Cool Stuff | PRODUCTS THAT MATTER
 VENTING AIRCRAFT HEAT
The inside of your airplane on a hot summer day can reach over 200 degrees, damaging everything from seat covers to delicate electronics. Finally, there's a clever solution that will keep the inside of your airplane cool without having to buy a hanger to put it in. The Solar Powered Ventilator, or SPV, from Solar Skies is a small fan that fits into the pilot window of an airplane and pulls the warm air out, allowing cooler, outside air to circulate in through your airplane's air vents. The brushless, DC-powered fan is driven a solar panel that can be stuck up on the dash or laid across an airplane wing. The fan exchanges the air in most airplane cabins completely in two to three minutes, exhausting heat from the window while pulling fresh air in through the airplane's air vents. The manufacturer says the solar panel can also be used to power cell phones and other electronic devices in a pinch. Available as a complete system for $425, or $125 for the solar panel by itself, from solarskies.com.
 COOL TODDLER TEES
These adorable, 100-percent cotton T-shirts are an ideal gift for the junior aviator in your family. Available in sizes from X Small to Medium, both boy and girl versions of the shirts feature a wrap-around aviation image. The boy's shirt features fighter planes flying on a blue background, while the girl's shirt features airplanes on a hot-pint background with glitter accents. A definite wardrobe must-have for just $15 from pilotmart.net.
 WRINKLE-FREE TRAVEL
Nothing is more frustrating than arriving at your destination with wrinkled clothes and a hotel iron that looks as though it was last used to melt chocolate. With this handy Franzus steam iron, you can iron out those on-the-road wrinkles with 700-watts of steam-powered precision ironing. The portable unit weighs just 25 oz and has 14 strategically-positioned vents ensuring a crisp, professional steam pressing no matter where you land. It also features a spritzer button for extra moisture, and a thermostat that allows you to control the amount of heat that is ideal for every fabric. The iron's handle folds up for easy packing, and it comes with its own carrying case. A real deal at just $32 from magellans.com.
3-IN-1 PET TRAVEL BED
Nothing like having your small dog, ferret or kitty sliding around on the leather seats of your airplane to make you realize that pets are people too. So the folks at Eagle Creek have come with a handy 3-in-1 carrier that makes a great in-flight pet seat for traveling with the four-legged members of your family. Once at your pet-friendly hotel, the unit opens into a comfy pet bed, making your family pet feel at home even away from home. There's even a handy "stuff" compartment for carrying all of your pet's food, toys and medications while you are on the road. The unit is designed to attach to an airplane or car seat using a conventional, three-point harness, and it is designed to elevate your pet 10 inches above the airplane or car seat for a great outside view. The unit measures 17 inches by 19 inches by 19 inches on the outside, and has an interior compartment that is 14 inches by 12 inches by 8 inches. Priced at around $90 from traveloasis.com.
HAND-CARVED GA MODELS
If you're looking for an ideal gift for the pilot in your life, or just want to spruce up a desk or coffee table, check out the works of Unique Handmade Creations, Inc. The company is currently offering three general aviation models, including a Cessna 172, a Piper J3 Cub, and a V-Tail Bonanza, and a host of other commercial and military aircraft models. All are hand-made out of mahogany or teak, and models are either exact replicas, or artistic renderings of actual airplanes. Prices for the general aviation models range from $40 to $80, and can be purchased directly online from uniquehandmadecreations.com.
 GARMIN IQUE 3600A
In what is perhaps the greatest integration of aviation and everyday life to come along in years, Garmin has figured out how to bolt a top-of-the-line, aviation-quality GPS onto a Palm-powered hand-held computer. The result, the iQue3600a, is a powerful tool that will help you navigate your day as well as the skies. At work, the unit is a standard, Palm OS-powered device, with an address book, calendar, and other productivity tools. You can even use the optional MapSource CD-ROM to download street maps to the unit, providing great navigational guidance on the road. At the airport, just snap on the highly-customized cradle with aviation-specific feature buttons, and you've got a powerful, aviation GPS unit, complete with Jeppesen terrain and sectional chart databases and a built-in, TAWS-like warning system to provide obstacle clearance. The unit is aggressively priced at $1,099, which is several hundred dollars cheaper than the aviation-specific Garmin GPSMAP 296. Both are available from pilotmall.com.
|
