Best Gifts for Pilots – Ever!

Is your loved one a pilot? Wondering how to gift them? Then the sky is the limit! There is a fantastic assortment of gift items that aviators will love.

Here are the best gifts for pilots that will put them on cloud nine.

5 Best Gifts for Pilots

1. Garmin D2 Aviator Watch

ASIN: B08M4DCM5X

How about gifting your aviation ace a watch that is more like a wrist-mounted flight computer? The Garmin Aviator’s smartwatch has various functions that will prove most useful for your pilot friend.

The touchscreen smartwatch weighs under 50 grams but is certainly not light on features. The resilient Amoled screen made from Corning Gorilla glass sports a high resolution 390 x 390-pixel touchscreen.

The D2 is less expensive than the costly Delta range of Garmin watches.

With the D2, your pilot pal can keep track of wind conditions, visibility, cloud cover, temperature and airport information. The worldwide navigation database is simply unbeatable. The watch indicates traffic pattern altitudes, airport frequencies, runway length, TAFs and more.

The watch allows you to check oxygen levels, keep track of heart rate, respiration rate and other cool health stats. The D2 accurately reads out the altitude. The barometer and 3-axis compass are very practical tools.

One nice thing about the watch is that it is highly customizable. Thus you can decide what the interface displays.

Alerts can be set for distance, time, speed, altitude and more.

The watch can do pretty much everything that a pilot could ask for.

Pros

• High-resolution screen
• Shows flight plans
• GPS
• Allows Pulse Ox level tracking
• Logs flights automatically
• Syncs with Garmin account
• Battery lasts about five days on a full charge

Cons

• Lacks some features from the costlier Delta range

2. GoPro Camera

ASIN: B08DK5ZH44

A GoPro camera is a fabulous idea for your high flying friend. They can shoot their aerial escapades and proudly share them with the rest of the world. This is one gift from which you too will directly benefit if you are truly curious about your friend’s flying experience.

The GoPro Hero Black 9 is one of the versatile and powerful cameras on the market. The touchscreen display allows easy control. The HyperSmooth 3.0 stabilization is unmatched. The action camera is especially designed for vlogging. This could be a great new source of income for your pilot friend.

With the GoPro pilot video fad taking off on YouTube and social media, this is one gift that your pilot buddy will appreciate.

Pros

• Superior HyperSmooth stabilization
• Pocket-sized compact design
• Option for mounting add-ons
• 1K live streaming support
• 5K ultra-high-resolution videos
• 20 MP super sharp photos
• Waterproof and tenacious build

Cons

• Heavier than predecessor Hero 8 Black

3. AO Original Pilot Sunglasses – SkyMaster Glass Lenses

ASIN: B08LMQ47C2

These vintage shades are a smart choice for your friend since UV rays are strong at high altitudes and can damage eyesight without proper protection. Yes, pilot shades are highly functional besides just looking cool.

The Original Pilot is a timeless classic. These shades have been hot favourites for US military aces and high flyers since the 50s. The company itself traces its rich heritage back to 1833. With so much expertise and experience to its credit, it’s no wonder that American Optical manufactures the finest aviation shades. Give your pilot friend nothing but the very best.

Pros

• Scratch and impact resistant
• Very high customer satisfaction
• 100% UVA/UVB protection
• Excellent clarity
• Oleophobic and anti-reflective coating
• Chromatically tuned tint minimizes eye fatigue under bright lights
• Lifetime warranty

Cons

• Polarization upgrade purchased separately

4. Miady Portable Charger

ASIN: B089NM1JQF

A portable charger makes for a very practical gift since pilots are a very busy lot and rarely get to stay in one place for too long. So a portable charger will prove expedient for keeping their smartphones fully charged.

The super-high capacity 20,000 mAh charge bank can help you, pilot buddy, to recharge their phones multiple times. Besides phones, the charging bank is compatible with a wide variety of smart devices, including tablets and smartwatches.

The power bank itself charges fully in merely 5 hours. Also included is a USB-C to a lightning cable which is suitable for flagships and iPhones.

At the press of a button, you can have the indicator lights flash on to show you the remaining charge.

Pros

• Superfast 18W charging
• 20,000 mAh dual USB device
• Ergonomic design
• Easy to carry
• Lightning cable
• Compatible with flagship phones
• Very high capacity
• Sleek metal casing

Cons

• Indicator lights may feel bright in a dark room

5. Bose A20 Aviation Headset

ASIN: B010FTYIUS

An empathic friend like you will certainly realize that long hours of flight can be rather dull and dreary. How can you help your dear pilot friend kill time and enjoy the trip? By gifting them a Bose aviation headset, of course!

Hearing impairment is a very real aviation hazard that often goes unrecognized. Aircraft noise is substantial and can lead to hearing problems.

The Bose A20 aviation headset boasts superior sound quality. The audio is lucid, and the active equalization function is most helpful.

This headset is engineered for comfort and high ergonomics. Clamping force is 30% less than competing aviation headsets. Noise reduction performance is also well above par. Being wireless and exceptionally light, your pilot pal will hardly feel them after a while. A perfect flying companion.

Bluetooth connectivity allows your friend to seamlessly integrate this headset with navigation and communications equipment.

Pros

• Headset especially engineered for aviation
• Exceptional noise reduction
• Less clamping force, very comfortable
• Auxiliary audio input and intercom for traffic warning and GPS
• Excellent sound quality

Cons

• Pricey

Our Final Thoughts

Listed above are positively the most valuable and best gifts for pilots that you can ever give. These are class-leading items with extraordinary quality, performance and features that your flying ace will surely appreciate.