2025 Holliday Shopping List

/ Spencer Gould

Looking for gifts for the Aviator in your life, well look no further:

  1. 100Pcs Aviation Stickers

2) The Complete History of Aviation

From the early pioneers to the latest spaceflight technology, this groundbreaking book charts the inspirational story behind humankind’s conquest of the skies. In the 100 years since the Wright brothers’ first powered flight, aviation has witnessed many memorable events. From record-breaking flights and aerial warfare, to advances in aircraft design and the race for space, Flight covers the most memorable moments in the history of aviation. Describing the feats of the brave men and women who piloted the early flying machines, to the pioneers of long-distance flight and the test pilots who ushered in the jet age, Flight is a gripping narrative of humankind’s quest to conquer the skies and explore space. Loaded with spectacular full-color photographs, dramatic first-hand accounts, and fact-filled profiles on a huge range of aircraft, this is an enthralling account of a century of innovation and adventure.

3) Personalized Metal Airplane Wall Art

4) KALIYADI Classic Aviator Sunglasses for Men Women

5) GSPY Scented Candle – Pilot Gifts

6) Aviation Gifts Ceramic Coaster, Set of 6

  • Best Pilot Gifts – A cool gift for pilots and airplane lovers, perfect for birthday gifts, Christmas presents or any occasion.
  • Best Coaster Ever – The absorbent ceramic surface could absorb water drops quickly, to keep your table or desk clean & dry. No need to clean the desk when enjoying ice cream or cold drinks!
  • Premium Quality – Soft cork base provides good protection for the table from being worn and scratched. It also provides a stable base for your cold drinks as well.
  • 6 Pcs in 1 Pack – 6 different colors in 1 pack with a metal coaster holder, making it easier to organize when not in use. Size: 4 inches in diameter
  • Exquisite Packaging – Gift-ready without the need for additional wrapping.

7) FPV Whoop Drone, ready to fly, everything you need

  • 【Cetus Pro FPV Kit】BETAFPV Cetus Pro FPV Kit is a brushless whoop drone designed from the ground up for FPV beginners. Auxiliary flight function is available for novices, greatly reducing the threshold of operating. Cetus Pro brushless quadcopter is robust and powerful, allowing you to fly faster, race, and even do freestyle flying. Taking you from ZERO to Super Pilot in one kit
  • 【N/S/M 3 Flight Modes】Normal/ Sport/ Manual are available, which can satisfy the different needs of pilots and adapt to various flight environments. Meanwhile, these 3 modes all support 3 different speeds in SLOW/MID/FAST. Pilot can choose the mode that suitable with you
  • 【Altitude Hold Function】Altitude hold function enables Cetus Pro brushless quadcopter to Auto-Hover. The quadcopter can stay at a current height when pilots’ hands are off the transmitter. The barometer/laser achieves accurate and stable positioning, which makes the quad hovering indoors very stable. Please note the altitude hold function is only available in N mode
  • 【Self-protection Function】The Cetus quadcopter has an excellent self-protection function. Which can make an emergency landing when it loses control or in low battery. It will also automatically disarm and drop on ground once it has a strong collision with the object. No more worry about loss and crash
  • 【Turtle Mode】Cetus Pro brushless quadcopter comes with turtle mode which is the world’s leading technology. When Cetus Pro brushless quadcopter falls to the ground upside-down, simply activate turtle mode with your transmitter to turn it over. No walking through the fields for this

8) Bose A30 Bluetooth Aviation Headset

  • UNPARALLELED COMFORT: The Bose A30 is a full-sized circumaural aviation headset with a lightweight design and 20% lower clamping force than the A20 along with soft, comfortable ear seals.
  • PRECISION-FOCUSED NOISE CANCELLING MICROPHONE: The Bose A30’s microphone is engineered for aircraft with “hot mic” or PTT systems to increase clarity and reduce background noise during transmission.
  • FAA TSO and EASA E/TSO-C139a CERTIFIED: The Bose A30’s robust design has passed 145 tests by the Bose engineering and quality assurance team to ensure endurance in challenging flight environments.
  • THREE SELECTABLE MODES OF ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION: Industry-leading active noise reduction with adjustable modes accommodates different use cases or pilot personal preference.
  • ACTIVE EQUALIZATION: Incoming signals are shaped and equalized for unmatched audio clarity and intelligibility to this headset with mic.
  • REMOVABLE AND SIDE SWAPPABLE DOWN CABLE AND MIC: No tools required. Boom mic and cable can be mounted on either side of the headset without using any tools.
  • BLUETOOTH AUDIO: Connect to mobile devices, audio systems and electronic flight bags along with audio prioritization to mute or mix Bluetooth audio with intercom audio.
  • DURABLE, THIN AND FLEXIBLE CABLE: Light cable allows for increased freedom of movement and easy storage.

9) Creality K2 Plus Combo 3D Printer, Multi Color Printing with New CFS

  • Multi Color Printing with All-new CFS: K2 Plus Combo multi-color flagship printing, exciting for you to combine. With four CFS units hooked together, it is possible to deliver 16-color 3D prints, saving the need for painting afterward. CFS is intelligent with automatic filament selection, switch, and relay. Upon loading an RFID filament, it can read the color and type instantly. When a filament is running out, it can relay with a similar one installed
  • Larger Size to Meet More Needs: Compared to Creality K2 and K2 Pro, the Creality K2 Plus offers an extraordinary 350*350*350mm large build volume, great for handling larger objects or larger batches, large models don‘t require partitions, and small models are printed in batches more calmly, easily satisfying your ever-expanding 3D printing aspiration
  • 600mm/s High Speed Printing: Creality 3D Printer K2 Plus Combo adopting industry-grade FOC step-servo motors for the XYZ axis and extrusion, Step-servo Motor System 30000mm/s² accelaration, 40mm³/s High-flow and quiet. For a large-format machine, 600mm/s is pretty fast, but that’s not the whole story. Turbocharged by the step-servo motors, it can accelerate at a staggering 30000mm/s²
  • Super Master of Materials: The Creality K2 Plus 3d printer actively maintains a constant temperature of up to 60°C, allowing you to easily print high-end filaments like ASA and PPA. Printed models are warp-resistant and high-strength. High-temp nozzle with hardened steel tip, Supports operating temperatures up to 350°C, easily handling a variety of high-melting-point, wear-resistant engineering filaments
  • Package Including: 1* Creality K2 Plus 3D Printer + 1* CFS + 4* 500g Hyper RFID Filament (Color: 1x black, 1x white, 1x red and 1x blue)
  • Dual AI Cameras & Automation: K2 Plus features 18 smart sensors. Everything is automated and closely monitored. It has two AI cameras. One is on the chamber side to watch over spaghetti failure, idling, etc. Another is on the toolhead for flow rate optimization. No more underfeeding and overfeeding. With two Z-axis independently motorized, it can auto-adjust bed tilt before auto leveling
  • Better Accuracy: The K2 Plus Combo features an innovative “Matrix” frame structure constructed with aerospace-grade aluminum alloy die-casting technology, delivering exceptional overall rigidity that effectively eliminates resonance and deformation during printing for superior precision. Equipped with a dual Z-axis system assisted by four linear rods, this 3D printer ensures extremely steady movement of the print bed during vertical travel, significantly improving print success rates

10) ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) Gaming Laptop

  • STATE-OF-THE-ART ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – ROG’s advanced thermals keep your system cool, quiet and comfortable. State of the art cooling equals best in class performance. Featuring an end-to-end vapor chamber, tri-fan technology and Conductonaut extreme liquid metal applied to the chipset delivers fast gameplay.
  • PREMIUM ROG NEBULA DISPLAY – Immerse yourself in stunning visuals with the ultra-fast 240Hz/3ms display ideal for gaming, creation, and entertainment. Featuring a new ACR film that enhances contrast and reduces glare.
  • CUTTING-EDGE PERFORMANCE – Experience next-level performance with Windows 11 Home, an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Processor, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and featuring DLSS 4 and Max-Q technologies.
  • HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEMORY AND STORAGE – Multitask seamlessly with 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory and store your game library on 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
  • CUSTOMIZABLE FULL-SURROUND RGB LIGHTBAR – Showcase your style with a full-surround RGB light bar that syncs with your keyboard and ROG peripherals. In professional settings, Stealth Mode turns off all lighting for a sleek, refined look.

AM Disclosure

Seawind – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The Seawind is a unique Sea Plane that first flew in 1982 and was offered as a kit plane up to 2002. Direction shifted to a certified version but the 2008 recession ultimately took it out with actual efforts ending a few years later

The original Seawind 2000 had a 200 hp IO-360 followed up with the 3000 that had a 300 HP engine. Over 80 kits where shipped and they do show up on the used market.

Despite it’s high mounted engine power vs pitch dynamics seemed to be manageable.

Wiki has quite a good overview of the history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seawind_International_Seawind

A quick google search found the super sea wind web page for N71RJ a Seawind that is powered by a PT6

https://superseawind.com/

https://generalaviationnews.com/2016/04/26/building-a-super-seawind-from-arms-to-wings/

Living in Florida and being around the LoPresti operations at KVRB I found out LeRoy designed a seaplane called the Spectra that had its first flight in 1969 that appears to be the genesis of this kind of vertical stab mounted engine sea plane. I’m sure the Seawind designer(s) where aware of the Spectra and where influenced by it.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_X-199_Spectra

Quite a few videos on YouTube;

Lots of RC options as well:

For RC options:

Tower Hobbies offers a 1.4M Seawind

https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/seawind-1.4m-pnp/TOWA1575.html

Flyzone also offered a an option:

https://www.modelaviation.com/flyzone-seawind

two other RC sea plane designs have a similar vertical stab mounted engine setup:

1 The Spectra mentioned Earlier:

    https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=9154

    2. The Northstar designed by Laddie Mikulasko in the March 1986 issue of RCM as plans:

    https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=10325

    Balsa USA has continuously offered a kit for the Northstar that’s still available.

    I built one back in the 1990’s and it flew fairly well: https://balsausa.com/products/northstar?srsltid=AfmBOopjFQAEr7TWaSCdZgN37gC06TKxePNcTOZGayMkhsPRindB8W9U

    There has been quite a few all foam / ARF based versions inspired by the Northstar that have come out in the years after the electric aircraft revolution of the mid 2000’s

    PL-12 Airtruk AOM update

    / Spencer Gould

    Update to the August 2019 PL-12 Airtruk – Aircraft of the Month

    PL-12 Airtruk – Aircraft of the month

    The original 2019 article did not have any RC options at the time that I could find through normal search sources. Fast forward to 2025 and Outerzone recently published a 60″ span PL-12 by Frank Marcie

    https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=14531

    This gives an RC modeler a huge leg up on making one from scratch.

    It’s setup for glow power but can easily be converted to Electric power.

    Facebook also has a group dedicated to the aircraft, quite interesting to see the detail photos and stories on this amazing airplane: https://www.facebook.com/groups/124798170867597/

    I also created a YouTube Play List for the PA-12 with multiple actual aircraft and RC videos:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt7Tz6Li9ADNsRnYeEF-AIuyqexn6fldF&si=lqxLYykq6Moa2X2Y

    Porsche Powered Mooney – Aircraft of the Month

    / Spencer Gould

    While a normal Mooney M20 would be quite a bland aircraft for the list, this one is different. Rather than the “common” engine options this was spiced up with a with a specialty engine from Porsche

    Porsche famous for its flat 6 configuration engines spanning decades of production took on a new engine, directly intended at the general aviation market with the PFM 3200. Being developed in the mid 80’s. A few airframes where tried out but the Mooney M20L was the only one with a small production run of 41 units in 1988-1989. Small by car numbers but common in the GA industry. Porsche ran into significant financial troubles in the late 80’s and exited the GA powerplant industry.

    I’ve seen one a few times at KAPA centennial before, with its unique pointed nose.

    I got to fly a standard issue Mooney once, they where extremely cramped inside but had stunning performance.

    An excellent in depth article can be found in: https://www.pca.org/news/porsche-powered-airplane-the-story-of-my-mooney-porsche-pfm

    Another: https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2024/history/porsche-aircraft-engine-pfm-mooney-35243.html

    Excessive general aviation law suits of the late 80’s / early 90’s also did not help. Still one what have wondered what could have happened if conditions where more favorable.

    Working on Corvair auto to aero engine conversions for WW back in the 2000’s I was amazed at how much push back there is in aviation community for anything Auto going into Aero. Take the identification stickers off the M20 shown in this article to the naysayers and they would likely not have a clue the engines genesis was automotive based. Particularly if you said it was a standard, un modified certified Mooney model.

    Quite a few YouTube Videos

    With 41 units produced one may come up for sale from time to time but would take a real die hard to take the project on as the PFM 3200 was mostly unique part’s requiring one off custom builds to keep it flying beyond basic M20 airframe hardware.

    No true M20 plan hits on outerzone for an RC option.

    Amazon does have a few generic Mooney options

    Mooney M20 Typography Airplane Art History Pilot T-Shirt Premium T-Shirt

    Orldit Mooney Aircraft Flag Men's 170g Combed Cotton Short Sleeve T-Shirt

    Orldit Mooney Aircraft Hat Adjustable Baseball Cap Cotton Cowboy Hat, Fashionable for Man Woman

    Mooney Parking Only All Others Will Be Towed Plane Jet Pilot Aircraft Novelty Garage Wall Decor Aluminum 8"x12" Sign Plate

    Mooney Airplane Wood Model

    #AM

    Wing D-1 Derringer – Aircraft of the Month

    / Spencer Gould
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    An interesting find the D-1 can be quite the rare site with only 12 built and 9 still registered as of 2009. It was designed by John Thorp famous for being the lead on the preliminary design team for the T-16 / PA-28 for Piper and the Thorp T-18 kit-plane. The prototype was originally powered by O-200 engines but where later upgraded to more powerful IO-320′s.

    It’s quite the good looking twin but due to many factors it was not produced in mass.

    YouTube videos are very limited, here are a few I found:

    x-plane has a download for the D-1

    https://forums.x-plane.org/files/file/39264-wing-aircraft-co-d-1-derringer/

    No Dice for RC options on Outerzone, surprising as it looks like it would be an easy balsa build.

    There are 3 other Thorp designs for the T-18 on OZ: https://outerzone.co.uk/search/results.asp?keyword=thorp

    ELA 10 Eclipse – Aircraft of the month

    / Spencer Gould

    This month was kind of a head scratcher to find an aircraft to cover, going back to my LSA Expo 2018 coverage https://gouldaero.com/aviation-events-destinations/florida-events/lsa-expo-2018-sebring/ I came across an auto gyro I took quite a few pictures of, the10 Eclipse by ELA Aviacion ELA is based out of Cordoba Spain selling ready to fly Auto Gyro’s.

    This type of Auto Gyro with a 2 blade main rotor and fairly slim profile makes it easy to transport and store in a trailer. The slow flight speeds can open up all kinds of flight adventures.

    For the US market see https://elaaviation-us.com/ for details, looks like they are based out of Okeechobee FL

    The composites work on this bird was truly impressive and the metallic green color I still remember to this day.

    The tandem cockpit was quite ergonomic

    impressive looking tail feathers

    2 Blade main mast

    Show special price and build sheet, good thing I took this photo to get the name of the aircraft.

    Quite a few YouTube videos on the 10 Eclipse:

    I could find no RC options for the 10 Eclipse, in fact RC auto gyros are very rare, I built a scratch built one around 20 years ago, here it is next to my Century 30 hawk RC Helicopter, It flew well but needed a better rotor system for more durability.

    DCP_8473

    A few plans options on Outerzone: https://outerzone.co.uk/search/results.asp?keyword=autogyro

    one of the few RC turn key Auto Gyro options is the Durafly Auto-G2V2 from Hobby King:

    https://hobbyking.com/en_us/durafly-pnf-auto-g2-v2-gyrocopter-w-auto-start-821mm.html

    Durafly (PNF) Auto-G2 V2 Gyrocopter w/Auto-Start 821mm

    Flightory 3D printed Aircraft – Company Spotlight

    / Spencer Gould

    By now most of us know Planeprint and Eclipson but I just found a 3rd option for highly vetted & detailed 3D printed aircraft files in a payware option.

    Flightory offers several UAV / FPV dedicated options including the stingray shown in the picture above, a flying wing with an intergraded quad copter VTOL option.

    Check it out in action:

    There YouTube channel has a good collection of how 2 and demo videos