Watches - what are we using?

[ayavner]

Hi all,

 

I decided to start this thread because I know an accurate watch is a necessity, and looking at all the watches available in the various pilot shop outlets, magazine ads, etc, you would think that one needs the equivalent instrumentation of a 747 on your wrist!

 

Now, I am sure alot of those features are useful or even necessary, and I am sure alot of them are just "fluff". I have a pretty basic large face stainless steel watch with numerals on the dial, a date, marks for the seconds between major divisions, a second hand and glow in the dark hands. In other words, a basic watch. No outer dial with 3 rings of numbers to line up, or extra sub-dials, buttons, etc.

 

Not sure if this is adequate to my needs since I haven't gotten to Nav just yet, but what are you guys using? What are some cool features? What are some "features" that are absolute fluff, or so impossible to make accurate at that scale as to be worthless on a wristwatch?

 

Discuss :)

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Your watch will be fine for navs - if you've got money to burn there are any number of better things to spend it on.

 

That said - I wear a Casio Pro-Trek with a compass, barometer, altimeter &, best of all, solar powered.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Bandit12]

My lovely better half bout me a Seiko Aviator watch similar to this one, except in stainless, for my birthday a few years ago.

 

http://www.hmewatch.com/flight-ssc008.html

 

Lovely idea, but to be honest I have rarely used the flight computer functions as it is really quite small to read. But I do love the reminder when I am sitting at my desk, and it has been a fantastic watch.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

This must sound a bit weird but i have given up on wrist watches especially the analogue types. All my life they have all stopped within a month or two of putting them on. Wind up or battery. Hadn't put one on until recently when i thought i'd wear my late brother's one. Put in a new battery and within 2 weeks it had stopped. Cheap plastic cased dive types have lasted the longest.

 

Anyone else have this problem?

 

Ozzie

 

 

[ayavner]

My wife has that problem, and I understand it is not at all uncommon. I always tell her she just has electric skin :)

 

 

[Bandit12]

Smooth....I'm going straight home to try that myself

 

 

[ayavner]

My lovely better half bout me a Seiko Aviator watch similar to this one, except in stainless, for my birthday a few years ago.http://www.hmewatch.com/flight-ssc008.html

 

Lovely idea, but to be honest I have rarely used the flight computer functions as it is really quite small to read. But I do love the reminder when I am sitting at my desk, and it has been a fantastic watch.

Pretty sweet watch bandit, you're a lucky guy! I wonder if the instructions that come with the watch "E6B bezel" are any easier to understand than the ones that come with the actual E6b LOL

 

 

[flyvulcan]

I have the same watch as Crezzi, that is the Casio Pro-Trek. I've had it for 2 years, it gains around 1 second per month so I don't have to reset it to the GPS clock too often, whenever it's light it charges and the large digital numbers are easy to read (with a light for dark times). I have never had any issues with it. It has been very reliable and robust.

 

No, it's not a designer watch and it is a little bulky (no more so than many on the market) but I am very happy with it as a functional and reliable watch.

 

PS From my experience as a professional pilot as well as a recreational pilot, I would suggest that you really don't need any bells and whistles on your watch. Better to supplement a basic watch with a separate electronic device that is user friendly.

 

 

[ayavner]

This one looks the biz:

 

http://www.hmewatch.com/flight-snad05.html

 

Inclined to agree though that probably a good easy to read basic watch is best - don't you really just need it to time your rate one turns and keep track of time between waypoints?

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

http://www.citizenwatches.com.au/products/model/JV0020-21F

 

Have had one of these for about five years and keeps great time, only down side is the band needs to be replaced every couple of years, more so if you use it for diving...

 

Gave up on watches with flight computers around the bezel years ago! Even when my eyesight was good enough to read them, you couldn't because of turbulence, of course I would make an exception if the wife ever gets the hint and buys me a Breitling!

 

 

[naremman]

Working around the farm I have never been comfortable with a wrist watch, and most times never wore one. Just had to remember to grab one before I went flying.

 

The solution came with a Leatherman watch complete with belt catch, which I purchased through the Paramedics Australasia website. Very easy to read face, extremely durable and has as an a feature an infra red external light. It has been incredibly robust surviving 28 months of farming, flying and ambulance use/abuse. It is still on its original battery. Just have to remember to unclip it from my belt and place it somewhere accessible in the aircraft before I get strapped in.

 

Most of us fly with mobile phones and GPS these days which tend to make the watch a secondary instrument.

 

 

[Guest rhysa]

I prefer a digital watch, I find it much easier to read the time with a glance than an analogue, which is helpful when it gets bumpy. I've got a Casio calculator watch, can't remember the model but it's fairly recent. The tiny buttons on the front aren't much use in the air but it does have dual time.

 

 

[av8vfr]

http://www.citizenwatches.com.au/products/model/JR3156-51E

 

This ones mine, I agree I don't use the flight computer much. I find the UTC clock handy and what time it is overseas before I try and call relatives. Eco-drive is good as well..

 

 

[pudestcon]

Any watch will do, as long as it keeps accurate (for our purposes) time. I use the anolgue clock set in the instrument cluster in my T500, as well as a cheap digital (with BIG readout) wrist watch for backup. It's a bit like a mobile phone; these watches with all the fruit - I just want my phone to make an easy phone call, I want my watch to keep accurate time that I can read. Simple really.

 

Pud

 

 

[fatmal]

I used to use one of these http://www.justpilotwatches.com.au/contents/en-us/image_viewer.html?lmd=40888.809722 but I broke the glass - not sure how, but went out drinking one night, and noticed it the following morning

 

I also have a Thai knockoff Breitling Navitimer, which is still going after 6 or so years, but the strap broke - not bad for $AU20. Currently I'm using a Thai-knockoff Tag Heuer. Basically anything with a large analogue dial Also use one of these - http://www.asa2fly.com/Flight-Timer-2-P599_product1.aspx velcroed to the panel.

 

Mal

 

 

[farri]

Geeze! With watches like the ones in the links above, the next thing required will be an endorsement to use them and a course on how to!

 

Frank.

 

 

[poteroo]

I prefer a standard size,(small) digital watch with day, date and time. I keep it on local 24hr mode, and use the aircraft digital chronometer set to UTC for planning and navs. Use a digital stopwatch, (Westbend), for recording student or charter times.

 

I'm a frugal,(=mean), with watches. My current black, plastic, Casio F-91W was purchased in India for $19.00, and it's going strong 3 years later. The Casio model prior to that lasted 5 years - and it too was really a bargain at $35! The alarm clock sized 'pilot' watch I received as a gift many years ago, at God only knows what cost, only lasted a year.

 

happy days,

 

 

[skeptic36]

Never worn a watch, not really compatible with farming. For flying I use the one in the middle of my panel. Very reliable, only on it's second battery in four years and you get 'em for next to nothing on e-bay

 

 

 

[ayavner]

I used to use one of these http://www.justpilotwatches.com.au/contents/en-us/image_viewer.html?lmd=40888.809722 but I broke the glass - not sure how, but went out drinking one night, and noticed it the following morning I also have a Thai knockoff Breitling Navitimer, which is still going after 6 or so years, but the strap broke - not bad for $AU20. Currently I'm using a Thai-knockoff Tag Heuer. Basically anything with a large analogue dial Also use one of these - http://www.asa2fly.com/Flight-Timer-2-P599_product1.aspx velcroed to the panel.

 

Mal

Got a link for the knock-off Breitling? :)

 

 

[Tomo]

I got one of these... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Seiko-Chronograph-Flightmaster-Watch-100M-SND253P1-/390341762238?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item5ae22e9cbe#ht_4342wt_986

 

Hasn't missed a beat, never put a battery in it, over 4yrs old now, glows in the dark dials, lasts all night which is good for checking the time early morning! Stop watch etc.. I have the minute hand turned off during normal use, and turn it on if I need it, saves battery that way. A clock man that I showed the watch to said the battery in these usually last about 10yrs - not sure how true that is, but so far so good.

 

Does me... mind you I don't wear it at work, but just about any other time I do. Water proof to 10bar (100mtrs)

 

Have never used the Chronograph though, as the wizwheel in my flight bag is easier!

 

 

[J170 Owner]

I use a simple 'dive watch'. I set the outer bevel marker to the minute hand when overhead way points so it is easy to how long since your last fix. Watches that have all the gizmos and a band that plays requests is just plain silly to me.

 

 

[petetheprinta]

Citizen ecodrive Skyhawk titanium Most accurate watch I have ever owned. RRP in Oz $1300.00 around the traps for about $800. bought in hong Kong for $300.00. (yes it is genuine). Someone is ripping us off.

 

 

[eightyknots]

http://www.citizenwatches.com.au/products/model/JV0020-21FHave had one of these for about five years and keeps great time, only down side is the band needs to be replaced every couple of years, more so if you use it for diving...

Gave up on watches with flight computers around the bezel years ago! Even when my eyesight was good enough to read them, you couldn't because of turbulence, of course I would make an exception if the wife ever gets the hint and buys me a Breitling!

I have a Citizen "gentleman's diver's watch" -suitable for a depth of 100 metres*- which has both an analogue and digital display. I have owned this watch for twenty years and every time I need to alter it for daylight saving time changes, it requires somewhere between 15 and 20 seconds adjustment as it is slightly fast. Oh, and I need to replace the battery every 2 to 3 years.

 

* It is also suitable for thousands of feet of altitude.

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

I have a Citizen Hawk Red Arrows edition - http://www.pooleys.com/prod_detail.cfm?product_id=2014. Not sure what it costs here but I purchased in the UK. I haven't used the whizz wheel function in flight yet, but it's good a good easy to read face with markings for each minute, very easy to read during navs. Technically a mens watch but I ignore stuff like that...

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

I've gone through the "pilot watch" phase with the rotating bezels and dual time etc., but really the watch of choice that I constantly use is a Seiko automatic..with second sweep hand, no batteries, self winding and simple ..