Happy Holidays! 10 Great Gifts for AvGeeks

The holidays are just about here! In the spirit of the season, here are ten great gift ideas for your favorite AvGeek.

1. 3 Feet to the Left: A New Captain’s Journey from Pursuit to Perspective by Korry Franke

If you have ever wondered what it is like to upgrade to captain at a major airline, this book is for you. A Boeing 737 Captain at United, Korry Franke tells the story of his journey to the left seat in this book. The book is a great mix of exciting flying stories, family stories and how Captain Franke has grown as a leader. Available in both Kindle and print format, this is a great read for any aviation enthusiast.

2. MotoArt PlaneTags

MotoArt’s PlaneTags are an excellent stocking stuffer. Upcycled from retired aircraft, you can attach them to your keys, luggage, flight bag, briefcase…anything you can think of that you can attach a keychain to really. MotoArt has a robust collection of commercial airliner PlaneTags available.  My personal favorites include the special edition United Airlines Boeing 747 tag and the Eastern Airlines Douglas DC-9 tag. The PlaneTags also include a tail number, so you can actually look up the history of the airliner you own a piece of.

3. Infinite Flight Mobile Flight Simulator

Available for Android and iOS, Infinite Flight is a mobile flight simulator that will surely make an AvGeek happy! The Infinite Flight fleet includes aircraft from big to small, including general aviation aircraft and commercial airliners.

A recent update to the app added the A350-900 XWB to the fleet, along with many other improvements.  Purchasing the app allows the user access to some features, but to really experience the full breadth of features including access to all aircraft and the ability to fly to and from any airport in the world.

4. Fate is the Hunter: A Pilot’s Memoir by Ernest K. Gann

Ernest K. Gann’s classic memoir about his days as a pilot during the early days of commercial aviation is a must-read for any aviation enthusiast. Gann’s memoir is filled with flying stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

5. Chart it All

Chart it All allows you to have the sectional chart from your favorite airport printed on a variety of different products including shirts, ties, pants, coasters and mugs among many others. Grab the airport code for your AvGeek’s favorite airport and head on over to Chart it All for a gift that is sure to be a hit.

6. Living in the Age of Airplanes

If there is one movie about airplanes every AvGeek should own, this is it. Produced and directed by Brian J. Terwilliger, and narrated by Harrison Ford, this film does an incredible job capturing how the airplane as an invention has changed our lives.

One of my personal favorite parts of the film is when it illustrates the journey of flowers cut fresh in Kenya, to their final destination in a vase in a home in Alaska. After watching this film, you will see just how far aviation has come in one short century, and you will probably have a renewed appreciation for the miracle and beauty of flight.

7. Tickets for the Everett, Wash. Boeing Factory Tour

Any AvGeek wants to see where Boeing builds its 747, 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner aircraft and the Boeing Factory Tour in Everett, Wash. is the best way to do it. I took the tour back in 2017 and it still ranks as one of my favorite aviation experiences.

The tour is about an hour and a half long, and includes many interesting sights and facts. Photography is not allowed, and there are some other restrictions, so be sure to read the fine print from Boeing before buying your tickets and heading to Paine Field.

8. Captain Joe T-Shirt

Captain Joe has an aviation-focused YouTube channel that is top-notch. With videos covering topics from how to taxi a Boeing 747 at Hong Kong International Airport to an interview with famed John F. Kennedy International Airport air traffic controller “Kennedy Steve,” Captain Joe takes on interesting and sometimes quite complex aviation topics. Rest assured, he puts them into an accessible fun to watch video format.

Head on over to the Captain Joe shop and grab a t-shirt. Bonus: Captain Joe merchandise sales support the “Captain Joe – Spreading Wings” Charity Foundation, which helps fund young aspiring pilots on their journey through flight school and into the cockpit.

9. 08Left Airport Tower Art

All AvGeeks know that there are many airports around the globe that have some pretty neat looking control towers and 08Left transforms those architectural beauties into art. The company has many of the world’s coolest-looking control towers available for print on metal, poster print, fine art or canvas.

10. Airbus Christmas Packs

Available at the Airbus Store, Airbus is offering Christmas Packs for the A320neo, A350 XWB, A380, BelugaXL, and A400M. Each Christmas Pack comes with several products as, for example, the A350 XWB Christmas Pack includes 2 A350 keyrings, a 1/400 scale model, a hat, a mug and a wide badge holder.

Any of the Airbus Christmas Packs will be sure to please an AvGeek who is an Airbus fan.

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Jordan Green

Jordan joined the AG team in 2018 after attending AAviationDay in Philadelphia.He is actively pursuing his private pilot certificate and has been an aviation enthusiast since childhood.An attorney by trade, Jordan jokingly refers to himself as a “recovering litigator” and now focuses on subcontracts management.

Jordan focuses his writing on innovations in commercial aviation, aviation history, and other interesting topics he feels are worthy of discussion in the community.

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