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Charting a Course Towards a Memorable Pilot Gift

Thinking outside of the box and finding unique items could be just the ticket for a memorable gift that’s easy to give and fun to receive.

A discarded taxiway sign makes a great gift for the proud owner of a B-model Cessna 170. [Credit: Jim Stevenson]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Airplane owners are challenging to buy gifts for, as they typically request expensive, specific parts or upgrades for their own aircraft that are difficult for loved ones to source or afford.
  • The most memorable and cherished gifts for pilots are not components for their personal planes, but rather authentic, unique items that once flew on or were installed in other aircraft.
  • Examples of such gifts include historic aviation memorabilia (like control yokes, flight helmets, or airline seats), repurposed airport signage, custom aircraft models, or personalized apparel featuring their plane.
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Whether it’s our birthday or Christmas, we airplane owners are a troublesome lot to shop for. When asked for gift ideas, we immediately rattle off specific, specialized parts that require serial numbers to order and are probably on backorder. When pressed, we’ll provide dreamy descriptions of various avionics, engines, propellers, and other upgrades well into the five-figure price range. 

This is problematic for our loved ones. They want to find something special and unique, something that compliments the hobby we love so dearly. But the likelihood of finding a reasonably-priced gift that we’ll actually enjoy can be frustratingly low. 

Jason McDowell

Jason McDowell is a private pilot and Cessna 170 owner based in Madison, Wisconsin. He enjoys researching obscure aviation history and serves as a judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. He can be found on Instagram as @cessnateur.

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