Technical Standard for Pilot Watches Developed by Sinn
Thursday - 16 August 2012
Sinn has worked in collaboration with the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences to develop a technical standard for pilot watches.
The technical standard, known as TeStaF, is a certificate awarded to watches that can sustain the substantial physical stress of flight and meet the functional requirements of pilots.
A TeStaF certified watch must:
- be easily readable with one-second accuracy both in daylight and darkness
- be able to withstand a rapid temperature change and a change in ambient pressure up to 0.044 bar (equivalent to 21,300 metres above sea level)
- be resistant to shocks, vibrations, water, aviation fuels and de-icing fluids
- not have a negative effect on the avionics or safety of the aircraft.
The technical standard, known as TeStaF, is a certificate awarded to watches that can sustain the substantial physical stress of flight and meet the functional requirements of pilots.
A TeStaF certified watch must:
- be easily readable with one-second accuracy both in daylight and darkness
- be able to withstand a rapid temperature change and a change in ambient pressure up to 0.044 bar (equivalent to 21,300 metres above sea level)
- be resistant to shocks, vibrations, water, aviation fuels and de-icing fluids
- not have a negative effect on the avionics or safety of the aircraft.
Details of the TeStaF were announced in July 2012 at the German headquarters of Eurocopter, the leading manufacturer of helicopter and aircraft parts, with many representatives of the aviation industry and well-known watch manufacturers in attendance.
Dr. Martin Hoch, an independent consultant on the project, said: "The market is replete with pilots' watches, but only if a watch meets these and additional criteria is it awarded the TeStaF certificate and is thereby qualified for the professional use as a pilot's watch. Therefore the TeStaF is a special achievement and certification."
"The TeStaF is important for testing watches because for the first time ever there exists an objective catalog of criteria which will enable us to compare pilots' watches across tests," said journalist Martina Richter.
The first TeStaF certified watches will be presented by Sinn in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Dr. Martin Hoch, an independent consultant on the project, said: "The market is replete with pilots' watches, but only if a watch meets these and additional criteria is it awarded the TeStaF certificate and is thereby qualified for the professional use as a pilot's watch. Therefore the TeStaF is a special achievement and certification."
"The TeStaF is important for testing watches because for the first time ever there exists an objective catalog of criteria which will enable us to compare pilots' watches across tests," said journalist Martina Richter.
The first TeStaF certified watches will be presented by Sinn in the fourth quarter of 2012.
