Airplane Repo The TV Series

[N801BH]

You know, I think he specifically mentions that it was regular automotive oil, but that "it would do the trick" for a short flight.

 

[N747JB]

You know, I think he specifically mentions that it was regular automotive oil, but that "it would do the trick" for a short flight.

I think I'd rather take off one quart low, but again, it's all about drama!!

 

[N801BH]

I think I'd rather take off one quart low, but again, it's all about drama!!

Agreed....

 

[bugmenot]

I am still convinced that the pair of repo guys where one of them is the biker guy, are not even pilots. I know the biker guy isn't, but the repo guy isn't either. I have never seen him pilot an aircraft.

Thank you Captain Obvious. The biker guy gets introduced as security muscle. And the button down shirt always mentions how he has to "call the pilot(s)" so I doubt he has a license.

Hmm, and let's not forget that they just happen to have cameras mounted externally on the aircraft and internally before they happen to repo the birds. Yea, right.......

Takes about 10 seconds to suction a GoPro to a flat surface and start it recording. I'm sure the camera man can set his big camera down for a minute to do four or five of them before they push back.

It also bugs me that they keep jumping around from one repossession mission to another, instead of following each one through to its conclusion before going on to the next one.

That's an editing trick to get you to watch more commercials.

They did not have time to replace a radio, yet, somehow they managed to attach go-pro cameras t to the exterior of the plane.

I'm beginning to wonder if pilots have ever seen GoPro cameras.

Why don't they just rent a Cessna 150 and come in on the air side?

They did that with a helo at HNL

Repo guys talking to airport personel as though they are looking to buy a plane or apply for a job with a full crew behind them, Camerman, sound man. lighting guy, Really?

Put your glasses back on. They film with Canon EOS C100 cameras with shoe mount mics. You can also see the camera operators wearing headphones meaning they do their own sand. The C100 is, in terms of professional cameras, one of the top 10 cameras for shooting in low light, so there is no need for a lighting or sound guy. And the rest is GoPro mini cams.

All of what Adam said, plus the sequence of the Citation landing at the end of the show was the same runway shown through out the episode of the Citation taking off (treeline in background was same).

Prob didn't have a guy on the ground at the destination airport so they re-used footage so Mike Rowe wasn't talking over a black screen.

And how nonchalant the Lear drivers were as they walked back out on the ramp.

Because they couldn't see their bird was gone yet.

Why would the N-number be covered anyway? For privacy?

Discovery blurs out tires on Mythbusters so you can't tell whether the (obviously Ford) trucks have Michelins or Firestones. It has something to do with Hankook getting peeved about their competitors getting "free advertising" while Hankook has to pay for a 30 second spot. What this has to do with tail numbers is beyond me.

They do claim to have some pen cameras, but there had to be somebody outside of the office shooting in.

They did. Cameraman sat in the truck parked right outside the office.

Oh yea, I am a repo guy and I am going to document tampering with airport access gates, climbing fenses to gain entry to airports and breaking into hangars.

Statute of limitations.

Why don't they just buy and load up a plane with all that they need for a repo (they always seem to be borrowing tools, bolt cutters, fuses etc.) and fly into the darn airport where they are trying to repo a plane? Fly both of them out and job done? There's lots of things about this program that don't make any sense....

...if you don't think it all the way through. Might be hard to get a charter at the drop of a hat.

It talks about yachts as well as planes, but I've not seen the show stray from its "Airplane Repo" title.

The repo guy that never operates any equipment works for a company that repos more than just planes. IRG Group--Google it.

To begin with they began chasing a Lear Jet in a Stinson.

Pretty sure that part was shot after the repo.

Why are they always under the cloak of darkness as if they are actually stealing it when they have full legal right to the aircraft?

Did you see the helo pilot that lifted the bird while the repo guy was showing the cop all the paperwork proving it was a legit repo? That's why.

they had been hiding in the hangar while the guy was upstairs.
Magically, as they pushed the plane out of the hangar, it had video cameras mounted on the wingtip in one of the shots.

Takes about 10 seconds to stick a camera on a wing. I'm guessing they were hiding for more than 10 seconds. Even if you don't believe that, watch how long it took to open the door. Could've put it on then too.

At least with the prior version (Popovich) there was a clear explanation of the paperwork, the legal issues, the need for a ferry permit with an A&P or the FAA approving it. Guess there wasn't enough excitement doing it the real way.

Correct, that episode was boring as hell. If I wanted to sit around and watch people fill out paperwork for an hour, I'd go down to the DMV.

Not only that, there was a shot of them taking off from the glacier from the ground. Did they leave one cameraman behind so he could get the shot then come back for him?

Can't remember--was that a static shot? If so, you could always use a GoPro and an EyeFi. They're cheap enough to be considered disposable.

he conveniently finds a bottle of aviation oil in the back of some guy's pickup truck.

Not really sure what's so unbelieveable in that. It looked like a 90s Ford and very well could have had an oil leak. And if you've ever listened to an episode of Car Talk, there are penty of people that will just keep adding oil rather than getting their head gasket replaced.

 

[N801BH]

......... It looked like a 90s Ford and very well could have had an oil leak. And if you've ever listened to an episode of Car Talk, there are penty of people that will just keep adding oil rather than getting their head gasket replaced.

First post...............


Welcome to POA..... I think..


That was quite the first post and full of obvious answers most of us already concluded....

Ps.... Leaking oil has nothing to do with head gaskets... Maybe leaking compression or coolant..... I think you mean valve cover gaskets..

For your penance,,, go watch 50 episodes of Car Talk back to back and say 2 Hail Mary's...

 

[X3 Skier]

I still like the one where they repo the Cub in Alaska after hiking thru "wolf country" and over a "semi frozen lake" then the pilot flies off alone leaving the cameraman on the ground since it was "too dangerous to land again". Poor cameraman must have been consumed by wolves after he shot the pilot departing the area.
OTOH, the cameraman might have been picked up by a helo that couldn't fly them there in the first place and saved a night in "wolf country" and a two day hike or maybe it was not "too dangerous" to land again and pick him up.

Cheers

 

[JHW]

Ps.... Leaking oil has nothing to do with head gaskets... Maybe leaking compression or coolant..... I think you mean valve cover gaskets..

apparently you have never owned a VW water-cooled inline-4

 

[N801BH]

apparently you have never owned a VW water-cooled inline-4

Apparently not...

 

[JB1842]

The show is bad, but it is somewhat entertaining. And I always seem to find a bottle of aviation oil every time I clean out my Jeep, so to me that part isn't that fictional.

 

[Skylane81E]

FWIW,
1 you don't need a charter to fly into an airport
2 getting a charter at the "drop of a hat" is easy, that kind of flexibility is a big part of the appeal of charter.

 

[JB1842]

FWIW,
1 you don't need a charter to fly into an airport
2 getting a charter at the "drop of a hat" is easy, that kind of flexibility is a big part of the appeal of charter.

You are supposed to say "Spoiler Alert"!

 

[Skylane81E]

You are supposed to say "Spoiler Alert"!

 

[mikea]

Not only that, there was a shot of them taking off from the glacier from the ground. Did they leave one cameraman behind so he could get the shot then come back for him?

No, silly! The cameraman left in the plane they used to shoot the Beaver in the air!

 

[Greg Bockelman]

I don't know why they call it "Reality TV". It is anything but.

 

[AdamZ]

I still like the one where they repo the Cub in Alaska after hiking thru "wolf country" and over a "semi frozen lake" then the pilot flies off alone leaving the cameraman on the ground since it was "too dangerous to land again". Poor cameraman must have been consumed by wolves after he shot the pilot departing the area.
OTOH, the cameraman might have been picked up by a helo that couldn't fly them there in the first place and saved a night in "wolf country" and a two day hike or maybe it was not "too dangerous" to land again and pick him up.

Cheers

Bawhahaha I never thought about that. Thats a riot!

I don't know why they call it "Reality TV". It is anything but.

Amen Greg.

 

[Bill]

I don't know why they call it "Reality TV". It is anything but.

Reality is too boring, so they make it not boring.

I've become my Dad, I watch news and sports, other than that, TV is a vast mind rotting wasteland. (And many news programs are mind rotting as well)

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Reality is too boring, so they make it not boring.

I've become my Dad, I watch news and sports, other than that, TV is a vast mind rotting wasteland. (And many news programs are mind rotting as well)

Well, hell, Bill. As often as the news butchers topics I know about, I have no faith in the accuracy of ANY reporting.

However, sports programs are kind of hard to screw up.

I watch those flying type shows for the entertainment value. Nothing more.

Some of the home improvement shows have valuable info.

 

[Bill]

Well, hell, Bill. As often as the news butchers topics I know about, I have no faith in the accuracy of ANY reporting.

Well, news isn't like the news we used to watch at 6pm as kids. News now is just as scripted and spun as are "realilty" shows.

Enough on this one lest we get kicked into the SZ!

 

[the400kid]

I don't know why they call it "Reality TV". It is anything but.

True comment. Back around 1999, when "reality" programs started showing up on American TV, they did contain more reality but as the years went on and as different crazy situations were dreamt up, they started to become scripted to make them more interesting.

Keep one thing in mind, the reason there are so many "reality" shows is due to the very low production costs over scripted, studio productions.

 

[valittu]

True comment. Back around 1999, when "reality" programs started showing up on American TV, they did contain more reality but as the years went on and as different crazy situations were dreamt up, they started to become scripted to make them more interesting.

Keep one thing in mind, the reason there are so many "reality" shows is due to the very low production costs over scripted, studio productions.

IIRC, the Reality TV movement was born out of a writer's strike.

 

[N747JB]

True comment. Back around 1999, when "reality" programs started showing up on American TV, they did contain more reality but as the years went on and as different crazy situations were dreamt up, they started to become scripted to make them more interesting.

Keep one thing in mind, the reason there are so many "reality" shows is due to the very low production costs over scripted, studio productions.

I saw an ad last night for a new series, I don't remember the exact name, but the gist of it is "6 Alaskan girls go to Miami" to frolick in the sun and get laid by guys not from Alaska.

 

[Twin_Flyer]

I found this while Surfing....

http://irggroup.com/about-us/executive-team/

Interesting site....

 

[nddons]

No, silly! The cameraman left in the plane they used to shoot the Beaver in the air!

Did that happen whilst a mile high?

 

[W sheetz]

I was in the repo business in 93, Repoed Cars, Trucks, Tractor Trailers, Motor Homes, Heavy Equipment, Boats, Campers, Yachts and anything with a title and a Vin #. I Thought Airplanes were foreclosed on, Need a Court Order. If you have a court order all the arguing is over. The police will help you break into where ever you need to recover what ever. Does anyone know the process? I would be interested to know. I'm pretty sure you can enter fenced areas and break into hangers. They do have the attitudes correct, I would not stop any effort to remove the asset no matter who was standing there screaming.

 

[the400kid]

I just finished watching the latest episode of Repo and made the following observations.

They were repossessing what they said was a $140k Piper Archer. I thought to myself, for that price it must be an Archer III with a glass panel. Turns out it was steam gauges and had some old Collins radios. Not sure where they came up with that $140k price tag, although there was a PiperAire sticker on the back window. Second, they started it up and filmed all of the external shots with it completely tied down and the prop spinning. Third, the pilot for hire kept complaining about the crosswind factor and how he can't take off if it exceeds 17 knots. All he was talking about while taxiing out was the crosswind. Interestingly, all of the shots of the plane lined up at the end of the runway show the windsock pointing straight down the center, not even a degree of crosswind was shown. Even when they took off the windsock was prominent in the shot and it was right down the middle.

Next up was the taking of an SR22 from Orange County, California. The tanks were bone dry when they broke into the hangar and they had to fill up. While filling at the self-serve, security was approaching and they all jumped into the plane. They started up with security in hot pursuit. Next shot is of them taking off with the narrator saying they took off with security seconds behind. What wasn't shown was taxiing out to the runway, doing the run-up and getting clearance from the tower. It was edited to show that security couldn't catch up with them when in fact in the scene by the fuel pumps, security was already there.

 

[us AAirways]

I liked the one where he had the job interview with the guy then snatched his Citation.

They have a legal right to repo the plane. Why do they hide from security/cops? Can't they just show them the paperwork and be on their way?

 

[txflyer]

I kept flipping back and forth from watching repo to ragin cajun redneck gators.

Ended up watching the gators....

At least the fake and terrible actor's got eaten on that one.

 

[Palmpilot]

I liked the one where he had the job interview with the guy then snatched his Citation.

They have a legal right to repo the plane. Why do they hide from security/cops? Can't they just show them the paperwork and be on their way?

Is there an echo in here?

 

[Texastaildragger]

Was watching it last night when they " cut the lock". My wife who is a banker & knows something about repos said " that's not legal, you can't do that" I just laughed and told her that I just watch it for the planes. Then she saw the Citation " with the radio out" flying towards controlled airspace. She rolled her eyes & left the room. LOL

 

[Palmpilot]

Was watching it last night when they " cut the lock". My wife who is a banker & knows something about repos said " that's not legal, you can't do that" I just laughed and told her that I just watch it for the planes...

The TV folks probably brought their own lock so that they could get video of a lock being cut.

 

[txflyer]

Who are these people who buy business jets and then don't pay for them?

That's insanity.

Who credited them in the first place to buy? How did they get financing if they can't pay? And aren't those big loans on jets collateralized to the hilt? Hell, we wanted to borrow $250K for more land, and the bank wanted us to put up the entire $3MM ranch against it. And we have good credit and standing...

 

[48dodge]

Who are these people who buy business jets and then don't pay for them?

That's insanity.

Don't you know it's the evil 1%ers? It isn't that they can't pay for them it's that they choose not to because they're capitalist pigs.

Sincerely,
A proud capitalist pig

 

[the400kid]

I liked the one where he had the job interview with the guy then snatched his Citation.

They have a legal right to repo the plane. Why do they hide from security/cops? Can't they just show them the paperwork and be on their way?

That was my question many threads ago.

 

[us AAirways]

Who are these people who buy business jets and then don't pay for them?

That's insanity.

Who credited them in the first place to buy? How did they get financing if they can't pay? And aren't those big loans on jets collateralized to the hilt? Hell, we wanted to borrow $250K for more land, and the bank wanted us to put up the entire $3MM ranch against it. And we have good credit and standing...

Different rules for the ultra rich vs the rest of us.

Plus if they paid their bills, then there would be no story for the Discovery channel.

 

[Texastaildragger]

The TV folks probably brought their own lock so that they could get video of a lock being cut.

No doubt.

 

[Inverted]

I saw Mike Kennedy at the Reno Air Races yesterday. Needless to say I didn't get an autograph.

 

[X3 Skier]

I saw Mike Kennedy at the Reno Air Races yesterday. Needless to say I didn't get an autograph.

Was he there to repo an Unlimited Racer?

Cheers

 

[Twin_Flyer]

I saw Mike Kennedy at the Reno Air Races yesterday. Needless to say I didn't get an autograph.

Man, I would have loved to hear his take on the show...

 

[nddons]

Was watching it last night when they " cut the lock". My wife who is a banker & knows something about repos said " that's not legal, you can't do that" I just laughed and told her that I just watch it for the planes. Then she saw the Citation " with the radio out" flying towards controlled airspace. She rolled her eyes & left the room. LOL

Your wife is a smart woman. Says a lot about us too, I guess.

 

[Twin_Flyer]

We I guess the business must be slowing down.... This week they repo'ed a Cub for a friend and two, that right, two yachts for the banks.... Hey maybe there's a name change coming "Yacht Repo the TV series. Dang 1%ers:wink2: