Sponsorship plays a vital role in keeping the lights on at any aviation magazine, and it’s no different for us here at Warbirds Digest. That being said, it’s important to choose partnerships with companies which fit closely with the interests of our audience, whether it be those with a general interest in aviation and aviation history, or those who actually fly warbirds on a regular basis. As such we have formed relationships with some significant businesses, and all of them have a direct link to our shared passion for flight. One such company which joined the fold in recent months is Lift Aviation, which offers a range of high quality, cutting edge flight gear for the discerning aviator, whether they are flying a vintage warbird or a something more modern. Their range of products includes flying helmets, flight caps, knee pads, shoes, eyewear and other accessories…
One of Lift Aviation’s more innovative products is their line of flight shoes which integrate a device they dub a ‘Rudder Control Heel Slider’ at the back end of the sole which greatly reduces the chances of a pilot catching their shoe on the cockpit floor when applying rudder inputs. This will resonate with anyone who’s ever flown an aircraft in traditional sneakers before, as the rubber heels can easily grab at the cockpit floor, making smooth rudder movements significantly harder. AOPA Pilot magazine labeled these shoes “the best accessory you never knew you wanted,” and it’s easy to see why!
These are just some of Lift Aviation’s clever ideas, in just one of their products… It is clear that the company has carefully considered the design and manufacture of their merchandise, with safety, comfort and ease-of-use being paramount to their ethos. For a little detail on the company’s background and the merits of the brand, we thought these words from Lift Aviation’s owner, Guido Rietdyk would be of interest….
“LIFT Aviation was born out of the desire to provide modern technology in the cockpit environment that would match the unbelievable technological advances we’ve seen in GPS, Engine Monitoring, and generally the ‘glass panel’ movement. Folks in the warbird community, including myself, are largely stuck with really dated technology in terms of pilot gear, including helmets, footwear, knee boards, flight caps – where for decades nobody has cared to do anything in terms of science and technology. Our military pilots fly around with 1955 technology helmets which is really astounding if you think about it. A bit frustrated by this, we set out to change all of that, and mixed in our 30 years of applied science experience in the personal safety industry into a product line that aimed to move the quality of the products that pilots use in and around the cockpit lightyears forward. We came up with some innovative and patented products that are starting to resonate with the warbird community all over the world now, and we’re being encouraged by the response. LIFT Aviation products are high on technical innovation, solid in terms of quality, offer no-nonsense pure pilot performance by enhancing cockpit safety, and don’t break the bank – because we agree everyone’s money is best spent on fuel and maintenance after all!”
These are clearly important aims, and just one reason why we are proud to have Lift Aviation as a sponsor!
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
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