Why Isn’t G.A. Integrated into Reality Based T.V.?

[MyNameIsNobody]

I was enjoying an episode of Fast & Loud on Velocity last night.  The show is based on building custom vehicles (Cars and Trucks primarily) and the hijinx and mayhem ensue with ever present “deadlines” looming for suspense.  The episode involved transporting a customized 280Z from Texas to Oklahoma in a transporter.  The tuner, laptop in hand, asked if they messed with a certain part.  This part was critical.  They had not put the part on the new build engine.  The crew and owner lamented that it was 3 hours for someone to bring the part so they should just call it a day and wait for tomorrow.  Really?

Why couldn’t General Aviation come in and “save the day”?  Would of been a fun five minutes showing coordination for flying the part up and what “REAL FAST” is in an experimental or Mooney.  (Maybe an A-Ha moment would ensue?)

I just read an article that described the two kinds of pilots (story theme was we need to rethink how we “sell GA”. There are: The guys that chase tech and certifications/ratings...and the guys that chase adventure and new experiences (the airplane and license being a portal to allow these experiences to happen with timely transport).

I could not agree more and wish more reality shows (that 18-35 bracket love) would include GA as “A portal to new experiences”.

My ultimate reality show would be a guy that flys different GA planes to exotic (fun) locations and meets up with various vintage car owners with emphasis on (Porsche and Ferrari) and takes ‘em for a drive.  The different aviation/locations and cars with their sound would be a fun ride...AND maybe instill a little passion for GA...

A guy can dream, right?

[N201MKTurbo]

I hate to say it, but aviation done right is boring to watch. The hijinx you see on these shows would be mostly illegal in certified airplanes.

There was a reality show about GA that is showing re-runs now. Flying Wild Alaska. It was more about the characters than the airplanes, but it had more aviation than any other show I've ever seen. I watched an episode last week that spent a lot of time on a door alarm on a Beech 99. I found it riveting, but I'm not sure about the general public.

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

Three years ago when I was retiring, I ran across a potential reality-TV show named Air Faire America.  They were looking for a pilot, a chef, and a junk picker to fly in to airports with a local restaurant and, I presume, lots of crap lying around the field.  I applied for the pilot position, but never heard from them.  I have not heard of the show since then, so I presume it was never made.

[steingar]

There were a couple Alaska based aviation shows, one in Northern Canada and a few more on Youtube.  Given that I am referring to all these in the past tense you can tell that they aren't on anymore.

N201MKTurbo said it right.  When aviation is done safely it really isn' tall that exciting to watch.  The only videos I've actually enjoyed were scofflaws doing things that were either illegal or outright stupid.  Unfortunately, outright stupid is vastly entertaining, explaining the success of programs like Jackass.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Too funny.  Hardcore aviation enthusists can’t even find GA interesting.  Wow.  So a guy goes and gets an introduction to a P-51 Mustang. You see the hanger, you hear about the HP of the Rolls Royce Merlin.  You climb in you do a start-up you take off.  You have a little cockpit banter and then you approach and land and a hot sports car and owner is waiting.  You take a drive on a great road.  Maybe you go to a gun range or a great restaurant...

Yawnsville, eh?  O.K.  My pitch fell flatter than Cher’s cleavage pre-work so thanks for the reality check.  

Back to dream’n...

[MyNameIsNobody]

40 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

I used to like that airplane repo reality show. Yes, they manufacture drama and I think stage a lot of it, but it was entertaining.

Agreed, though, that general or commercial aviation done right probably isn't very exciting to watch for non-pilots. 

Jim

Liked that show about as much as “The Bachelor”...(Sarcasm).

 

[MyNameIsNobody]

52 minutes ago, steingar said:

There were a couple Alaska based aviation shows, one in Northern Canada and a few more on Youtube.  Given that I am referring to all these in the past tense you can tell that they aren't on anymore.

N201MKTurbo said it right.  When aviation is done safely it really isn' tall that exciting to watch.  The only videos I've actually enjoyed were scofflaws doing things that were either illegal or outright stupid.  Unfortunately, outright stupid is vastly entertaining, explaining the success of programs like Jackass.

I watched these and frankly it was a “Ben Done” movie after a couple.  Just not that interesting to me to watch a show about delivering stuff to remote villages and maintaining planes.  Important stuff, but not that interesting to me.

[MyNameIsNobody]

1 hour ago, Ah-1 Cobra Pilot said:

Three years ago when I was retiring, I ran across a potential reality-TV show named Air Faire America.  They were looking for a pilot, a chef, and a junk picker to fly in to airports with a local restaurant and, I presume, lots of crap lying around the field.  I applied for the pilot position, but never heard from them.  I have not heard of the show since then, so I presume it was never made.

I like American Pickers and I like Barnfind/Chasing Classic Cars.  I like the stories of the owners.  I would like it more if GA vs. commercial (in cool planes that are different every week)...

[MyNameIsNobody]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I hate to say it, but aviation done right is boring to watch. The hijinx you see on these shows would be mostly illegal in certified airplanes.

There was a reality show about GA that is showing re-runs now. Flying Wild Alaska. It was more about the characters than the airplanes, but it had more aviation than any other show I've ever seen. I watched an episode last week that spent a lot of time on a door alarm on a Beech 99. I found it riveting, but I'm not sure about the general public.

Why do so many go to Oshkosh and “look at planes”?  These “fans” are not active GA enthusists in a majority.  I believe they enjoy seeing fast sleek sexy aircraft...and hearing them.  Now to be able to see/meet the owner and go for a quick flight...

Boring?  O.k.  Message received.

[N201MKTurbo]

So, what would your aviation show be like? How would you make it interesting to the general public? Remember you have to keep their interest week after week after week.

Even the car shows on Velocity are often more about the personalities than the actual work on the cars.

[MyNameIsNobody]

1 minute ago, N201MKTurbo said:

So, what would your aviation show be like? How would you make it interesting to the general public? Remember you have to keep their interest week after week after week.

Even the car shows on Velocity are often more about the personalities than the actual work on the cars.

Smiling...Did you read what I wrote?  I gave my pitch.  This is NOT an aviation show. G.A. Is a recurring theme in the show.  The difference each week is the new warbird, Xperimental, or Certified (FAST) plane.  You meet the pilot/owner...learn a little about CAF, what it takes to become a pilot of these classic birds...AND then you (edit flight) approach and land and pick-up with a new awesome classic car and owner....you get to know their passion for their car.  How they found it, what customization they did and you go for a drive hearing it...seeing it.  Planes/Cars and____________shooting/going to an art gallery/going to a microbrewery/going canoeing on a lake/Mountain Biking....

You know boring stuff

 

[MyNameIsNobody]

Going to a concert/Hiking/Climbing/Hang-Gliding/skiing/shooting clays/Golfing at a great track/Shooting skeet/Long range target shooting/pistol shooting with old WWII stuff...Lugers, Broomhandle Mauser’s....Every week something different.

[MyNameIsNobody]

GA and classic cars are just the transportation to the adventure...but with a little adventure built in.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Tandem Parachute jumping.  Archery.  Museum’s.....

Stuff that average person doesn’t do, but COULD with a plane ride to get ‘em there.

Adventure awaits...

New experiences.  New passions....

Golf tournament/tennis tournament....

[flyboy0681]

There were two reality based shows recently which were so contrived, staged and fake that they both deserved to be cancelled. One was, "Airplane Repo"  on Discovery. The other was  "Plane xTreme"  on Weather Channel, which chronicled ferrying aircraft around the world. While not as staged as Airplane Repo, there were many scenes which were not realistic, such as a 172  purposely entering IMC without being in contact with ATC and flying a few hours on their own that way. However, there were some interesting episodes of ferrying single engine planes across the Atlantic to Europe and Africa.

[KSMooniac]

The Aviators on PBS is a very good tv magazine show. No manufactured drama to dilute the fun stories about GA.

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[EricJ]

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

I used to like that airplane repo reality show. Yes, they manufacture drama and I think stage a lot of it, but it was entertaining.

Agreed, though, that general or commercial aviation done right probably isn't very exciting to watch for non-pilots. 

Jim

The first episodes of Airplane Repo with Nick Popovich were very good with little to no manufactured drama.   I found them very interesting and compelling.   Who knew that people repo'd airliners and how hard that could be?   I think there wasn't enough drama in that to make good TV, though, but they went overboard in subsequent seasons when it just got sillier and sillier.

Pimp my Plane might be a cool thing for airplane geeks, but probably wouldn't have enough appeal for the general public.   

[flyboy0681]

6 minutes ago, EricJ said:

  Who knew that people repo'd airliners and how hard that could be? 

See, that's just it. Repo'ing planes is not that hard. I read an in-depth story on the "real" process and the repoman's first task is to show up at the local courthouse and police station with the court order in hand. From there, the police typically accompany the repoman to the airport at which time the real work begins, such as inspection and approaching the deadbeat for the logbooks, which more times than not are simply handed over.

[MyNameIsNobody]

You guys are a tough crowd.  I could not agree more that a show focused on GA will have narrow appeal.  My premise is that GA is mysterious to those outside the cult.  A window into advantages as transport/speed and showing some cool hardware is good for GA and would be interesting...in small doses...as a marketing tool to those outside.

[FBCK]

Lots of good stuff on You Tube, these gents all have their own Channels on You Tube, some of it is very good in promoting GA, Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/user/FlightChops

https://www.youtube.com/user/steveo1kinevo

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrAviation101

https://www.youtube.com/user/LimitlessHz

[kerry]

Just now, FBCK said:

Lots of good stuff on You Tube, these gents all have their own Channels on You Tube, some of it is very good in promoting GA, Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/user/FlightChops

https://www.youtube.com/user/steveo1kinevo

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrAviation101

https://www.youtube.com/user/LimitlessHz

You beat me to it.  I also was going to recommend youtube.  This is my all time favorite. 

 

[skydvrboy]

21 minutes ago, kerry said:

You beat me to it.  I also was going to recommend youtube.  This is my all time favorite. 

 

Poor technique.  The point is to get everything to float... and NOT hit the ceiling.

[Andy95W]

1 hour ago, MyNameIsNobody said:

You guys are a tough crowd.  I could not agree more that a show focused on GA will have narrow appeal.  My premise is that GA is mysterious to those outside the cult.  A window into advantages as transport/speed and showing some cool hardware is good for GA and would be interesting...in small doses...as a marketing tool to those outside.

Scott, the exact show you're describing already exists.  It was carried generally on PBS and they did 81 episodes.  You can buy the DVDs. @KSMooniac already mentioned it.

[ArtVandelay]

Anyone who has this like to gives us a review?

There is like 23 episodes of wonderful world of flying on YouTube.
They review Mooney J, F/E with turbo, and maybe 231 IIRC.
Mike Busch is in one episode as well (as a pilot owner, not an AP).

[Skates97]

This guy has some entertaining videos, amazing where he can land that plane.

 Trent Palmer - Kitfox

This one is pretty good, I cracked up at about 8:20 in the video where he landed and is filling up at some gas station next to cars and RV's.

Plane Resurrection is also a pretty good one. Season 1 is available on Netflix.