Top new products of 2019
A good backup radio can be worth its weight in gold, and the PJ2 is the only aviation radio that you can plug a standard aviation headset into without an adapter. It won first place this year for its innovative design and great price. In second place is Sporty's 2020 Learn to Fly Course, which combines online, iOS app, Android app, Apple TV app, and even Roku formats into one package - and guarantees you'll pass all three FAA tests. In third place is ForeFlight's new Sentry Mini ADS-B receiver, a tiny device that offers subscription-free in-flight weather for an incredible price.
Sporty's 2020 Learn to Fly Course
Sentry Mini ADS-B Receiver
Highest Demand ADS-B Out Avionics
This was the "year of the mandate." With the looming deadline for ADS-B installation, we saw a huge push to comply by the end of 2019. All ADS-B Out avionics were hot, but the top seller proved to be the easiest to install: the tailBeacon from uAvionix. In second and third places came two excellent 1090 MHz units from Appareo and Garmin.
Appareo Stratus ESG
Garmin GTX 335
Top Flight Bag
Flight bags are a personal choice, so this was a really close race. The Flight Gear HP iPad Bag was the top choice for its vertical storage design and ease of use. This was followed by the always-popular Flight Outfitters Lift Bag and the Flight Gear HP Tailwind Backpack, our most popular backpack.
Flight Outfitters Lift Bag
Flight Gear HP Tailwind Backpack
Favorite aviation headset
We almost had an intra-office brawl when tallying the votes for this one. When the smoke cleared, the Bose A20 won by half a vote over the Lightspeed Zulu 3. In a surprising development, the Faro Stealth 2 Passive came in a solid third place.
Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset
Faro Stealth 2 Passive Headset
Best Flashlight
Aviation-specific flashlights are a must. We get a good laugh every time a student attempts to preflight a plane with a cell phone for a light. The new, hands-free Flight Gear Headlamp has become the go-to light for most of our students. Headlamps are extremely popular, as the Flight Outfitters Dual Color Pilot's Headlamp came in second, with the new Smith & Wesson Captain's Flashlight right on its heels.
Flight Outfitters Headlamp
Smith & Wesson Captain's Flashlight
Best Flight Jacket
This one was simple to figure out: sit by the front door on a cold day and see what everyone was wearing. The Flight Outfitters Bush Pilot Jacket won by a big margin. We had some old-timers who still swear by the Classic A-2 Leather Bomber Jacket. In third place came the new Super Soft Airline Captain's Jacket, a favorite among pro pilots.
Flight Outfitters Bush Pilot Jacket
Classic Leather Bomber Jacket
Airline Captain's Jacket
