# AOPA Aeromaster LE Review



## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

Has anyone here actually bought this watch from last year? Would love to see some pics and hear your thoughts on the watch.


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## NL-USA (Jul 4, 2008)

No, I dont own it and would also like to know more as I'm very curious how AOPA partnered with Muhle as it seems such an unlikely partnership IMO. I saw it recently but dont remember where while doing a search for a KLM Dufeau.


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

NL-USA said:


> No, I dont own it and would also like to know more as I'm very curious how AOPA partnered with Muhle as it seems such an unlikely partnership IMO. I saw it recently but dont remember where while doing a search for a KLM Dufeau.
> View attachment 16024003


There is very little information out there about this particular model other than the company's press release and a write-up that is done by Bhanu Chopra and another by Mike Stuffler.

The anecdotal story that I was told was that AOPA was looking for another watch manufacturer to partner with for their 80th anniversary. Although they had a long relationship with Breitling apparently the feedback from the AOPA members was that $8,000 was a bit more than they were going to spend on a watch so they went looking for something more in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

Well, we'll see how it is...ordered the watch yesterday...expected here around Wednesday.

I was a little hesitant at first because even though I love the red white and black color scheme, when paired with that logo for AOPA it looks like the Luftwaffe itself is about to come flying in but I got passed that and ordered it anyway 😁


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

As I mentioned above, I went ahead and ordered the Muhle Glashutte AOPA Aerosport Limited Edition from Muhle Glashutte USA. AOPA is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and with approximately 400,000 members is the largest aviation association in the world. Having previously partnered with Breitling for many years in the past, AOPA members were looking for a more affordable watch so the association chose Muhle Glashutte to produce its 80th Anniversary timepiece, according to Bryan at Muhle USA. I came across this watch (and Muhle Glashutte USA) while looking at photos of the brand's timepieces online. It ticked a few boxes for me: I've wanted a Muhle, I've wanted a Flieger B-dial style watch for a while, and thanks to the extension of a Father's Day sale on the Muhle USA website, I got it for a great price.

So first the particulars: the watch measures 42.3 mm in diameter, has a lug-to-lug dimension of 49.6 mm, is a relatively slim 10.5 mm in height, and has a lug width of 22 mm...all measurements done by me.

Overall the watch is very, very nice in person. Below are some photos but I think it looks better in person than it does in the photos. This is always a good thing as opposed to the other way around. The brushed finishing on the case is very nice. The coin-edge bezel looks polished but it's hard to tell because the ridges are very small. It's unlike the bezel on the Hanhart Twin Control I had for a short while, which is larger in size and has larger spacing between the ridges. The one on the Muhle is more understated while the Hanhart's is more pronounced which also makes it easier to grasp. Honestly I like both designs though. Also unlike the Hanhart bezel which had a smooth, unratcheted motion, the one on the Muhle is a 60-click bezel. The action on the bezel rotation is smooth with no play at all, is very quiet, and of course stays in place better than the one on the Hanhart. I liked the non-ratcheted feel on the Hanhart but the one on the Muhle is more practical.

The biggest feature on the dial is the AOPA logo which I admit I wasn't crazy about at first. But the more I looked at the watch, the less it bothered me. Now, for me, it's just there. I neither like it nor dislike it. Looking at it under a loupe it's not half bad really and Muhle's printing on the dial is stellar. From a distance, the fine details are lost (to my aging eyes, anyway). The rest of the dial is really very nice looking. There is luminescent paint on the markers above and below each numeral as well as the triangle in the 12 o'clock position but it is so weak, it may as well not be there.

The hands are another story though. The hour, minute, and seconds hand all have Superluminova on them and it is much more visible. Obviously applied much more thickly, the hands glow much brighter (though not like torches) and appear to have some longevity though I didn't test this much. The hands themselves are polished, slender, and very nicely done.

There is an exhibition caseback to view the movement, an SW200-1 with Muhle's standard adjustments including the woodpecker neck regulator and blued screws. Muhle watches are supposedly regulated in 6 positions. Mine is running a tad fast at approximately +7 s/d but I haven't had the watch long enough to assess it's true deviation. Also, this model came out in late 2019, I believe, so it may have been sitting in a solitary position for a while. I'll give it some time and report back.

I'm going to be swapping out the leather strap for my standard, go-to Bonetto Cinturini rubber strap but the leather strap is thick and seems nice (I'm no expert on leather straps). The buckle has the Muhle Glashutte name on it and is thicker and more substantial than I expected.

Overall, I really, really like the watch. It wears nicely and is extremely comfortable. I'm quite happy with my first Muhle purchase. This is in no small part due to the excellent service I received at Muhle Glashutte USA. I called them one afternoon and spoke to Brian for the first of several calls. He couldn't have been more helpful, polite, and patient with me. He's quite possibly the nicest guy in the watch industry I've spoken too and he was a huge help. I had multiple questions for him and I never felt (like I have with other ADs or distributors) that he was in a rush to get off the phone or had his mind elsewhere. Great service form a super nice guy.

If you're in the US and are interested in this watch (which is still on sale as of now) or any other Muhle watch, you can find it at their website: Muhle Glashutte USA - Luxury German Watches For Sale
There is also a cool looking Terrasport Flieger Limited Edition for a good price. It's 40 mm though, which is a bit small for me.

Anyway, here are some pics:


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## wkw (Feb 12, 2006)

Thanks for the great review. 

It sure looks good on you.


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

Thank you!


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

Btw, the date wheel is MUCH closer in color to the dial color than the deep black it looks like in the photos.


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## wkw (Feb 12, 2006)

Thanks for the supplement. In the picture, it looks like the date winder got a semi-gloss black vs. matt black on the dial.

Looks pretty nice. 


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

You're welcome. That's why I mentioned it...its a bit darker than the dial but just barely. Both are matte finish from what I can tell.


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)




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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

Just a quick follow up to my initial review 2 months ago. Still digging this watch and it's in my standard rotation. The watch runs consistently at +6.5s/d, which is fine. 

One thing for certain is that it is definitely one of my more comfortable watches to wear. It is light and, at 10.5 mm high, quite thin for an automatic watch at this price point. It's also pretty impressive considering it is using the SW200 movement and not the thinner SW300.

In any case, I am still quite happy with the watch. I've been wanting to add a Union Glashutte watch to my collection for a while but I find myself going back to Muhle more often and looking at their watches.


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## defnotsal (Oct 25, 2021)

Just purchased a Aerosport myself! Excited to be wearing, has been my daily for almost a week now.
Have you been able to find a metal bracelet that fits it well? I put on a Milanese strap but didn't like how it clashed with the coin edge bezel. I've been looking for something like a beads of rice with hollow end links that may work.


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## robi1138 (Jul 5, 2016)

defnotsal said:


> Just purchased a Aerosport myself! Excited to be wearing, has been my daily for almost a week now.
> Have you been able to find a metal bracelet that fits it well? I put on a Milanese strap but didn't like how it clashed with the coin edge bezel. I've been looking for something like a beads of rice with hollow end links that may work.


No, I always use rubber straps.


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