New Series on Discovery

[captmjk16]

Starting now (10 PM Thursday): Airplane Repo on Discovery. It's a full series now rather than just a few pilot/special episodes. I hope they don't drama/fake it up too much, but no matter what it looks like some good old fashioned plane porn at the very least.

[eric8669]

Starting now (10 PM Thursday): Airplane Repo on Discovery. It's a full series now rather than just a few pilot/special episodes. I hope they don't drama/fake it up too much, but no matter what it looks like some good old fashioned plane porn at the very least.

Its not a new series, has been on before with a different cast. And first impressions of this version I like the old one better.

[captmjk16]

I was under the impression that the prior "series" was just a few pilot episodes with Nick Popovich's team rather than a full on series (Similar to America's Deadliest Season as the pilot miniseries that eventually became Deadliest Catch).

Regardless, I agree with your sentiment so far, still beats Naked and Afraid or whatever garbage fake survival show they've come up with this time around. I just wish Mike Rowe narrated the original episodes.

[eric8669]

I was under the impression that the prior "series" was just a few pilot episodes with Nick Popovich's team rather than a full on series (Similar to America's Deadliest Season as the pilot miniseries that eventually became Deadliest Catch).

Regardless, I agree with your sentiment so far, still beats Naked and Afraid or whatever garbage fake survival show they've come up with this time around. I just wish Mike Rowe narrated the original episodes.

No, that other one was on for atleast a couple of years. there are a bunch of episodes.

[captmjk16]

I guess we just have slightly different views on what makes up a series, there's only a handful of (well spaced out) episodes of the original version.

Watching this one though, I can't help but feel like much of this is faked compared to the original one as well.

On the plus side, it's something fun to watch, and there seems to be some rather decent plane footage mixed in with the fake drama crap.

[clear_prop]

The fake drama was a bit much, but nice scenery.

The Lear with gear issues would have had the trucks rolled if they had really declared an emergency. In one of the b-roll shots of it on take-off, the gyros were tumbled, so that was filmed on the ground before the gyros spun up.

The speed of the hangar door on the 206 was accurate though. Those bifold doors can be really slow.

[Vinny Ohare]

I like the old version better. These new guys are a little too extreme for me.

[Speedbagel_001]

Yeah, just watched this show last night. Came across it almost by accident. It was followed up with one of the previous season's episodes.

I also noticed that gyro shot, when the plane was supposedly in the air. Other interesting observations that were curious - how did they take the time to install cameras on the aircraft they were about to "steal", yet they forgot to bring the repo paperwork from the car? And how do they know what the fuel range of the aricraft they were tracking down without knowing how much fuel was currently on board? Also curious as to how those spotters could get so close to the apron and amazingly find the aircraft they're searching for in perfect view of their location. With the Gulfstream, why didn't they use some kind of "flightaware" type software to track the aircraft movement? And the guy who took the lear out of the hangar? Was there NOBODY in airport security guarding the hangar? Was there no alarm system that sounded when the doors opened? All too perfect sounding to me. How did the police "know" which airport the Cessna was going to get fuel from?

I just don't see how these events could be pulled off so successfully (even with that arrest), but I could be wrong and maybe it happened like they showed. Anybody know any behind-the-scenes info?

[MarkLawrence]

I haven't watched all of last nights episode yet - but - saw the Gulfstream part - to clarify one thing on that - Flightaware does block registrations at the owners request - try searching for Carnival's G650 - N305CC - blocked at owners request. There is software that you can buy to look at blocked registrations (and that is what he has) - but - it's expensive...

Will reserve judgement on the rest of the episode until I see it all - but - certainly, the previous series was great!!!

[captmjk16]

One of the boat repo shows shot part of an episode at the marina where I spend my weekends, and they showed a lot of the same type of fake crap you could surmise from last night's episode of Plane repo. Faking the "sneaking around" and "stealing" aspect, having to "trick" people into helping them out... all fake.

If they had to be so covert, I feel like having a camera crew would maybe jeopardize that stealthy aspect just a bit...

I'm not going to complain too much about mismatched b-roll footage, though annoying and easily fixed, it's par for the course these days, and at least it was the same model jet as they showed in the exterior and first unit shots.

I agree with Vinny, the old one was better, but not exciting enough for the mainstream audience I'm afraid.

[clear_prop]

Yeah, just watched this show last night. Came across it almost by accident. It was followed up with one of the previous season's episodes.

I also noticed that gyro shot, when the plane was supposedly in the air. Other interesting observations that were curious - how did they take the time to install cameras on the aircraft they were about to "steal", yet they forgot to bring the repo paperwork from the car? And how do they know what the fuel range of the aricraft they were tracking down without knowing how much fuel was currently on board? Also curious as to how those spotters could get so close to the apron and amazingly find the aircraft they're searching for in perfect view of their location. With the Gulfstream, why didn't they use some kind of "flightaware" type software to track the aircraft movement? And the guy who took the lear out of the hangar? Was there NOBODY in airport security guarding the hangar? Was there no alarm system that sounded when the doors opened? All too perfect sounding to me. How did the police "know" which airport the Cessna was going to get fuel from?

I just don't see how these events could be pulled off so successfully (even with that arrest), but I could be wrong and maybe it happened like they showed. Anybody know any behind-the-scenes info?

The 'forgetting' the repo paperwork was an obvious setup.

As for knowing the range of the Baron, they said they had been tracking it for several days, and if they know the tanks were topped at the last airport, and how long it flew, they would know how much range was left fairly accurately.

My guess on the Lear hangar is that his buddy the mechanic worked there. Either that, or it is the old 'look like you belong'. The mechanic in the uniform shirt driving a tug looks perfectly normal, with the pilot playing the role of pushy boss.

[Vinny Ohare]

Couldn't the police go arrest these guys for breaking and entering. I am pretty sure the video they made would incriminate themselves. Plus they opened the door in a matter of seconds. I don't care how good of a thief you are they got that door open to easy.

[MarkLawrence]

As in every reality show that is on TV, there has to be a lot of "post event" footage. I would guess that the planes have already been repo'd in a lot of the cases and they are staged after the repo to film the event. Add a little drama and you have a reality show. Despite the short falling of the series as pointed out by everyone, the guy has an awesome job and I personally would kill to spend a day or two with their operation. He certainly is real - I have a colleague who's sister lives in Valparaiso, IND and he is always in her shop.

Just putting another perspective on it all.....

[snydersnapshots]

Watching the latest episode of Airplane Repo and we weren't 5 seconds (literally) into it and I was already complaining. Video of one of the guys starting a Cessna 414. My irritation came when he started the engine...and the sound they used on the show was that of a starting turbo prop! Come on guys... you have a show that a lot of pilots and airplane aficionados are interested in. At least get the sounds right!

[Speedbagel_001]

The part of the show that ticked me off was when the owner took back his log books from the repo guys' car. How did he know the books were in the car? His plane was in the process of being taken from him - why would he give a moment's thought to: A) the car parked outside the hangar, or B) searching said car for "his" logbooks? It just sounds too staged to me.

But, yeah, it's still all about airplanes so I'll continue watching next week regardless.:biggrin:

[Cary]

I liked at the end, when the plane was landing at MDT(?), that the authorities escorted them to the edge of the runway. Yes, because it would make lots of sense to be out there, frantically waving your arms if you wanted the plane to land, so it could be seized. I enjoy this show, just because it's blatantly obvious that most everything is staged :tongue:

[gpalz1]

The part of the show that ticked me off was when the owner took back his log books from the repo guys' car.

I was laughing so hard seeing that old man run away with the log books and coming back later to take the plane from the hanger. And the ending with the touch and go landing was predictable but just as funny watch.

I did enjoy the Flying Wild Alaska show a year or two ago. To bad that got the axe.

[Landing Lights]

I did enjoy the Flying Wild Alaska show a year or two ago. To bad that got the axe.

Flying Wild Alaska was great, but it was a major intrusion into the Tweetos' lives and that is why they pulled the plug on it. I miss it too, but I stand 100% behind their decision not to do another season.

[eric8669]

Flying Wild Alaska was great, but it was a major intrusion into the Tweetos' lives and that is why they pulled the plug on it. I miss it too, but I stand 100% behind their decision not to do another season.

didn't they sell the business though?

[Landing Lights]

didn't they sell the business though?

There was a merger that took place just before the pilot was filmed. Other than that, I think the finale coincided with Jim taking a step back into a less active role as he looks towards retirement.