We're reconsidering the role of pilot watches in the modern era. The "Praise for Pilot Watches" feature from Vol. 98 of Chronos Japan has been republished on webChronos. Starting this issue, we'll be interviewing actual pilots. We'll be looking at their activities, the realities of their work, and how they deal with time. The second installment features Hiroyuki Nishimura, a director of the International Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and his beloved Rolex.
Photographs by Takafumi Okuda
Interview and writing by Hosoda Yuto (this magazine)
Text by Yuto Hosoda (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2022 issue of Kronos Japan]
Pilot's Interview 2: Hiroyuki Nishimura
Although the term "pilot" is used broadly, the types of aircraft they fly vary widely. And there are surely as many ideal pilot watches as there are pilots who wear them. This time, we'll introduce Hiroyuki Nishimura, a board member of AOPA who flies his own private jet, and the Rolex he has been using for many years.
"I like watches that are intuitive to use, such as those that allow you to calculate GMT by the position of the hands."
There's no strict definition of what constitutes a pilot's watch. Furthermore, the types of pilots who wear them vary widely. Pilots include those who fly personal light aircraft, those who fly stealth aircraft for the Japan Self-Defense Forces, and even those who fly launch vehicles. Therefore, when considering the best pilot's watch, it's important to consider who will wear it.
Hiroyuki Nishimura, a director of AOPA-JAPAN, the Japanese branch of the International Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), is a private pilot who flies his own jet. When he takes a long break, he enjoys flying in a Cessna Citation Mustang. His partner of choice is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II.
"In the flight plan that needs to be submitted to the airport control tower before the flight, the departure time of the flight and the return time must be entered in GMT (UTC). Also, during the flight, we are in constant communication with air traffic control, and all time exchanges during this time are in GMT. There are times when we are suddenly asked about the estimated times of passage and arrival. It is in these situations that a GMT watch comes in handy."
That's right, Nishimura sets the GMT hand of his GMT-Master II to Coordinated Universal Time, and then sets the hour hand to Japan time, or GMT +9 hours. Nowadays, GMT watches are overwhelmingly used as travel watches, with both the hour and GMT hands set to the time zone of the country where you live (home time), and only the hour hand is adjusted when traveling to a different time zone. However, the GMT hand was originally intended to point to Greenwich Mean Time. It's easy to forget, but the GMT-Master was developed purely as a pilot's watch for Pan American World Airways pilots. This was the first time I'd met someone using a GMT-Master II for its intended purpose, and it's incredibly reassuring to be able to quickly check the GMT at a glance during a flight.
"As you've seen, you're probably well aware that you're extremely busy when flying, so there's no time to operate the aviation slide rule that comes with the watch. The GMT-Master II is perfect for that, as its hour, minute, and GMT hands are thick and easy to read, and the reflective dial doesn't bother you. Many of my friends use the Apple Watch, which has excellent nighttime visibility, and I used one for a while too, but I've since gone back to my Rolex."
Nishimura purchased the GMT Master II in Canada at the age of 21, before he even got his license, and has been with him for the majority of his more than 2200 hours of flying to date. For him, this watch is the ultimate pilot's watch.
