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2014 Flying Holiday Gift Guide

November 25, 2014

Flying unveils its ultimate pilot wish list for the holiday season.

Zulu PFX Headset Lightspeed Aviation launched its newest headset, the Zulu PFX, earlier this year, and in doing so brought a whole new meaning to quiet in the cockpit. Utilizing acoustic response mapping and streaming active noise reduction, the PFX adapts to both the environment and your ear shape to get rid of ambient noise and deliver the most crisp and clear audio possible. Simply put, it's the quietest headset we've ever tried here at Flying. To top it off, the soft ear seals and light weight make the PFX a delight to wear. Price: $1,100 lightspeedaviation.com For more headsets, read our review of some of the top models here. Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Breitling Cockpit B50 Breitling's Cockpit B50 is a great timepiece for those seeking a high-end watch that doesn't sacrifice looks for utility. The model is unique in that it relies on Breitling's own in-house thermocompensated quartz movement, a departure for the company. The sleek B50 features an electronic tachometer and a "chrono flight" device that can record flight times along with other key data. With a titanium case and a 46 mm diameter, the Cockpit B50 provides it all in a sexy presentation that exudes class and style. Price: From $6,600 breitling.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Engraved iPhone Case These engraved wood cases from Sporty's provide the perfect accessory for flying enthusiasts looking for a unique way to protect their iPhone while sporting their love of aviation. The details on the back of each case are carved using a precision laser, and the sides are wrapped with rubber materials to protect the phone from scratches or drops. The "I'd Rather Be Flying" version goes for 29.95. For just $5 more, users can engrave a message of their choice along with different airplane model silhouettes and logos. Price:Basic, $29.95; Individualized, $34.95 sportys.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Oakley Sliver F Oakley's newly released Sliver F sunglasses are the company's first foray into foldable eyewear. Made out of a new polymer material called "NanOmatter," which Oakley says weighs 50 percent less than the company's standard O Matter, the Sliver F glasses are incredibly light. The fit is comfortable, and the large frames provide extensive coverage. Only the Sliver's stems fold — not the nose — turning the glasses into a compact sliver as the name suggests. The Sliver F comes in seven different color options. **Price: **From $160 oakley.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Iridium Go In a 24/7 world where connectivity is a way of life, this compact Wi-Fi hot spot generator makes sure you don't miss any important calls or emails just because you're on the go. The portable unit uses satellite connectivity to provide a Wi-Fi hot spot with a 100-foot radius anywhere on the planet. The device can support up to five smartphones or tablets at a given time, and it comes with a variety of voice and data plan options. So whether you're in the air or camping beneath the wing in rugged terrain, you'll never have to be out of touch again. **Price: **$875 (not including service plan) iridium.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

iOximeter With the slew of recent fatal accidents linked to hypoxia, it's clear this very real threat is here to stay. While your first protection against hypoxia should always be to ensure you're on oxygen when flying within the parameters defined by the FAA, this iOximeter from Sporty's can provide a nice cross-check to confirm your O2 levels are where they need to be for safe flight. Simply slip the lightweight iOximeter onto your finger, plug its headphone jack into your phone and track your oxygen through the system's free app. Users can program the app to provide alerts when their pulse or oxygen saturation reaches certain levels, and it automatically records daily highs and lows. **Price: **$69.99 sportys.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Garmin Vívofit As more and more studies illustrate the dangers of prolonged inactivity, health-conscious people around the world are looking for new ways to stay fit. Enter the Garmin Vívofit and Vívosmart. These smart wristbands track your daily steps, distance walked, calories burned, heart rate (with an optional strap) and time spent moving. They provide alerts when you've been inactive for more than one hour and can keep track of programmable personal daily goals. The Vívosmart goes a few steps further than the Vívofit, providing vibration alerts and allowing users to sync the wristband with their phone to receive email and message notifications on the band. **Price: **Vívofit, $129.99; Vívosmart, $169.99 to $199.99 garmin.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 For those looking for an easy and affordable way to get into drone flying, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 provides a heck of a lot of fun without the sticker shock typically associated with personal UAVs. This lightweight yet robust quadcopter is controlled directly from your smartphone or tablet and delivers impressive precision flying without the need for extensive training. The drone is ready to go out of the box and is nimble enough to operate in small and large spaces alike. The unit comes with auto takeoff, autoland and emergency stop capabilities, among a slew of others, and users can enjoy putting their skills to the test with a number of third-party games made for the drone. To top it all off, the AR.Drone 2.0's built-in 720p camera lets fliers capture all their feats in high-def video. **Price: **$299.99 ardrone2.parrot.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

OpenAirplane Gift Certificate Want to give a friend or loved one the gift of flight? Thanks to OpenAirplane's growing nationwide network of rental airplanes, the process just got a whole lot easier. OpenAirplane currently offers 250 aircraft at 68 different airports located in 33 states across America. How it works is simple. As long as pilots take a checkout ride once a year at any OpenAirplane location, they are qualified to fly the same make and model anywhere in the network. OpenAirplane's mobile-friendly system makes reserving airplanes and paying for flights a cinch, and early signs show OpenAirplane's array of locations will only continue to grow. Gift certificates can be purchased online at OpenAirplane's network. **Price: **Any value openairplane.com **
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Carbon Cub SS When it comes to fun flying, the Carbon Cub SS serves up a backcountry adventure machine that can access a plethora of locations few other airplanes dare go. The LSA takes its inspiration from the venerable Super Cub, but adds in lightweight 21st century materials and a 180 hp engine from Titan to create a very powerful taildragger able to take off in as little as two lengths of the airplane. The airplane's get-up-and-go also includes an impressive 2,100 fpm climb rate, and with a stall speeds as low as 32 mph, the aircraft doesn't sacrifice safety for that performance. **Price: **From $184,990 cubcrafters.com Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

Still need something for your holiday stockings this year? Flying is giving away 35 copies of Disney's Planes: Fire & Rescue Blu-ray Combo Pack. Enter to win your own copy of Planes: Fire & Rescue here! Get exclusive content like this delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our free enewsletter.Flying

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