For modern GA pilots accustomed to precise, detailed flight displays from Garmin, Aspen, Avidyne, or Collins, the thought of using a wristwatch as a navigation aid might seem quaint—or worse. But in the early days of aviation, time was a dominant reference for coordinating travel.
Over the years, the arrival and steady improvement of radios, radar, and flight instruments bumped the watch to limited supporting roles in the cockpit. Still, when I was learning to fly a decade ago, my instructor insisted that I wear a watch and synchronize it with his (and our smartphones) before each flight.
