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Holiday Gift Guide: 50 Cool Gifts
 FORWARD-LOOKING INFARED EVS-100
Who needs pilot-controlled lighting when you can see in near total darkness? Forward Vision's new EVS-100, which is now an option on Aviat's Husky aircraft, is an infrared video display system that can illuminate objects otherwise obscured by darkness, whether they're animals on a runway at night, or terrain and trees during a nighttime in-flight emergency. It even improves forward visibility in marginal VFR conditions, helping pilots "see" through snow, fog, haze and darkness. The system is priced at $22,000 and is available on all new Husky aircraft. Aviat also offers a retrofit version for older Huskys for about the same price. Visit aviataircraft.com, or forward-vision.net.
 CESSNA SKYCATCHER
For tooling around cabbage patch or just plane fun, check out the new Cessna Skycatcher, one of a new breed of Light Sport Aircraft that offer a fun way to get into the air at less expense than with a traditional, cross-country machine. Priced at about $120,000 from Cessna Aircraft.
 COLUMBIA 400
This is one fast airplane. Period. If you want to go fast and feel great doing it, this is your machine. The Columbia 400 offers a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, a comfortable, all-leather interior, and the ability to cruise at 235 mph in the flight-levels, putting most parts of the continental United States within easy reach of just about anywhere. Optional oxygen, air conditioning and de-ice make this an ideal go-machine for the high-speed aviator in your life. Available starting at $485,000 from flycolumbia.com, or your local Columbia dealer.
 MOONEY ACCLAIM
If James Dean were alive and flying, he'd be flying a Mooney Acclaim. Clocking in at 237 kts at 25,000 feet, the Acclaim leverages Mooney's long-standing reputation as the hot-rod of general aviation. It also includes some sweet creature comforts like a leather interior, the Garmin G1000 avionics package and a custom tail number, all for about $580,000. Check out mooney.com.
 PIPER MATRIX
This is one of those great ideas you wonder why no one had sooner. Piper took their industry-leading Malibu pressurized aircraft and simply offered it in a non-pressured version. The result is a fast, strong six-seat airplane at a much lower price point, around $757,000. That price puts you in an all-glass Avidyne Entegra cockpit doing 215 kts up high, or 188 kts at 12,000 feet with 800 pounds of useful load. What a great gift idea from piper.com, or your local Piper dealer.
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