Airplane Repo on Discovey

nddons

nddons

Touchdown! Greaser!
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OK, I'm used to having my intelligence insulted on most of these "reality" shows. For example, the repo man uses a secret proprietary program for knowing where airplanes are flying. What, like Flight Aware? :rolleyes:

However, I've got a question for anyone familiar with the aircraft repo process. The repo guy is playing secret agent up to the point that he applies a repo sticker to the aircraft, after which it is legally his to repo, according to the show. Only after they do that do they file an incident report with local law enforcement.

Question: why wouldn't they get local law enforcement involved at the front end? Short of Sheriff Jim Bob being hunting buddies with Jethro who is late on payments on his Gulfstream 200 and tipping him off, I would think getting their cooperation up front would help immensely. Am I missing something, or is this just made-for-TV drama meant to further insult my intelligence?
 
nddons said:
OK, I'm used to having my intelligence insulted on most of these "reality" shows. For example, the repo man uses a secret proprietary program for knowing where airplanes are flying. What, like Flight Aware? :rolleyes:

However, I've got a question for anyone familiar with the aircraft repo process. The repo guy is playing secret agent up to the point that he applies a repo sticker to the aircraft, after which it is legally his to repo, according to the show. Only after they do that do they file an incident report with local law enforcement.

Question: why wouldn't they get local law enforcement involved at the front end? Short of Sheriff Jim Bob being hunting buddies with Jethro who is late on payments on his Gulfstream 200 and tipping him off, I would think getting their cooperation up front would help immensely. Am I missing something, or is this just made-for-TV drama meant to further insult my intelligence?
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It ain't law enforcements job to get involved in repos. They're not around to sort out contract disputes. I used to do repos (not planes) it's not near as dramatic as the TV shows make it out to be and law enforcement would be unnecessary 99.99999% of the time anyway.
 
cops would only get involved if something like a fight or disturbance is the result of the repo activity or if the repo man figures it could get dangerous, he/she would give the cops a heads up - especially if weapons are known to have been used in the past by the repo-ee
 
I don't understand why, the "spotter" doesn't just put the repo sticker on the plane and "boot" the nose wheel?:confused: I guess that wouldn't make for good TV.:mad2:
 
nddons said:
OK, I'm used to having my intelligence insulted on most of these "reality" shows. For example, the repo man uses a secret proprietary program for knowing where airplanes are flying. What, like Flight Aware? :rolleyes:
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Yep. They even showed Flight Aware screen shoots.

I suppose Ol' Nick doesn't want the lenders to know how easy that part is.

nddons said:
O
...is this just made-for-TV drama meant to further insult my intelligence?
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It is, but it's been fun to watch.

Item: Blond "spotter" "Sr. Appraiser" sneaks around outside the FBO looking for the "target airplane" as we watch on green tinted night vision cameras. Later a "friendly mechanic" removes the engine cowl so she can take a look. The next day when Nick arrives we casually hear that the shop is cooperating because they want to get paid for the work and storage.

You don't suppose, do you, that finding then plane was simply a matter of calling the FBO and making the deal...the FBO knew they were coming and all of the late night intrique was pure reality TV drama?

I want to be a spotter. :idea:
 
For an auto repo (don't know about airplanes) New York state requires the repo'er to notify the local police department AFTER the repo. That's not to prevent trouble, it's so that when the former owner awakens and finds his car gone, and calls 911 to report the car stolen, the cops know that's not the case and don't have to deal with it.
 
bartmc said:
It ain't law enforcements job to get involved in repos. They're not around to sort out contract disputes. I used to do repos (not planes) it's not near as dramatic as the TV shows make it out to be and law enforcement would be unnecessary 99.99999% of the time anyway.
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And they make a big deal about, "Uh oh! Here comes Security. They must have spotted us"

Of course, if they didn't have the guy with the camera and studio lights following them around <blatantly pointing out what they are doing> ....

'Hm, wonder what's goin' on with the camera?'


 
I found the episode about the international repo of the airbus more interesting. Without the laws of the US to go by I bet it can get a little more interesting.
 
I kind'a like to listen to the guy talk. He never seems at a loss for words -- producers like that -- and generally what he says is so ordinary it lulls me into that restful mood between napping and REM sleep.
 
Yeah, that whole "we are looking for Michael Jordan's Plane" crap was so staged. Wouldn't the security officer have inquired about the camera and camera light hanging off the windshield? Pretty sure all of theose repos were staged.
 
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oldShar said:
And they make a big deal about, "Uh oh! Here comes Security. They must have spotted us"

Of course, if they didn't have the guy with the camera and studio lights following them around <blatantly pointing out what they are doing> ....

'Hm, wonder what's goin' on with the camera?'
Click to expand...

They're using IR "night vision" cameras - or claim to be - so there wouldn't be any visible light, although it wouldn't surprise me if they're just using regular cameras and adding the green tint as on the titles & logo.
 
So yesterday I was at our FBO and saw a notice tacked up about a "Stolen or missing" King Air 200. Contact information at the bottom was for Sage-Popovitch. I had a good chuckle over that... OK, so it's not stolen, it's being hidden from the repo man. :)
 
nddons said:
Am I missing something, or is this just made-for-TV drama meant to further insult my intelligence?
Click to expand...

They haven't shown the real drama he has gone through. He has had a gun pointed at him more than once. But the show sucks, just like Flying Wild Alaska. They don't use the real drama that happens, they make something out of nothing, for whatever reason...
 
Inverted said:
They don't use the real drama that happens, they make something out of nothing, for whatever reason...
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Amen to that. We've been working on "Air Boss" for a little while now and it's been quite a challenge keeping it true to aviation. Trust me though, we're aviators first and TV folks second and not the other way around. When Air Boss is ready for delivery, it'll be something we can be proud of - and hopefully you'll enjoy - as aviators!

In the meantime, of course, we'll keep bringing you our other aviation show! ;-)

Anthony
 
They're heeeeere....
poltergeist-original.jpg
 
Not to put to fine a point on it, but the repo guys have found POA, vis-a-vis this thread. I of course had to make a wiseacre comment.
 
I think it's more entertaining than American Idol.
 
Send a free block request to the FAA and his whole "secret program" falls to pieces.
 
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