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Cool Stuff | PRODUCTS THAT MATTER
 NEXT GENERATION LEATHER FLIGHT BAG
These sharp new flight bags combine a touch of luxury with rugged utility. Weighing in at just over four pounds, the bags feature two head set compartments, a zippered portfolio for logbook and other essentials, a cavernous main compartment closed by two zippers, and two easy-access exterior pockets for up to 10 charts. The bags measure 21” by 11” by 11,” and are made of top-quality cow hide. Reasonably priced at $199 from www.pilotbags.com.
 A PRIMER FOR PASSENGERS
The Right Seat Handbook is the perfect pre-flight gift for that nervous passenger. Informative and comforting in a non-technical way, this 144-page volume explains how airplanes work and what goes on during a routine GA flight. It also comes with more than 50 helpful and sometimes hilarious illustrations. Written by Charles F. Spence and published by McGraw-Hill, this book is about $15 from your favorite pilot shop.
 COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
If you are trying to weigh the costs of a new airplane, check out www.planequest.com and their operating cost calculator. The site uses real data from aircraft owners to calculate everything from the number of hours flown per year by owners of your make and model, to the average per-hour cost for maintenance, fuel and oil. The site also lists average insurance and tie-down costs for each model, providing valuable insight into what others are paying to operate the same airframe.
SAVINGS BY REQUEST
If you travel on business, you absolutely must join Wyndham By Request, a free “club” run by Wyndham Hotels. Membership is free and you can sign up at a hotel or online. Once you’ve joined, you’ll enjoy special amenities like free telephone calls  (yes local and long distance), free faxes, and free in-room high-speed Internet access. It’s perfect for setting up an office on the road.
By Request guests are also welcomed on each and every visit with a welcome gift of your choosing (we chose a half-bottle of Merlot and Peanut M & Ms). The Wyndham staff makes a special effort to greet By Request members by name, and the hotel’s downtown locations make them a great refuge among generally higher-priced hotels. And if you book online, Wyndham’s non-refundable web rates are extremely low, often comparable to a Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn in the same market.
AIRPLANE LETTER OPENER
This classy letter opener will make a welcome addition to any aviator’s desk. It’s a sculptured airplane letter opener, with a blade that is curved like a prop and plated in 24 kt. gold. Well worth $13 and available from mypilotstore.com.
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