The independent Swiss watch company’s latest pilot’s watch, the Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 Limited Edition has been created for pilots of the Swiss Air Force’s Lufttransport Staffel 7, which transports paratroopers to a drop zone. The watch marks only the second time the Swiss Air Force has worked with a Swiss watch company.
The Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 Limited Edition features chronograph and a bi-directional rotating bezel with special markings designed to help pilots time paratrooper operations.
The pilots of the Swiss Air Force’s Lufttransport Staffel 7 transport paratroopers to a designated drop zone in the Pilatus PC-6 aircraft.
The timings of these missions are critical. Pilots have 20 minutes from take-off to the moment when the paratroopers jump, and have to synchronise with other planes on the same missions. So they make detailed plans in which every second is critical.
Also, in remote territories where there are no recognised landing areas, the pilots need to find makeshift airfields of at least 250 metres in length to land and take off safely.
The Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 Limited Edition meets these two challenges.
1. Timing for Paradropping Missions
- At take-off the pilot adjusts the bi-directional rotating black ceramic bezel so that the ‘Y’ position on its timer scale is aligned with the minute hand. The pilot now has 20 minutes to reach the drop area.
- When the minute hand aligns with the yellow marker at 17 minutes the pilot informs the paratroopers to prepare to jump.
- A red marker at 19 minutes indicates to the pilot that he can give clearance to open the aircraft door.
- At 20 minutes a parachute icon indicates that it is time for the paratroopers to jump.
2. Measuring Landing Areas
- The watch has a chronograph function with a green central seconds hand. As a pilot approaches a potential landing area, he starts the chronograph.
- The pilot flies over the airfield at exactly 100 knots, once in both directions.
- If the time it takes to cover the airfield at that speed is measured at 10 seconds or more, the pilot knows the airfield is at least 250 metres long and that it is therefore safe to land.
- The 10-second mark is indicated by a green marker and the markings 100 KIAS (Knots – Indicated Air Speed)
The Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 watch has a number of other useful features. Its lightweight titanium case has a stealthy, hard-wearing matt black DLC (diamond-like carbon) finish that offsets cockpit glare.
Its high-contrast black dial has large Arabic numerals printed in Super-LumiNova® and hands also filled with SuperLumiNova® for maximum legibility.
The watch comes with a rugged olive textile strap equipped with Oris’s patented clasp, inspired by passenger airline safety buckles.
The Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 Limited Edition will be worn by Lufttransport Staffel 7 pilots and is limited to 250 pieces.
Technical details
Model: Oris Paradropper LT Staffel 7 Limited Edition, Reference 01 774 7661 7734 TS
Movement
Oris Calibre 774, base SW 500
Automatic winding chronograph movement with red rotor
Dimensions: Ø 30.00 mm, 13 1/4’’’
Centre hands for hours, minutes and chronograph 1/4 seconds, 3 subsidiary dials for continuous seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours counter, date window, date corrector, fine timing device and stop-second
Power reserve: 48 hrs
Vibrations: 28’800 A/h, 4 Hz
Jewels: 25
Case
Multi-piece titanium case, screw-in stainless steel crown and pushers, all with black DLC coating
Case diameter: 44mm
Lug width: 22mm
Water-resistant to 10 bar/100 m
Bi-directional rotating black ceramic bezel with rubber coated outside edge for better grip, and with special timer scale adapted to the operations schedule of the Swiss Air Force’s LT Staffel 7
Sapphire crystal domed on both sides with anti-reflective coating inside
Black DLC-coated titanium case back engraved with the LT Staffel 7 logo and limited edition number
Dial
Two-piece matt black dial with applied Arabic numerals printed with SuperLumiNova®
Dial ring with landing field measuring scale directly assembled to the case
Black/White hour and minute hands filled with Super-LumiNova®
Green central stop seconds hand, black/white counter and small seconds hands
Date between 4 and 5 o’clock
Strap
Olive textile strap with Oris-patented stainless steel buckle black DLC coated for stageless length adjustment
Packaging
Special presentation box
Edition
Limited to 250 pieces
Swiss Retail Price
CHF 3,850
