Aviation watch

[night]

I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive watch that'll be good when flying. I have small wrists so I probably shouldn't wear a big watch. does anyone have any suggestions?

[lelebebbel]

Just buy any watch that you like, as long as it is easy to read and shows minutes and seconds clearly. Casio, Citizen, Seiko..., even a $15 Timex, doesn't matter.

 

In my experience nobody ever uses "aviation" specific features after about the first week. Some might find a stop watch useful, personally I don't miss it.

Edited August 24, 2016 by lelebebbel

[zippiesdrainage]

For the longest time I used a simple Walmart special that was only like 20 bucks? Why? Because it would display two time zones at the same time. I set one to local and one to Zulu, saved me a lot of time, highly recommend it.

[Anonymous???]

Just make sure watch has dual time. I have used this watch for 6 years straight (I have even super glued the rubber back down on the face)..... I still wear it now on and off.. http://www.timex.com/watches/expedition-chrono-alarm-timer-t40941

the best part about this watch is its, single button access to another time zone which you will obviously put zulu/utc time in. It's perfect. You get a quick glance at that zulu time that you only use for aviation.

[avbug]

Zulu time is a useful time to have for some applications. A number of inexpensive watches are available today that have world time. I prefer digital watches for a quick, accurate read in the cockpit, over an analog watch or display, especially if flying IFR. Back lighting is available on most watches with the indiglo feature, usually by a button; a few will light up by rocking your wrist, which is useful when you can't let go of flight control to activate the light.

 

Camping or outdoors watches also feature a compass, which is sometimes useful. I've used one on occasion in foreign cities when north wasn't clear, just for getting around town. Presently I'm using a casio, but I've used the timex expedition watches quite a bit. They're inexpensive, last quite a while, and have whatever features you might like. Most any watch these days will be just fine.

[Astro]

My helicopter has a clock in it, my phone has a clock, my tablet has a clock, and my GPS has a clock (that one I set to Zulu time). Didn't think anyone wore a watch anymore?

[CLRDHOT28]

When I finished flight school I got myself one of those citizen pilot watches. Looked pretty but got scratched up from preflighting and normal flight operations. I then went back to my old Luminox analog watch and have worn that on and off for years. I now have a GShock watch that is solar powered, gets the atomic time automatically, and even has the tides for when I go fishing. So far the Gshock is my favorite watch to fly with.

[Wally]

Casio G-Shock, presently a GD350:

Backlight with wrist position activation;

Dual time w/daylight savings as quick set;

Countdown timer and separate stopwatch;

5 alarms and an hourly, beep, flash, or vibrate options;

mineral crystal. Ugly, durable, inexpensive, accurate enough and inexpensive at about $60.

Vibrating alarms are great in the cockpit and I don't disturb anybody with an o-dark-thirty get up.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Wally