Speaking as a former US Air Force navigator / WSO, real pilots and navigators went digital years ago - as in NLT 1990. Heck, I had a digital watch issued to me in Nav School in 1983.
Why? Because in military flying, you sometimes need to know at a glance if it is 8:43:17 or 8:43:19, and that is more obvious with digital. That is probably why, by the early 90s, military fighters had digital clocks and time-to-go and time of arrival calculations built in.
The idea that Kelly was using his analog watch on space shuttle missions in 2006 is insane. As is Kelly.
BTW - my favorite watch, on my wrist right now, is a mechanical Invicta diver with a hacking, windable mechanical movement made by Seiko. Mine is amazingly accurate for a mechanical watch, losing about 5 seconds/week. I love analog watches, but I gave them up professionally while still in F-4s...
For rudimentary flying, I prefer a sweep second hand. A non precision approach with timed turns is easier to track with an analog clock.
My brother learned to fly in the Navy, I learned in a Cessna. The first time he flew a GA aircraft, he about wet his pants over the “dime store” gauges. Hell, most of them were even working that day!
Mine is an olive drab wind up of uncertain parentage that my Dad wore in Vietnam. Only loses a minute or so a day. I remember him every time I wind or reset it.
Mine is an olive drab wind up of uncertain parentage that my Dad wore in Vietnam. Only loses a minute or so a day. I remember him every time I wind or reset it.
Well, since about 8/24/2011 I don’t think I’ve even worn a watch but maybe two or three times. Retirement means not caring what time it is. LOL! Thanks for your service and have a great Thanksgiving.