Airplane Repo: Good or Bad?

[Kurt Flunkn]

Have you seen the show Airplane Repo on discovery channel? There was a 3 episode first season, produced in 2010, done in a documentary style (on another network) that dealt with actual repossession of aircraft. However, the current season on discovery is shot in "commando style" and is completely fake. The current series even ends with a disclaimer that the show is re-enactment or dramatization.

While I find this show amusing due to the wild inaccuracies, Airplane Repo does not portray general aviation in a positive way. Furthermore, the show portrays the actors jumping fences, breaking into hangars, by passing gates, disabling an automatic gate, lying to airport security, sneaking around on ramps. Instead of performing repossessions as in the 2010 series, the current show takes on the feel of stealing airplanes. My fear is that Airplane Repo will encourage or embolden viewers to start sneaking around airports and parked airplanes. This is the last thing GA needs in a post 9/11 world.

I say Bad for GA...

[CarlOrton]

Yeah, I liked the ones with Nick Popovich a bit better, only cuz they showed more of the formality of it - posting the notice on the plane, settling-up with the FBOs, etc. The new show does try to sensationalize it a bit too much.

Case in point: on a recent show where they repo'd a Cub in Alaska, the cameraman and (sorry can't remember name) repo guy have to hike 10+ miles across a lake to find the plane, then repo guy takes off and leaves the cameraman on the ground. I'm assuming of course that this was staged or that a chopper came by to retrieve the cameraman.

I, too, saw the disclaimer at the end.

About the only bad thing I thought of was that the repo guys are going around and exposing all the vulnerabilities in airport security, which may only lead to even taller fences, more cameras, required IDs, etc., which we just don't need.

[FlyingRon]

The new show is almost unbearable in it's stupidity. The original three Nick Popovitch episodes were much better.

[Flyfalcons]

It's awful, just awful. "Ohmygawd look, the crosswind is coming up to 17 knots!" Cut to a scene of the plane taxiing out and the windsock is right down the runway. Just one minor example of many I could call out after watching a single episode. Utter trash.

[Mike M]

concur with all the above. especially Carl's comment about airport security. that show is scary.

[Kurt Flunkn]

I didn't want to go down the path a scene-by-scene debunk of the show. There are too many examples of TV misrepresentation, poor (or bogus) aeronautical decision making, assault and battery, and other fake drama elements to list.

The one thing that did catch my eye, however, was the Super Cub in Alaska where the wheels are changed out for skis. The scene shows the repo pilot making the swap and as I understand the FARs, this is NOT something an owner / pilot can do. This would be a task performed by an A&P as this requires a weight & balance update to be entered in the log book. I'd be curious to see what the FSDO in Alaska thinks about this....

Again, the show is bad for GA in my humble opinion....

[Downs]

Maybe that guy was an A&P. I dunno. It's just as fake as all the other "repo" shows.

I watched one where they went to repo a Nissian Pathfinder. The "owner" burnt it down. It shows a cut where they show the "owner" pouring gas in it then lighting it on fire. They show the inside of the pathfinder and it's completely gutted, which is exactly what a TV show would do when burning a car for the show.

I doubt the "owner" stripped the carpet, seats, ect out of the car just so he could burn it.

[gbrasch]

Totally stupid, maybe someone should send this thread to the Discovery Channel.

[Mark Peterson]

It's awful, just awful. "Ohmygawd look, the crosswind is coming up to 17 knots!" Cut to a scene of the plane taxiing out and the windsock is right down the runway. Just one minor example of many I could call out after watching a single episode. Utter trash.

That same show has them all in the plane ready to taxi out with the plane still tied down on the wings and tail!

Flying Wild Alaska had some terrible edits and story lines but it was far above this one!

[cub builder]

Once again, this show portrays us as "the elite 1 percenters". Sorry, but my tax returns and bank account don't agree with that portrayal. I can afford to fly because I scrimp in other parts of my life so I can allocate funds for aviation. They also make the airport managers, other pilots, and line buys out to be a bunch of idiotic dolts. That's not consistent with the impression I get when I meet these people in person. It's all bad PR for General Aviation and airports, besides the fact that these guys appear to be first class jerks.

-CubBuilder

[FloridaJohn]

The one thing that did catch my eye, however, was the Super Cub in Alaska where the wheels are changed out for skis. The scene shows the repo pilot making the swap and as I understand the FARs, this is NOT something an owner / pilot can do. This would be a task performed by an A&P as this requires a weight & balance update to be entered in the log book. I'd be curious to see what the FSDO in Alaska thinks about this....
I don't think the Alaska FSDO will care one bit about it. I say this because a friend of mine actually watched them film this episode, and the Cub that they flew away was not the Cub they showed being repossessed. It was a similar Cub that was not flown by the repo pilot, but actually by the owner of the Cub, because he didn't want the repo pilot flying his plane. If I were to guess (because I don't really know), I would be that nothing was actually done to the flying plane. That's why I think the FSDO wouldn't care. ;)

So the entire show is just a fabrication as near as I can tell. :(

[Joe O]

and with the way the History channel reruns all its shows,every week,we will be subject to them forever.Bring back the test pattern,of the old days.Repo is junk TV,and a danger to aviation.

[Bob Dingley]

Lighten up guys. It beats "Shark Week" hands down. I accept that there are a few rough edges on the show. Still, I enjoy revisiting airports and areas from my past. Once in a while, a familiar cockpit. I get it. You are all 10,000 hour plus ATP's and easily offended. Tune in the shopping channel instead.


Bob

[1600vw]

Lighten up guys. It beats "Shark Week" hands down. I accept that there are a few rough edges on the show. Still, I enjoy revisiting airports and areas from my past. Once in a while, a familiar cockpit. I get it. You are all 10,000 hour plus ATP's and easily offended. Tune in the shopping channel instead.


Bob

Bob I agree. At least we are seeing something aviation related on TV. I like watching this show just to see the airplanes. I like Kevin's style he seems like a first class type to me. I told the wife when we first saw this show that the producers where making the drama, but it still is better then the other crap they want us to watch.
All TV could be Aviation TV and I would be really happy. Never gonna happen though but I will take what I can get.

The Planes...The Planes....got to love them..Airplanes......

[CarlOrton]

I could have sworn I saw Kevin on the grounds at Convention in the vintage area. I was on the tram, though, and couldn't get a long look.

[Bob Dingley]

I could have sworn I saw Kevin on the grounds at Convention in the vintage area. I was on the tram, though, and couldn't get a long look.

Carl, maybe you did and he was "on the job." Did anyone have to hitchhike home? Stay tuned to DISCOVERY.


Bob

[WLIU]

Is this show more or less contrived than Ice Pilots?

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Flyfalcons]

It's worse than "Tanked", which is really saying something.

[CarlOrton]

Carl, maybe you did and he was "on the job." Did anyone have to hitchhike home? Stay tuned to DISCOVERY.

Bob
Now THAT would be a show!

[FloridaJohn]

Is this show more or less contrived than Ice Pilots?
More.

[patmike]

Even to non pilots this show has got to seem just a little hoaky. Even as a 20 hour student pilot some of the stuff just makes me cringe. example, Kevin Lacey finds a plane that has no avionics in it. He takes off with it anyway and then has to call his destination airport on his cell phone to get the runway lights turned on. He can't afford a handheld nav/com radio? I have one. A real good one is, I think his name is Ken Cage. He repos planes and he's not a pilot. thats like going to repo a car and not knowing how to drive. I would have liked to see more with Nick Popovich but eventually discovery would have screwed that up too with thier creative editing