Ideal watch?

I've been off looking for a good aviation watch. I've looked at Citizen
Skyhawk watches, which look cool, but they don't have a backlight, which I
thought would be bad (good?) for flying at night. And I've seen some
others that are all digital, but I like having the hands for a timer. And I
found one that vibrates, which I thought would be really handy for switching
tanks and things, but it didn't have hands. So, I was wondering, what would
everyone like to see as a minimum set of features in an ideal watch? Here's
my list -

1) Analog hands and second hand for timing things
2) Digital clock set to Zulu time so I don't have to bother my small brain
with those pesky conversions
3) Backlight so I can see it when I'm flying at night
4) Vibrating alarm so I remember to do routine things like switch tanks.
5) Nifty E6B ring around the outside that I really can't see, but really
impresses the chicks at the bar

What say you?

Chris

I went out and bought a "chono" with all the bells and whistles. It didn't
take long to retire it because I just can't read the timer function or any
other thing on it except the time.
What does work for me is a Wenger (Swiss Army) watch with GMT 24hr hand. The
watch has standard hands and a GMT hour hand with a 24hr face. I like the
Idea of knowing Zulu time. I have a Atomic clock at home to keep it
accurate. Although I can get a little "Anal" with the atomic clock.
I have a digital "Chrono" timer in my Glasair II and a cheap stop watch for
back up. I guess I could time my preflights with my chrono wrist
watch...that is if the lighting is just right!!!

Have a good flight
Steve

an FAA examiner i know told me the size of the
pilot's watch is usually inversely proportional to
his hours.

i'm finding quite a bit of truth in that statement.

Two years ago, I switched from an analog face to digital face watch.
The watch I selected is a Timex iControl Expedition. $40 retail. Campmor
is having a closeout sale on these watches for $16.

I completed 20yrs of AF flying as a Navigator with a cheap $30 Timex..
granted I had to replace it a few times.. but I always went back and got the
same model or as close to it as I could get.. replaced the wrist band a few
times too.

- 2 time zones, Keep one on home and the other on UTC, switch it over to UTC
display at the mission brief, time hack
- 24hr clock,
- alarm (for those RON wake up calls)
- it had a stop watch, but when I needed it, a real stopwatch was better and
easier.. ever try to "rehack" a timed turn with buttons on your wrist and
still use your hands for flying? I still fly IFR with the "AF ISSUE" stop
watch tied to my kneeboard.
- Timer, was good for out doing my PT (Physical Fitness Training), 3-5 mile
runs.

The watch you describe is for attracting bar flies.. ohh.. are you a pilot?

BT

"Brinks" wrote in message
...
I've been off looking for a good aviation watch. I've looked at Citizen
Skyhawk watches, which look cool, but they don't have a backlight, which I
thought would be bad (good?) for flying at night. And I've seen some
others that are all digital, but I like having the hands for a timer. And
I
found one that vibrates, which I thought would be really handy for
switching
tanks and things, but it didn't have hands. So, I was wondering, what
would
everyone like to see as a minimum set of features in an ideal watch?
Here's
my list -

1) Analog hands and second hand for timing things
2) Digital clock set to Zulu time so I don't have to bother my small brain
with those pesky conversions
3) Backlight so I can see it when I'm flying at night
4) Vibrating alarm so I remember to do routine things like switch tanks.
5) Nifty E6B ring around the outside that I really can't see, but really
impresses the chicks at the bar

What say you?

Chris

I've been off looking for a good aviation watch.

I have what I believe to be an exceptional watch for the price.
It has a yoke mount and sticks behind and above my gps with a bit of
velcro that comes with it.
It gives me the time, and with one button it becomes a stopwatch.
It also has several other features but the above ones are the ones that
I want.
It came from Aircraft Spruce and cost $29.95.
I am not a big Aircraft Spruce fan but I have to say that this is the
best value item I bought for the plane in a long long time.
--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE

On 17-Dec-2003, "Brinks" wrote:

So, I was wondering, what would
everyone like to see as a minimum set of features in an ideal watch?


Years ago we replaced the standard equipment analog clock on our instrument
panel with a digital multifunction clock/timer, which is much easier to use
(for typical aviation functions) than any wris****ch, and has integral
backlighting.

That said, I have a Casio digital watch with built-in electronic altimeter.
The altimeter function has been shown to agree fairly closely with the
airplane's altimeter. It could provide a usable backup in the unlikely
event of altimeter failure while in IMC. Of course, it won't work in a
pressurized airplane.

--
-Elliott Drucker

How does an electronic altimeter work? Is there some kind of pressure
sensor?

wrote in message
...
I have a Casio digital watch with built-in electronic altimeter.

I've been off looking for a good aviation watch. I've looked at Citizen
Skyhawk watches, which look cool, but they don't have a backlight, which I
thought would be bad (good?) for flying at night. And I've seen some
others that are all digital, but I like having the hands for a timer. And I
found one that vibrates, which I thought would be really handy for switching
tanks and things, but it didn't have hands. So, I was wondering, what would
everyone like to see as a minimum set of features in an ideal watch? Here's
my list -

1) Analog hands and second hand for timing things
2) Digital clock set to Zulu time so I don't have to bother my small brain
with those pesky conversions
3) Backlight so I can see it when I'm flying at night
4) Vibrating alarm so I remember to do routine things like switch tanks.
5) Nifty E6B ring around the outside that I really can't see, but really
impresses the chicks at the bar

What say you?

For my two cents worth: I use a TIMEX
ATLANTIS 200. Not analog, but for 38 Bucks, it has two times, Timer, Light,
Alarm, but no vibrate mode. I can hear
it go off even with headsets. This is in a Grumman AA5 by the way. Cheers.

Bill Oparowski
N10SX

"Brinks" writes:

I've been off looking for a good aviation watch. I've looked at Citizen
Skyhawk watches, which look cool, but they don't have a backlight, which I
thought would be bad (good?) for flying at night. And I've seen some
others that are all digital, but I like having the hands for a timer. And I
found one that vibrates, which I thought would be really handy for switching
tanks and things, but it didn't have hands. So, I was wondering, what would
everyone like to see as a minimum set of features in an ideal watch? Here's
my list -

1) Analog hands and second hand for timing things
2) Digital clock set to Zulu time so I don't have to bother my small brain
with those pesky conversions
3) Backlight so I can see it when I'm flying at night
4) Vibrating alarm so I remember to do routine things like switch tanks.
5) Nifty E6B ring around the outside that I really can't see, but really
impresses the chicks at the bar

What say you?

Q: What do you get if you cross a pilot with a gorilla?
A: An ape with a big watch

In the middle of my instrument training, I bought a $40 Casio watch
which had analog hands that I set to local time, and a digital readout
which I set to UTC. I eventually switched back to the Seiko analog
watch I got as a high school graduation present from my parents, which
is the watch I still wear.

So, let me answer your questions:

1) Yes, got that
2) The panel clock in my Skylane has two time zones and a timer with an alarm
3) You should have some cockpit lighting to look at charts, etc, no?
4) See (2) (It's a Davtron M-800)
5) Hm

-jav