Browsing YouTube there’s apparently no shortage of pilots producing videos from the cockpit while flying as PIC. From Zoomer to Boomer, pilots of all ages and experience levels are talking to their camera doing their best on-air personality act while flying the aircraft.

I just watched one where this guy flew all around and about pattern altitude, having a conversation with the camera about this and that, looking into the camera for extended periods of time. He even appeared to have some kind of mechanical difficulty with his manual flaps, but kept up the show host bit. Severely divided attention.

Either I’m just old, or bitter and jealous than I’m not up there doing that, or my impressions are correct, or all three. It doesn’t seem prudent.

For me as PIC it takes more brain power than I care to admit to feel like I’m being adequately vigilant in the cockpit, especially at 1500 AGL or lower. I’ve had a few scares in the Portland area where another aircraft either took me by surprise or intentionally passed closer than I was comfortable with.

I’ve made cockpit videos, but always as a pax. My pea brain just cannot do both things well. I think we should be bringing safety pilots along if we’re hosting YouTube shows and fiddlefucking with camera gear from the cockpit.

And now when I’m flying or approaching any airport, I think: “watch out, there’s probably someone hosting a YouTube show from the pattern.”

That’s my rant for this year. Stay frosty, my friends.

Zane

+1

It doesn't take much to be careless and reckless with an airplane. And if your cam/YouTube shows it all, there is no defense. All that work on the airplane, training, life devotion gone in a moment, all for clicks.

Even ADS-B shows way more than ever before. And if you turn it off, just like a transponder that's a violation too. That 1000' and 500' bubble around persons or property are way more important than ever before.

Amen. “Welcome to the channel” “Hit the like/subscribe button”
It’s pathetic. We have an agreement amongst my old squadron mates that there are certain things that, if any of us are observed doing, with no apparent awareness of agreed upon personal pride, they have a green light to publicly flogg and/or blanket party the offender. Clearly, this is one of those events….producing a YouTube about how bitchin I am.

FAA Recently shared a video on this topic, will be interesting to see if they start holding people more accountable here

Excellent points Zane!

Having just spent the last few days flying all over western Oregon, I can understand the feeling and frustration that Zzz is referring to. Coming from the normally much less congested skis of the northern Midwest, the amount of traffic up and around Portland was overload! Absolutely stunning scenery! Glad I had a pilot at the controls with more experience in congested areas.

GoPros are great training tools, but can be a MAJOR distraction

The FAAST video, yeah so even if the video doesn’t show you break the rules the FAA can still go after you if they feel like it. Unfortunately that’s not a huge shock to most in the industry
“even if your video doesn’t show anything illegal occurred, it will be exhibit A against you” uhh, what?
Maybe someone should also ask him to give a CLEAR AND CONCISE definition of what “careless and reckless” is?


Personally I don’t record much of my personal flying, but I highly prefer my students record their lessons to later chair fly, I DO NOT allow them to record while flying solo on my certificate.

I also am 100% against any of that video being shared let alone posted publicly, as someone who makes a living with a certificate that’s subject to administrative “law” it’s just not something I feel is worth the risk

I do a lot of amateur photography, on the ground, underwater, in the air, never go anywhere without a camera. Most of my airborne photos are enroute, high altitude, and well away from anywhere I expect traffic, and I still looking for it. If I want photos around any airport I mount the camera on a wing strut, turn it on before engine start, and ignore it until after engine shutdown. As for some of the GoPro clowns, there was a video on YouTube a few years ago of someone flying under the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, it was taken down in a hurry.

It’s nauseating to watch people talk to themselves on you tube . Self proclaimed experts on the subject. Telling everyone where that “secret” spot is has to be the biggest annoyance . I have always wondered how these clowns still have a certificate after what they post .People eat this content up faster than it can be produced. What ever happened to just going out and doing stuff for the sake of just doing it? These guys seem to never go Anywhere without a clown posse / professional photographer to document the action and then spread it all over. No discretion , no etiquette ,Nothing. Going to beautiful places , showing up with as many clowns / airplanes packed together as possible . That’s just how a lot of people are. They seem to forget how much the general public hates airplanes / dirt bikes / anything that’s super fun and makes noise. Keep it up you tube guy . Won’t be long til the rules start stacking up against you ( us) and all these fun places to exploit become off limits or require a permit .

Great, and entirely appropriate comments, here! What gets me, aside from “them” obviously ruining pristine places, is when a good portion of the video is of their face—them talking to us promoting their channel, image and “expertise” rather than respectfully showing the scenery that their video is supposed to be about in the first place.

tedwaltman wrote:Great, and entirely appropriate comments, here! What gets me, aside from “them” obviously ruining pristine places, is when a good portion of the video is of their face—them talking to us promoting their channel, image and “expertise” rather than respectfully showing the scenery that their video is supposed to be about in the first place.

That drives me nuts too. But it's an artistic choice. Let them make lame videos featuring their big heads, I just won't watch. It's fine.

The thing that compelled me to rant of this topic was the realization of their divided attention when it comes to see-and-avoid or giving full attention to pilot duties. I suppose it's not a whole lot different from fiddling with your new glass panel navigator while flying, but it does seem like something that at least warrants a safety pilot.

It’s astounding how much a running camera changes some people’s internal risk analysis. Lots of dead people with great footage of the crash.

I’m convinced my insurance carries a 30% GoPro tax.

I just tried to watch a backcountry video last night. She was in a 170, it appeared from some of the talking that the guy in the right seat was an instructor. Jibber jabber the whole time while they could not find Dirty Devil and another airstrip, then landed on a sand bar. The scenery was great, the video not so much.

Very often these videos are "hey, look at me" I have a kitfox, or a highlander, or some little plane that only needs 300'. They almost always have crappy music, their dialog is annoying or incorrect. I can't watch them, 30 seconds in I've had enough.

The number of FAR violations that come across my instagram feed is amazing. I wonder how many of them get a call from the FAA? I have seen some people doing really stupid things. Lots of ammo for anti airstrip people to latch onto, like doing high speed low passes in a p51 replica at Mineral Bottom, campers and rafters and the like really don't care for that.

Not sure about the ammunition for anti aviation people, no matter what you post or don’t post, they will still try to destroy aviation, so in that way it doesn’t really matter

Think the only YouTube flying videos I watch are the air safety institute recreations

With most of the backcountry type videos my biggest issue is as others mentioned, it’s more of the persons face and then running their mouth on how cool they are vs just filming cool stuff or giving brief good tips, think lots of that is due to the algorithms on how stuff is monetized and paid and who seeks influencer status

I’ve been wondering for a while how so many of these YouTubers aren’t flying in violation of 61.113(b). It’s clear that the flying is not just incidental to their business, even if it’s just a side business. I think recording flights for YouTube channels that are monetized should require a Commercial certificate according to the rules we already have in place. I know lots of YouTubers are CPL holders, but plenty aren’t.

Correct, one doesn't have to look long or hard to find examples of folks who likely ought not be flying and vlogging. A certain Jerry Wagner comes to mind, and oddly enough he still has his certs.

Personally I'm not a big fan of the Vlog style either - mostly because I only like a few people and my dog. But I'd posit that's simply personal preference.

The bigger deal to me though is this idea that youtube is a negative for aviation. Of course there are some folks that aren't the best ambassadors for GA. That's as true on youtube as it is at the airport, at local association meetings, and <gasp> ... on online forums.
My opinion - the relatively very few folks who post backcountry flying videos online in general help GA more than they hurt it. Sure some of them are clowns, but most people like the circus. I find some of the youtube hate interesting - no one is making you watch them and in most cases they're not even on your lawn.

I guess I feel I can't really throw rocks, as I could certainly do more/better to help GA. If I ever do get to the point of putting videos out into the world(something I've meant to do for years), I'll be a bit sad if someone doesn't hate them for some reason or other. Probably won't have much of my face though and likely narrated after the fact as I definitely don't have attention to spare while flying so at least there's that.

A bunch of kooks immortalizing their stupidity online.

And, it's just sad that everyone feels they have to live their lives through social media or a phone screen.

Go to a concert, everyone is watching through their phone screens recording the show instead of enjoying it directly.

Pilots, flying while paying more attention to a go-pro than enjoying flying for what it is.

Or parents who can't put their phones down or, just like concert goers, live all the most important moments of their children's lives through the screen of their phone.

I recognize that I'm ranting too, but this kind of stuff reall get's my goat. Yeah, I've got a go-pro, but nobody gives a shit about me or my flying, I save the videos as memories that my family can watch later.

I’m with DreadPilotWill: YouTubers probably do more good than harm in promoting aviation to young people, women, BIPoCs, whoever. We say (“we”) we want to grow aviation, in part by growing the number of people from non-traditional pilot groups. Then we denigrate the media that attract them.

As to the distraction factor, I don’t get it. If you set up a camera before you strap in, where’s the distraction? Is a GoPro worse than a 7-year-old? I’ve flown with both and IME the 7-year-old is a much bigger distraction. I’ve never had a GoPro cry on the intercom or push on the controls!

Thirdly, I agree that most YT aviation content is junk. Zane’s are wonderful: well-shot and well-narrated mini documentaries that actually tell a story. But the ones I really hate are the guys who pimp their wives for clicks. How many thumbnails are there with a shot pointing into the cabin from the right-sided A-pillar, copilot’s cleavage the obvious subject? “Look at me” is bad enough. “Look at these” is crass.

That obvious pandering to the lonely old dudes aside, I think there are a lot of people who are flying today who wouldn’t be without the likes of Matt Guthmiller, Stevie Triesenberg, MojoGrip or (dare I say it) Trent Palmer.