Christmas Ideas

Tristar

Tristar

Pattern Altitude
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Tristar
Christmas is coming once again and I thought this would be a good time to start the topic. Many of us are aspiring or current career pilots so I was curious if any of you had good gift ideas to tell loved ones. Charts, headset, etc. I have but what about any good books on career guidance, corporate/airline operations, or other things that are just "nice" to have as a corporate pilot. The IPad is on my list of course but other ideas, a little less pricey, would be nice too.
 
"Fly the Wing" if you don't have that already - a good introduction to swept-wing jet operations.

I've got a decent book on corporate aircraft management - good background for a corp pilot or someone wanting to start a flight department or charter operation. I'll find the title and post it here.
 
If you don't already have one, a netbook or laptop computer to keep you entertained on the road. Of course I mean for use in the FBO or hotel, not in the cockpit, lest you miss the TOD. :D

As far as books go, there's the Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual which is a simple introduction to turbine airplanes. There are also various books on human factors which I tend to find interesting in small doses.
 
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I have wasted too much of my life away on the laptop in an FBO. It gets old fast.

-I found much excitement in a fold-able bicycle, easily stowed in the baggage area.
-Love the new kindle. I like it better than the Ipad for charts....less expensive, no glare and buttons to push. (try using an Ipad to brief an appch in turbulence).

-Also 2 years I got a nice indestructible chart case and roller bag from my wife. That has been my favorite gift so far.

Most of the books on aviation career guidance were written in the 80's and earlier. Stay attuned to the industry and spend time getting know people that work where you want to work..It takes time..but they will give you far better guidance IMO.
 
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taters said:
I have wasted too much of my life away on the laptop in an FBO. It gets old fast.
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Not for me... :rofl:

taters said:
-Love the new kindle. I like it better than the Ipad for charts....less expensive, no glare and buttons to push. (try using an Ipad to brief an appch in turbulence).

-Also 2 years I got a nice indestructible chart case and roller bag from my wife. That has been my favorite gift so far.
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Every place I have ever worked provided charts so I never brought my own, either electronic or otherwise. In fact the only thing I bring that is my own is a headset, so I haven't carried a flight bag or case in years.

taters said:
Most of the books on aviation career guidance were written in the 80's and earlier. Stay attuned to the industry and spend time getting know people that work where you want to work..It takes time..but they will give you far better guidance IMO.
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I have never read any of these career oriented books so I agree with what you are saying here. Then again, there are so many different paths that people take in their careers that I find it very difficult to give advice.
 
Everskyward said:
Not for me... :rofl:

Every place I have ever worked provided charts so I never brought my own, either electronic or otherwise. In fact the only thing I bring that is my own is a headset, so I haven't carried a flight bag or case in years.
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My charts are provided as well. I just as well leave em in the back if I have an wanna be EFB.
 
taters said:
My charts are provided as well. I just as well leave em in the back if I have an wanna be EFB.
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You know what is funny is that we have paper charts as well as Jeppview Flightdeck in the cockpit of the airplane and it took me a long time to become comfortable with the electronic display. I found it easier to look at the paper charts. I have finally come around though... 2 1/2 years later.
 
Depends on what the budget is. Unfortunately a lot of pilot stuff is expensive.

If you could convince people to get together, I have found my handheld that includes GPS, charts, and XM to be very useful.

Being a pilot, perhaps the best gift of all is a gift certificate to a restaurant that doesn't serve ramen. ;)
 
LOL Ted! Gift cards are always nice when it comes to food! The good thing about the King Air trips is that they at least do feed us and give us charts. The only thing I have to do is bring a headset and something to do during down time. The flights are fun but I can't always say the destinations are. BTW North Platte, NE has a pretty good restaurant on the field if anyone is ever out that way! Bit too far for most of my students, KC is actually closer!
 
TMetzinger said:
"Fly the Wing" if you don't have that already - a good introduction to swept-wing jet operations.

I've got a decent book on corporate aircraft management - good background for a corp pilot or someone wanting to start a flight department or charter operation. I'll find the title and post it here.
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Just a warning on this one: I bought the book thinking I'd find it both useful and interesting even though I doubt I'll ever be flying a swept wing jet and I was disappointed. I've only made it halfway through (and then put it down to read something more attention grabbing) but so far I found little of interest to the typical GA pilot and it's kinda hard to read due to an overly technical style, even for me who actually enjoys reading owner and operating manuals for all sorts of stuff.

BTW, who else here reads the entire owner's manual for their new car before burning through the first tank of gas?
 
gismo said:
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BTW, who else here reads the entire owner's manual for their new car before burning through the first tank of gas?
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My sister did...

...but she has serious need for a bug-up-azz-ectomy.
 
For any pilot likely to fly above 10,000 MSL and especially anyone who uses supplemental oxygen when flying, a pulse oxymeter is a very worthwhile device. The prices have come down considerably from the $400 "special" price I paid at OSH several years ago. Today there are decent models selling for $50 and really nice ones for $100.
 
Tristar said:
The only thing I have to do is bring a headset and something to do during down time. The flights are fun but I can't always say the destinations are.
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Welcome to doctor outreach! And charter/corporate in general. :D
 
To the serious point: I realized some years back that when it came to anything I was seriously interested in, my relatives were probably the worst people to buy me something that I liked. Actually, that extended to anything I wasn't the least bit interested in, either. Whenever my mom bought me something "big", what I got was a little card that said "Good for one [whatever]", and then I picked it out to make sure that I got what I wanted.

I've started asking them to stop getting me presents. It hasn't worked yet, but I'm hopeful that one day they'll just start writing checks to my non-profit rather than getting me something I don't want. Money (or gift cards) make other good universal gifts.
 
Tristar said:
BTW North Platte, NE has a pretty good restaurant on the field if anyone is ever out that way! Bit too far for most of my students, KC is actually closer!
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best chicken fried steak ever at that place!
 
taters said:
-Love the new kindle. I like it better than the Ipad for charts....less expensive, no glare and buttons to push. (try using an Ipad to brief an appch in turbulence).
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Ummm... I just did, last night. What's the problem? :dunno:

FWIW, I found all of the e-ink devices to have screens that were too small and too slow to update to be usable.
 
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