The watch made for pilots

flyingcheesehead

flyingcheesehead

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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iMooniac
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 6 today, with several features that are great for pilots:

1) Built-in pulse oximeter
2) Always-on altimeter
3) "GMT" watch face

Cool.
 
And let me guess, it’s the size of a small wall clock. Would love a new watch, not over 38mm, tritium markers, sapphire crystal, and nothing else. Too much to ask for I know.
Dave
 
Just ordered a first IWC. Not as fancy as some, an aqua timer as I recall.
 
wanttaja said:
That's not a pilot watch. THIS is a pilot's watch....
"There are no real pilots anymore...just people in nifty uniforms that operate computers...."

Ron Wanttaja
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Didn't the Supermarine Spitfires have elliptical wingtips? ;)
 
My phone does all of those things. That way I can wear an automatic watch like a big time pilot from the 70s.
 
The way-too-expensive Garmin watches will feed their oximeter readings to be displayed on Garmin Pilot. Obviously Garmin is way too closed to take that input from the Apple watch...but I bet Foreflight would be interested in doing the same.
 
But most importantly for you Apple fanboys, it has a shiny face, so you can see yourself in the reflection.

We all know how important it is to look good and have nice hair, etc...
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 6 today, with several features that are great for pilots:

1) Built-in pulse oximeter
2) Always-on altimeter
3) "GMT" watch face

Cool.
Click to expand...


Which planes don't have an altimeter? Does that watch compensate for local altimeter setting, or is it an inaccurate-for-traffic-separation-purposes GPS altimeter?
I already have always on time displays in the panel. 1 home drome, 1 Zulu.

I think your definition of cool, and something that is *actually* cool could be charted. One at the way-point VPGCF and the other VPGCG.
 
NJP_MAN said:
My phone does all of those things.
Click to expand...

True. Except for a few things I can think of offhand...

1) Measure and display heart rate and send it to your phone.

2) Measure blood oxygen.

3) Perform an ECG.

4) Send an alert if any of the above shows a disturbing trend.

5) Fall detection.

But I thought like you did through the first two generations of Apple Watch. Finally bought in on the third. It’s not life-changing, but is very handy. Mine is aluminum and I have a olive-green nylon strap from Epic, making it pretty understated.

I may be ready to upgrade. At my age the fall detection could be life saving if I was home alone and took a tumble. Apple’s event yesterday showcased a few lives likely saved by an Apple Watch. So there’s that.
 
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RangeRider said:
And let me guess, it’s the size of a small wall clock. Would love a new watch, not over 38mm, tritium markers, sapphire crystal, and nothing else. Too much to ask for I know.
Dave
Click to expand...
Try a Butler GMT. All your requirements but at 40mm (still smallish by today’s standards).
I’ve been flying with one for years...quality kit/reasonably priced/designed by a pilot
http://butlerwatch.com/products/Butler_GMT.html
E0C59F27-9723-4BD3-98D3-30B3F659B21A.jpeg
....and actually looks like a watch, not a computer screen on your wrist!
 
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If I were treating myself, this would probably be my configuration:

50349064722_38c7e53af6_z.jpg


Don’t need a fancier case or cellular, since I virtually always have my phone in tow. The larger size is properly proportioned for my wrist. The interest-free payments over 24 months is a nice option as well.
 
FastEddieB said:
True. Except for a few things I can think of offhand...

1) Measure and display heart rate and send it to your phone.

2) Measure blood oxygen.

3) Perform an ECG.

4) Send an alert if any of the above shows a disturbing trend.

5) Fall detection.
Click to expand...

Kind of a subset of #1, but it will also monitor for and send an alert if the wearer is experiencing atrial fibrillation.
 
FastEddieB said:
At my age the fall detection could be life saving if I was home alone and took a tumble
Click to expand...

No kidding

iu



On a serious note - my father had fallen and gotten stuck between the toilet and the wall (really). My mom was there, but due to her dementia she couldn't remember how to dial the phone to get help - but somehow, somehow, she managed to walk to my sisters house (a couple blocks away) without getting lost...
 
FastEddieB said:
True. Except for a few things I can think of offhand...

3) Perform an ECG.

4) Send an alert if any of the above shows a disturbing trend.

5) Fall detection.

But I thought like you did through the first two generations of Apple Watch. Finally bought in on the third. It’s not life-changing, but is very handy. Mine is aluminum and I have a olive-green nylon strap from Epic, making it pretty understated.
Click to expand...
I can see the benefit here. Can't really argue with those points. My biggest draw back to an apple watch is their popularity. I'm not a fan of following the trends. When I was in FBOs I started seeing more and more GMT master II watches. Its impressive how many pilots have them (for good reason). That alone made me sell mine and try to find something a little less common.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 6 today, with several features that are great for pilots:

1) Built-in pulse oximeter
2) Always-on altimeter
3) "GMT" watch face

Cool.
Click to expand...

Sooo . . . kind of like the Samsung Watch 3? Except the Samsung looks better and is priced much lower.
 
The real point of things like the apple watch isn't that it can do anything that you can't accomplish with other devices/tools. It's the convenience of having the thing on your wrist in one package.

The most common daily thing I use mine for is to see who is texting me something when I either don't have my phone on me or I'm in the middle of something that makes it undesirable to dig the phone out of my pocket. Other things I find myself using it frequently for are setting timers for cooking and asking siri to convert some measurement unit to another. That's really the point of the things- little handy helper features that you don't need for sure but are handy to have on your wrist.

Are they worth the asking price? I don't know, debatable. Previous generation wifi only models go pretty cheap though if one is curious.
 
cowman said:
The real point of things like the apple watch isn't that it can do anything that you can't accomplish with other devices/tools. It's the convenience of having the thing on your wrist in one package.

The most common daily thing I use mine for is to see who is texting me something when I either don't have my phone on me or I'm in the middle of something that makes it undesirable to dig the phone out of my pocket. Other things I find myself using it frequently for are setting timers for cooking and asking siri to convert some measurement unit to another. That's really the point of the things- little handy helper features that you don't need for sure but are handy to have on your wrist.

Are they worth the asking price? I don't know, debatable. Previous generation wifi only models go pretty cheap though if one is curious.
Click to expand...

Agreed!

I always laugh at the amount people will argue whether they need this or need that. A tiny fraction of the purchases for anyone in the 1st world represent true needs, the rest is all just desires and convenience. People desire different things, let them buy what they want. I cannot understand how people get such a sense of superiority to others based on completely arbitrary things like whether they wear a smart watch or a traditional one, which technology platform they use, what brand of motorcyle they ride etc. Such tribalism over trivial differences.
 
SoonerAviator said:
The difference is that the Samsung is Stainless Steel where the $399 version of the Apple is aluminum. The SS version of the Apple is $700. Slight difference there.
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Ah didn't know that (not very interested in the watches). Fair enough.
 
FastEddieB said:
Other than vanity, I can't see paying extra for a more exclusive case - the aluminum is just fine.
Click to expand...

Well, that's sort of why most people wear watches (and jewelry) to begin with. Stainless is less likely to be damaged or show scratches like the aluminum, and may handle being abused a bit more. I don't wear a watch (or any jewelry other than a wedding ring) on a daily basis; I only where a watch when dressing up for more formal occasions, so I'd probably be fine with the aluminum, too. Just noting that for apples-to-apples.
 
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FastEddieB said:
Other than vanity, I can't see paying extra for a more exclusive case - the aluminum is just fine.
Click to expand...

Other than vanity, I can't see paying extra for more than a $8 Casio.
(Haven't worn a watch in almost 30 years.)
 
AKiss20 said:
Agreed!

I cannot understand how people get such a sense of superiority to others based on completely arbitrary things like whether they wear a smart watch or a traditional one, which technology platform they use, what brand of motorcyle they ride etc. Such tribalism over trivial differences.
Click to expand...
New to the internet I take it? TC ;)
 
NJP_MAN said:
I can see the benefit here. Can't really argue with those points. My biggest draw back to an apple watch is their popularity. I'm not a fan of following the trends. When I was in FBOs I started seeing more and more GMT master II watches. Its impressive how many pilots have them (for good reason). That alone made me sell mine and try to find something a little less common.
Click to expand...

Can someone explain the logic behind this sequence of events?
1) This product is perfect for me.
2) Lots of people like it, since it is perfect for them too.
3) Sell mine (at a loss) and buy and inferior product.
4) Profit?
 
Just venting.
Apple products suck.
Apple iPad sucks.
Apple iMac sucks.
Apple IOS sucks.
Any product that doesn't let me do what I want to do, sucks.
Therefore, Apple products suck.

Dealing with a very frustrating situation. The software to control my insta360 One X only runs on Apple.
The files go into the Insta360 folder.
Apple won't acknowledge the existence of the Insta360 folder, even though the software works fine.
I can't get the videos off the iPad unless I export them to the iPad photos folder.
When I do that it destroys the 360 video format.

Oh yeah, while I'm at it,the Insta360 software sucks.

I feel much better now.

When my mid '70s Seiko self winding chronograph finally gave up the ghost 3 years ago I bought a cheap Pulsar chronograph. It works fine.
If I reach the point where I need to monitor my vital signs, I probably don't need a flying watch any longer.
 
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