Watches w/ E6B's?

[Murph]

I'm in the market for a new watch and for those of you who have been through UPT, would you suggest a watch that has an E6B function? Is it more advantageous than than fumbling around with that gargantuan wizz-wheel in the airplane?

[Flare]

You'll be fine if you never take your E-6B out of your pubs bag. I would recommend a $20 Timex Ironman watch or something similar... to buy a watch with an E-6B would be an absolute waste of your money.

[Guest skipplet]

Damn, how big is the watch?

[Guest siouxicide]

If you wanna unload some serious cash, check it out.

https://www.breitling.com/en/models/professional/b1/

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

I personally have a Casio G-Shock that has 2 time zones, a countdown timer, a stop watch, 12/24 hour functions and a light. Cost about $60 at the BX.

I use each of the functions on a daily basis when I'm flying.

There are a few guys in my unit who have the Blue Angels style watch with the whiz wheel on it. First, I have never seen anyone outside of UPT use a whizwheel, and, if you need one while flying, those numbers are so small and hard to read while still, imagine what it would be like in the air?

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

I've got a B-1 and quite simply, it's an awesome watch. The only thing somebody might take issue with is that it's quartz, not automatic. Having said that, I'll be the first to admit that I've NEVER used the watch in the airplane for anything other than time and as a backup timer (the mechanical-wind clocks in T-37s and T-38s are ancient and like to start and stop on their own). For whatever it's worth, a good 75% of IPs and students I know wear Timexs and Casios from WalMart. Among the other 25% the majority I see are Breitlings (B-1s, B-2s, and Navitimers), Omegas (various Seamasters, Speedmaster Professionals and Speedmaster X-33s), and the ever popular Rolex GMT-Master II.

Honestly, any sports watch will do. Keep in mind with anything that you want it durable enough to withstand a few smacks around the cockpit and not be too uncomfortable when you're sweating into the strap or bracelet for a few hours on end. If you want to drop some serious cash on a watch that you could find yourself wearing when you retire, have at it.

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

Reading your post again, if you're looking for a watch that has the E6B look - and there's nothing wrong with that - but don't want to spend a small fortune, I'd suggest looking at Seiko Flightmasters and the Chase-Durer line of watches. All the Seikos and the quartz Chase-Durers will run you a couple hundred dollars. Reasonably durable watches with better quality quartz movements.

[Guest Jer105]

I have a Citizen watch with the E6B, got it as a gift, love the watch, it's the solor powered one. The only time I use the E6B is to translate knots to MPH when talking to non-aviation types. I don't think I've used my real E6B since flight school. I wouldn't wear that expensive of a watch in flight school because you will break it. I wear it when I fly now, but I fly a VIP C-12, so we stay pretty clean, no danger of breaking. Stick with a timex for flights, and use the good $$$ watches for the out of the green suit.

[Guest Wxpunk]

I too just got the Citizen Blue Angels Edition Skyhawk watch. It was a college graduation gift from my pops. Anyhow, it's a great looking titanium watch with a usable E6B, though I doubt I'll ever use it outside a party :D . Bottom line, great watch, great look and I found it for $285. It retails at around $575!

Here it is...

https://www.citizenwatch.com/collections/im.../jr3090_58l.jpg

Here it is for a great price...

https://www.princetonwatches.com/shop/JR3090-58L.asp

---------------

Wxpunk

[Guest CBStud]

I have a Chase Durer and love it. However, it started breaking when I'd wear it in flight from getting hit around and the g's I guess. The pins in the band are not the greatest. So I only fly with the watch they issued me now which is the Casio G-shock. It works and if it breaks I just go get another free watch. Oh yea, like everyone else said the E6 function is pretty useless but looks cool.

[Guest JPritch]

If I had to buy a "flight" watch today, it would be this:

Citizen Titanium Skyhawk

Hint: Get 'em on Ebay. They're much much cheaper than if you bought it from a store or through an online retailer.

[Guest TheBobGoat]

just wait until pilot training and get your sweet Gshock

[Guest challiday]

I have had great luck with the a watch made by Citizen, it is called the Wingman 6. It is hard to find but worth it. I have no idea about the "G" load it can take. Good luck

https://www.usm-ftp.com/navides.htm

Tin Pusher

[Riddller]

I definitely reccomend the Skyhawk, after flying around to a different time zone every night, the 30 different time zones on that thing at the push of a button was VERY nice. I will tell you one very practical use for the wiz-wheel on the outside: When you're in Thailand and the cute bartender just charged you 500 Baht for the last round of Makhong-Lipo's (a tasty beverage) for you and your 5 buddies, it's REAL easy to plug the Baht-Dollar conversion rate onto your watch a find out you got SCREWED!! I used that thing for conversions all over the world, it's great!

[zab1000]

If you're in Thailand and you don't have the currency rate memorized, you're screwed already.

and 6 drinks for 12 bucks isnt bad. even there.

not that i have the exchange rate in thailand memorized or anything....

having a whiz wheel on you outside an airplane is lame