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Pilots love tools, especially ones that make flying better. So, I’ve put together a list of some of the coolest gadgets for pilots right now to make gift-giving easy whether it’s for someone you love or for yourself. If you want to help your favourite pilot improve their communication or make their flying experience better, these high-tech gadgets will do the job.
Bluetooth GPS Device
We all know that when you have a precise and ever-reliable Bluetooth GPS unit, you can get up-to-date information on the weather and traffic. This can prove to be an invaluable tool for pilots, helping them plan their routes more efficiently and keeping them updated on any potential hazards along the way. These devices rely on a network of satellites to provide accurate and reliable data, making them an essential tool for any pilot.
Depending on the model, these devices can range from simple GPS receivers to more advanced ones that also include features such as traffic and weather updates, terrain mapping, and flight planning capabilities. They can be mounted in the cockpit or carried by the pilot, providing real-time information at all times.
Another aspect that makes these GPS devices popular among pilots is their compatibility with various navigation apps and flight planning software. This allows for seamless data integration and a more streamlined flying experience, which inherently leads to safer and more efficient flights.
Terrain awareness is perhaps one of the most important features of a Bluetooth GPS device. This feature provides pilots with a visual representation of their surroundings, alerting them to any potential hazards or obstacles in their flight path. This not only improves safety but also allows for more precise and accurate flying, especially during low visibility conditions.
These tools use the latest GPS technology, which offers high accuracy and reliability, making them an essential tool for both commercial and recreational aerial navigation. With features like multiple GPS signal reception and advanced algorithms for filtering out any interference, aviation GPS receivers can provide pilots with highly reliable and accurate data at all times.
Garmin GLO 2
Anyone who is a pilot will find the Garmin GLO 2 for Aviation very useful. The fact that it uses both GPS and GLONASS satellites makes it more accurate, and the Bluetooth feature lets you connect it to your iOS or Android device. Even better is how fast it updates—10 times per second—which gives you more peace of mind while you’re in the air. It also has 24 more satellites than a GPS-only device, so you can be sure that it will easily get you where you need to go.
ASA Flight Timer 2
There are a lot of useful functions on the ASA Flight Timer. It has a bright, easy-to-read LCD screen that shows 12 approach times. You can hear and see alarms, a stopwatch, and a fuel timer with 1/10th and 1/100th second numbers. The multi-function clock lets you set the time in UTC, 12 or 24 hours.
Handheld Radio
You should have a small radio in case the radio in your plane breaks down. Yaesu makes a number of good types that you can choose from. The Yaesu FTA-450L is a cheap communications-only radio that does the basics well. Users can set up to 200 channels ahead of time, including those in the 8.33 kHz narrow band.
There are two models of the FTA-550 for pilots who want a nav/com in one. You can get this type with either a Li-Ion battery or an AA battery, which costs less. The FTA-750L is the best mobile radio made by Yaesu. The FTA-550 shows the same information on the screen and can do the same things with COM/NAV, NOAA channels, VOR, and ILS. The new feature is a 66-channel GPS WAAS receiver that turns the FTA-750L into a real contact and guidance system that does everything.
Bluetooth GPS Device
Not many watches are as popular as the Garmin D2 Air, but it’s well worth the money. This watch is equipped with plenty of features meant to help pilots on their trips and doesn’t only show you the time, but it also gives you weather updates, trip information, airport data, auto flight logging, Pulse Ox monitoring, a bunch of other health measures, a barometric altimeter, and alerts that you can set for time, distance, and altitude. It also has a fuel timer. This watch is very useful for any crew that works in aviation crew.
Pilot Headphones
The Bose A30 flight headset is the best choice for pilots who want to be comfortable and communicate clearly. The flex-boom noise cancelling electret mic and electric noise cancellation (ENC) both keep background noise in the cockpit from affecting the sound quality. To make it comfortable to wear for a long time, the cap has 20% less binding force than the A20.
Bose gives you a lot of different layouts and plug choices based on your plane and whether you want battery power or aeroplane power. You can get the A30 with or without Bluetooth, depending on your needs and how you want to use it. You can change how music, the phone, and the speaker sound when you use the Priority Switching option.
ASA CX-3 Flight Computer
A good aeroplane computer makes it much easier to do the math that goes into planning a trip. The CX-3 can be used on both FAA and Canadian information tests. It can be set to lights, scroll speed, day/night themes, and time zones, and it can be used as a calculator, clock, timer, and stopwatch. You can use your CX-3 to figure out things like time, speed, direction, distance, weight and balance, climb and fall, wind, fuel, and more. The keys on the keyboard will light up and the screen will dim when the dusk or night theme is on. Another useful tool is the “Favourite” button, which lets you save the functions you’ve used most recently and make and save an “aircraft profile” with your individual numbers.
