty quick to tell people of it's origins. "Things" generally don't impress me much....unless they burn kerosene in mass quantities.

I must add, my Fauxlex is an amazingly accurate time piece.
 
I was sitting in the radio shack in the basement tonight noticing that the WWV synced clock on the wall, the laptop, and the new Casio were all in sync to the second without any work on my part.

It's the little things that make me smile.

(A friend who also wears a WWV synced watch commented recently that he just rolls his eyes and walks away when someone tells him that his watch isn't right and their's is.) ;)
 
After reading this thread before, I went to a local cafe Saturday where I had been told there was a Saturday morning pilot hang out. The guys were glad to have someone else to talk to about flying. It was a light turn out and what I saw was interesting.

There was one old salt, high time aerobatic CFI and two pilots, although middle aged, were relatively new to flying. The old salt guy was just dressed in street clothes with no watch. The other two both had AOPA caps and expensive looking pilot watches. The only reason I throw this in here is as an interesting observation.

It was great to visit with pilots, since I'm rarely around them.

Doc
 
The only acceptable watches are worn in the fifth pocket of your jeans and made of solid gold.

644144d1331003114-more-information-patek-pocket-watch-please-photo-23-.jpg
 
That is beautiful Michael.
 
denverpilot said:
All this exciting watch talk got me searching for something useful to hang on my wrist, and I ended up ordering this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001A5LKAS/

$27, sets itself from WWV. Looked at their solar version, but... why? :D

I do love WWV synced stuff... I always laugh when people say "Your clock is off."

Uh-huh, sure Chief... whatever you say.
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More than 40 years ago, the Chief learned to come to me, a lowly Ensign in the Supply Corps, to get the correct time. I had a Bulova Accutron. The most accurate mechanical watch on your wrist pre-WWV enabled or now digital watches. OK Chief, 3 -2 -1 Mark! and the encryption box would synch. The mechanical chronometers on the ship were crap!

-Skip
 
Use this one that I got 4-5 years ago for $40.
. Just press the st/sp button when on the main clock to see Zulu, hold it down to switch to Zulu. Has a perpetual calendar. 10 different types of stopwatch, lots of cool settings, etc. Absolutely love it and have no intentions of switching any time soon; it's also not obnoxiously large (perfect size if you ask me--I hate big watch faces), but still has a very visible face with plenty of functions. Also, I love all kind of Columbia gear. Plus, it's 100m waterproof. They even still have some in stock! http://www.premierwatchonline.com/i...id=226&zenid=40e7d3d2a953ab5965257840b1ad75e9
 

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I have a bunch of watches because, well I love watches. I don't wear my Breitlings as much when I am flying anymore as I tend to bang them up. If I am wearing one, its my Emergency for obvious reasons. I have a geeky love for Citizen watches as well. The Skyhawk line is an awesome pilot watch. I have a Promaster Nighthawk as well that gets circulation.
 
I was given this as a gift from my family and cherish it very deeply, and wear it every day (and for all of my flights). Otherwise, I'd probably wear a G-shock.
 

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eMKay said:
I think I'm going middle of the road. I really want a watch that doesn't need batteries, I like the Nighthawk but hate metal bands, well I found the Promaster which is available internationally and is the same watch, and is available with a rubber band. Ebay $188 free shipping, done. Will report when I get it. I hate digital watches and just wanted one that will display Zulu and local. This one also has an E6B which I might actually use, and if I don't, well it looks cool.

485454d1312441161-looking-citizen-nighthawk-rubber-strap-bj7010-09e.jpg
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It does look cool. Someone just gave me a Casio WorldTime which is an electronic watch that has analog hands that conveniently obscure the digital displays at key times. I've owned it for over 24 hours now and still haven't figured out how to set the date and time. It came with a 3x2 inch 80 page manual printed in a minute font that a twelve year old's eyes might be able to focus on but not mine. I fear I may have to take a week of night classes to get up to speed on the operation of this gadget.

It does have altimeter, temperature and barometric readings however so it may be useful as a "pilot's watch". It has elaborate E6B type metrics around the rim but they are completely nonfunctional - just fluffy graphics.

I don't know why they gave it to me other than they know I'm a pilot and saw the altitude function. I haven't worn a watch in about ten years. I mean, they've already got me carrying this brick of a cellphone around that tells me what time it is and more.

I'll start wearing a watch when the true Dick Tracy version shows up. One that all I have to do is talk and it will make a hands free call, open my garage door, switch the channel on my TV and tell me how to get to the nearest Popeye's Chicken joint.
 
I think this is the watch you are referring to. I bought it for around $60. A bit dorky yes but once set it keeps good time and does have the second time zone for Zulu time. I wasn't looking for the altimeter function it just came with the watch. It is good within a few hundred feet.

When it dies I probably won't replace it with the same watch. I really only need the second time zone, but prefer it to be analog. Since any such watch is deemed a PILOT watch the price goes nuts so it will be the simpler Casio or Timex next time. I am rough on watches and they rarely last more than a couple years.
 

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Pulsar (Seiko) 7T62-X041 chronometer. Two time zones, stopwatch and fully functional E6B bezel that I typically keep dialed up to my fuel consumption and thereby have instant awareness of fuel burn and range. You can find them on eBay for about $40. I inherited mine when my brother-in-law passed away.
gegaqa9a.jpg
 
Inverted said:
I have a bunch of watches because, well I love watches. I don't wear my Breitlings as much when I am flying anymore as I tend to bang them up. If I am wearing one, its my Emergency for obvious reasons.
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Except the emergency is 121.5 only. I stopped at Breitling World HQ located in CT and asked if they had any plans of offering an upgrade to the new 406 Mhz. They said :no:

I am going to list my Emergency on ebay if anyone is interested. Mint conditon but I just don't wear it anymore...
 
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