55 Perfect Pilot Things

Our extensive Buyer’s Guide to the most unique paraphernalia that any flier could want

By The Editors

Wiith the holidays upon us, we knew we had to settle the one question that most of us are asking at this time of the year: What do you get for a pilot who has everything? Well, we’ve searched long and hard to answer that question, and we’ve come up with an exhaustive list of gizmos that you can get for your favorite flier—or better yet, perhaps even for yourself. From one-of-a-kind gadgets to amazing adventures to hidden aerial getaways, we’ve left no stone unturned to find fun toys that would fit almost every type of aviator we could think of. The end result is 55 unique gift ideas for the aviation-lover, ranging from the practical to the high-tech to the stylish and even to the unbelievable. So, regardless of whether you’ve been naughty or nice this past year, we give you our list of a few of our favorite pilot things.

The Dream Boat. You can now put your boat in your plane with the Napali Kayak. Weighing only 26 pounds and comprised of military-grade urethane and Carbon-Kevlar material, the kayak can be folded into the size of a backpack that fits right into the plane’s baggage compartment. But what makes it even more unique is its transparent fabric, which allows for amazing underwater viewing.
Price: $4,515
Contact: Clear Blue Hawaii, (808) 832-2438, www.clearbluehawaii.com

Take Your Best Shot. Capture special moments in the air with the Sanyo-Fisher FVD-C1 Pocket CameraCorder. This all-in-one digital camera and camcorder is tape-less, allowing you to either take 491 high-resolution pictures or record up to 30 minutes of DVD-quality, full-motion videos on its 512 MB SD memory card. Plus, at merely 5.4 ounces, it’s small and light enough to stash in your shirt pocket.
Price: $899.99
Contact: Sanyo-Fisher Company, (818) 998-7322, www.fisherav.com

The Showroom. Bring a piece of aviation history into your own living room with furniture by MotoArt. Choose from several designs: an internally illuminated table made out of a C-133 nose, a chair taken right out of a C-97 Stratofreighter or a desk crafted out of a DC-9’s horizontal stabilizer. The company also makes sculptures gleaned from different aircraft propellers.
Price: Varies
Contact: MotoArt, (310) 375-4531, www.motoart.com

The Wild One. Experience what it feels like to go from zero to 250 mph in mere seconds—not in the air, but on the road—in a MTT Turbine Superbike. Made from the same aluminum-alloyed material as a helicopter’s, it’s the world’s first Rolls-Royce/Allison gas turbine-powered, street-legal motorcycle demonstrating 425 feet per pound of torque. It includes a rear-mounted camera with an LCD color display and a custom-enclosed trailer.
Price: $185,000
Contact: Marine Turbine Technology, (337) 924-0298, www.marineturbine.com

Dreaming Of A Spartan Christmas. The holidays are here and what better way to decorate your Christmas tree than with a Spartan Model 7-W Executive Ornament to hang on its branches? The eighth model in Hallmark’s “Sky’s The Limit” series, this miniature Spartan even has a propeller that spins.
Price: $14.95
Contact: Hallmark Gold Crown, www.hallmark.com

Techie Tool. Use the Victorinox Swiss Memory Multi-Tool for its blade, screwdriver, LED mini-light and retractable ballpoint pen. But when you need extra data—whether for navigation, flight planning, you name it—the original makers of the Swiss Army Knife now offer 128 MB on a removable USB flash drive that’s built right into this jack-of-all-tools.
Price: $64 to $69
Contact: Victorinox, (800) 442-2706, www.swissarmy.com

Fly A MiG-29. Be fitted for your G-suit at the Zhukovsky Air Base outside of Moscow. After two rides in an L-39, you’ll be ready to strap on a Mach 2.3 Russian MiG-29 for the ride of your life. Flights in the Su-30 and MiG-25 also are available. The standard packages include six days and five nights in a hotel, ground transportation, security clearances and preflight medical checks. Custom packages are available.
Price: $16,250
Contact: Incredible Adventures, (800) FLY-MIGS, www.incredible-adventures.com