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Holiday Gift Guide
by Sean Fulton
SOFTCOMM MODEL C-4510/20 CHILD'S PRINCE HEADSET
 Protect children’s hearing with these great-looking headsets, specifically designed to provide a lightweight (less than 13 oz.) fit to tiny heads. With a Noise Reduction Rating of -22 dB, the Model C-45-10 compares to the best of passive headsets, while the 45-20 adds state-of-the-art ANR to the package. The unique, kid-friendly coloring helps make children feel special with their own headsets while in the airplane. Prices vary by distributor but $230 is a good deal. 
PILOT AVIONICS P51C HEADSET FOR CHILDREN
Economic hearing protection for children ages 1 to 10, this playfully colored pilot’s headset features solid hearing protection and a noise-canceling microphone for about $100. As with the SoftComm model, the lightweight and small size are ideally suited for tiny heads, offering adult-class protection for young ears.
FLYING SOUTH
This new book by the late Barbara Cushman Rowell will touch your whole family. After nine years as the supportive wife of world-renowned adventure photographer  Galen Rowell, Barbara needed an adventure of her own, so she learned to fly and then set her sights on an even greater challenge: Flying more than 25,000 miles with her husband and brother in a Cessna 206 from Berkeley to Latin America.
The book is an outstanding, first-hand account of this exciting journey, accented by Galen’s stunning photography. Anyone who has traveled cross-country in a GA airplane will love the knowledgeable, easy way Barbara writes about flying and life on the road. “When I think about flying, my only regret is not learning to do it sooner,” she wrote. “It never occurred to me that the skill of piloting a plane could ever be within my realm because I didn’t see myself as brave enough or technical enough to master something so risky and challenging.”
Tragically, Barbara and Galen died in a charter airplane crash just four months before her book was published. Check your local bookstore, or visit www.tenspeed.com.
ICOM A23 HAND-HELD TRANSCEIVER
Having a backup radio in case of electrical or other failure is a must in today’s high-security aviation environment. The A23 includes all the communications features required of a backup radio for flight, as well as an integrated navigational radio that will help the pilot in IFR operations or while flying in unfamiliar areas. The unit features display and keyboard back light for nighttime use, as well as a low-battery indicator critical for in-flight use. The transceiver sells for about $400 on the Internet; be sure to purchase the $35 alkaline battery pack, which gives you the option to use conventional AA batteries to power the unit instead of just relying on the included Ni-MH rechargeable battery.
VERTEX STANDARD VXA-210 SUPILOT AIRBAND TRANSCEIVER
Another high-quality handheld for the pilot in your life, this one features many of the same features as the ICOM A23, but adds a battery-saver mode that will reduce power to the unit when no radio transmissions are detected. It also displays altitude and barometric pressure information that, while not legal for navigation, still can be a big help. The unit is priced at around $375 from online retailers and, again, it’s a good idea to pick up the alkaline battery pack for $37.
 AVIATION-THEMED THROWS AND PILLOWS
When weather keeps you on the ground, curl up with a good book or your favorite aviation video beneath one of these high-quality fabric throw blankets and pillows. Each features a different aviation theme or character, from Amelia Earhart to the Wright Brothers, woven into the soft fabric with rich colors and a warm, velvety feel. Prices range from $30 to $60 per piece, from www.millstreetdesign.com.
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