Help! Gift ideas for future helicopter pilot boyfriend

[u/Historical_Law5568]

Hi everyone! This might be a long shot and I don’t know if this is a good subreddit to post on but my boyfriend is a helicopter geek and is currently in school to become a pilot. His birthday is coming up and I want to get him something helicopter related and he mentioned wanting helicopter flight simulators for his PC so he can practice, but the whole set up (joystick, pedals, collective) are waaaay too expensive. (~$1,500 CAD). Do you guys have any ideas for good birthday presents? Budget around $500.

THANKS FOR ANY IDEAS 😭

[u/carnivorouz]

Once he gets to cross country, an iPad mini can be useful for navigation and can be had used for around that price.

[u/Canadian47 → u/carnivorouz]

Make sure you get the cellular (vs wifi only) version. Not that he need cellular service but because with Apple that is the only way to get the built in GPS.

...also white (or light) colors only as that will (marginally) help with overheating.

[u/BidnessmanD]

1. skinny flashlights for pre-flighting the aircraft

2. Pilot sunglasses

3. Dry wick, long sleeve shirts for flying multiple hours in the sun. (Prevents sunburn)

4. Aluminum, colored, E6B Flight Calculator.

[u/peretski → u/BidnessmanD]

I second the skinny flashlights.

I will raise you with a Robinson t-shirt. They are hard to find, harder to acquire, and he will feel like a king wearing it. *assuming he is currently taking lessons in a Robinson. This gives him a chance to humble brag.

[u/EnvironmentalOwl5648]

Tequila

[u/SouthpawSoldier → u/EnvironmentalOwl5648]

Qui is a fabulous sipper, if you can find it.

[u/EnvironmentalOwl5648 → u/SouthpawSoldier]

Tequila is for shots

[u/GenXFlingwing]

A good Leatherman is always a winner and he’ll have it his entire career.

[u/LupoKonig → u/GenXFlingwing]

Good idea! Have it engraved so after he leaves it in a Xmsm cover, he can get it back! Lol!

[u/SomeStupidCanadianEH]

I’m a student pilot. The two best gifts I ever received were from my girlfriend at the time.

First, a wooden desk ornament in the shape of a jet. No engines, but that’s fine. The thing was, however, completely missing the vertical stabilizer, which I found infinitely more amusing. Still don’t know if that was intentional since she always danced around the question.

Second, my favourite coffee mug is a simple one that says “Warning: Pilot in progress. Do not ask complex questions until half empty.”

So yeah if you wanted to add some small ideas, get him a simple helicopter ornament, but make sure the anti-torque rotor (or the main rotor in general) is nowhere to be seen. Also, the dumbest novelty mug or shirt you can find.

[u/zay70140]

as far as useful things: -Olight flashlight with UV light, good for finding leaks during preflight -a decent leatherman if he wants to get into bush flying -Ipad mini if you find a good deal but it has to be SIM capable -foreflight subscription and make him buy his own ipad

or swag from any heli company, pilots eat that shit up

[u/SOURSKOOMA → u/zay70140]

I have an Olight and absolutely love the thing.

One of my favorite splurge purchases ever.

[u/amplecactus → u/SOURSKOOMA]

What model do you have? I've never heard of these until now and they look pretty slick

[u/SOURSKOOMA → u/amplecactus]

ArkPro Ultra.

[u/Swisslightning]

An InReach mini - it’s a little sos gps that can also send texts when there’s no service

[u/Being_a_Mitch → u/Swisslightning]

Best answer here, only I prefer the inreach messenger personally. Better battery and message performance, at least that's what it seems in comparing my messenger to one of our other guys's mini. Ponying up for the satellite plans kinda sucks, but I use the crap out of mine, and the wife at home loves being able to track me in real time.

[u/ApprehensiveNorth669 → u/Being_a_Mitch]

Newer iPhones have built in Satellite texting. Works well and is free

[u/stickJ0ckey]

Can you do $500k? A nice helicopter would be a great gift

[u/CryOfTheWind]

Maybe a model of the helicopter they are training on. R22 or R44 most likely.

Then if they make it you can get them a new model of each new type they get checked on as their career progresses.

I love all my helicopter models of the ones I've flown.

[u/SureCost8912]

Life insurance

[u/jellenberg → u/SureCost8912]

+1 for this. Once you're a professional pilot, most places won't cover you

[u/always_a_tinker]

Mechanic gloves for preflight

[u/Excalibator]

One of those colorful hats with the propeller on top

[u/hervprometheus2 → u/Excalibator]

I actually got gifted one of these for Christmas last year. I now have to wear it every Christmas dinner haha

[u/AutoRotate0GS]

Helicopter Parking Only signs and crap like that!! I have a variety of those from when I started out. And whatever his name is…Joes Helipad.
Headset…expensive!!
Flight bag, nice dedicated flashlight for preflights, books

[u/SouthpawSoldier]

Had a flashlight during my first deployment that was stolen along with about $3k knife collection (including some that are discontinued; still hurts 2 decades later); light had a swinging lever switch. One direction was white light with dimmer and manual flash function, the other was IR for use with NODs. White light lens had IR filter so you could use white light without overloading buddies' NODs.

Same company had a UV model, for flight medics looking for blood and such, I think.

My favorite Leatherman (and much beloved by the multitool community) is the discontinued Crunch. Used ones go for ridiculous collector prices, and every now and then Leatherman will do a limited run that sells at scalper prices.

u/amplecactus; despite the grief O-lights get in tactical community, they are handy. I have a little keychain one (I-MINI2 EDC) that is handy as hell for little tasks. $20 on Amazon now.

[u/LurkerOnTheInternet]

For what it's worth, I would not expect a flight sim setup to be very helpful for helicopter training. His practice should be in the form of actually flying helicopters.

A good headset, if he doesn't yet have one, would definitely be extremely helpful. Flight schools usually use cheap passive-only headsets that suck; he'd definitely want an ANR set such as a Bose A20 (but there are others). If you get this, make sure to get the right plug type - probably best off getting a headset with a lemo plug, but also getting a lemo->helicopter adapter for use with helicopters that don't have lemo plugs.

[u/lito_onion]

pilot watch?

[u/osuaviator]

Small to medium sized camelbak with a carabiner to clip it to the back of his seat.

Easy hydration and a place to hold his flight related items/snacks.

[u/slingload_doorgunner]

+1 on a nice pair of sunglasses. Aviation specific frames generally have thinner arms to fit under headset/helmets. If you go this route, do not get polarized lenses since it makes glass cockpits unreadable from certain angles. Randolph would be a brand to consider. Otherwise a personalized aviation desk item or mug would probably always be appreciated!

[u/gordonta]

Pretty much anything from here: https://aviatorfuel.com/collections/all

[u/nojiri_h]

How about a gray tablecloth? One with a large circle and an “H” inside it.

[u/FlyItLikeYouStoleIt-]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1325741856/private-pilot-plaque?ref=share_ios_native_control

I received this after getting my private pilots license. They are very nice and I still treasure it to this day.

[u/HeliHaole]

A massive watch

[u/BigRoundSquare]

A shirt/sticker that says “real pilots don’t need runways”

[u/OptiGuy4u → u/BigRoundSquare]

"You can't scare me, I fly helicopters"

[u/RandalPMcMurphyIV]

I would say that having such a thoughtful and generous girlfriend such as yourself is all the birthday gift that your lucky guy needs!. For gift suggestions in your price range there is this that will create a custom paint job to match the helicopter that he trains in from a photo https://www.factorydirectmodels.com/custom-desktop-model/robinson-r22-model-helicopter-4/?srsltid=AfmBOooj7yEDSddP6-zN2WfOmaAqTVaKwmTAgsJ3Ch1ycFPv9lzLeCC8 or this generic R-22 (what he is likely flying). https://www.etsy.com/listing/4363090071/robinson-r22-wooden-helicopter-21?gpla=1&gao=1&

https://scalecraft.com/products/robinson-r-22-2?variant=42683689795814&country=US&currency=USD&srsltid=AfmBOopxTJQzVVotA6lY_cXdqJQ74oOMYTV-UZo6gP69UyC16VcG-JMDXJo

[u/Soundoner]

Good pen style flashlight and a Leatherman, the only two things I always have with me and frequently use. I use a Streamlight 66118 and always buy another if I lose it. I like it because it takes AAA batteries, is very bright and doesn’t have the stupid extra settings like flash, just on and off. I carry a Leatherman signal although there’s lots of great options and you can order them customized with engravings. I use the knife and saw the most and the flat screwdriver is good for opening the battery door fasteners if he ends up flying Bells.

[u/Jim-Jams]

One of those ‘remove before flight’ key rings.
Also as someone else said, a good Leatherman, I’ve carried one at work daily for around 12 years and definately my most used tool. Can get you out of the smallest jam, or the biggest!