steveo1kinevo goes into more detail about the FAA coming down on him...

First off, thanks to @BrianNC for sharing this. I have just started dabbling with YouTube and if the FAA can come after you to show unused footage of running checklists...wow.

I like his videos. First off, they are well edited which takes a ton of time to get good at. He's flying in a interesting area especially getting over to the Bahamas and around the busy Florida airspace. He flies interesting planes - put another way - planes I would love to fly. Once in while a guest choice can really crank the views (eg. Captain Mindy :))

You also have to think of the YouTube income. He has a lot of subscribers. He gets a respectable number of views. So that is some $$$. As I understand it though, the sponsors are the big multiplier on that number. If he's generating lots of ads and click thru's for Bose, ForeFlight, Banyan, etc there is probably more $$$$ than we think. Maybe not enough to pay all bills but worth doing I am sure. Heck, when I learned what the MZeroA guy was worth...wow!!!

He found a great niche. Good location and flying weather all year. By the ocean, by the Bahamas. Interesting planes. He is allowed to film in his work rides. Gets people interested in aviation.

If I was him I would see if I could get Mindy along for more videos (like a regular).Plus she's a 182 pilot so she's already an amazing individual :) If he could land a few more high profile passengers (outside of aviation) it would crank his views. If he really wants to drive up the views, he would probably need to tie in with mega YouTuber's like Casey Niestad(??). Maybe do some work with FunForLouis and his pilot buddy JP (he's cool). Do a rivalry between Matt G (I don't like him though) and his Bonanza vs JP and the Centurion...make it about who gets the girls in the end (JP will win). I love the FunForLouis episode somewhere like in Austrialia where he kids about Matt's nagging/whining comments about the Bo being the best and then out in the frontier someplace its like several 210's everywhere and not a single Bonanza anywhere.

One other thing which would crank his views is to do stuff with veterans. He's a CG vet and if he would do anything in that regard it would be awesome.
 
You hit the nail on the head regarding the sponsors. That's his money maker. I heard the YT estimate via views puts him circa 40ish K, which is already way decent for a couple hours a day of editing content you got paid to do in the first place (double dipping). And though I'm sure there's plenty of dopes who send bucks via patreon the real money for him is as you said, corporate sponsorship.

So yeah, I'd say the FAA really put his cheddar at risk with the whole 709 witch hunt. And it is clear to me he is making a lucrative living doing social media, by virtue of the fact it did not dissuade him from continuing the practice. Certainly the way it would if say, I was a major F/O and put a couple videos of that adrenalin-riddled job and the FAA somehow took exception to it. You bet I'd shelf the practice on the spot, especially over losing 180K + 16% B-fund as my opportunity cost.

Yet, this cat continued. By some metrics he has actually ramped it up. That tells you he's making more, way more. He's like the MLM people. The product is relatively worthless (aka the pro pilot skillset he provides and the wage it commands, good bad or indifferent), it's the "downline" he peddles, the real value.

'Tis America baby, by hook or by crook! :eek::D
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Tantalum said:
not really sure how this makes him or the flying public any safer. Too bad the FAA didn't spend that same energy going after that fake Marine with a bunch of fake names who killed four people in his twin Cessna.. or the unlicensed guy flying his Mooney in the clouds..

The FAA is, in my opinion, the most pragmatic and well run of the government organizations, but when they go after people like this and our own 6PC I really scratch my head.. ?
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Good God! What if you're right?

Joking aside, I put 'em in the middle of the pack, having been in and around wuite a few gov't entities. . .
 
hindsight2020 said:
The irony of course is that it is rumored he makes more money monetizing videos (YT + sponsorship + patreon) than what his part 91/135 gigs net him! LOL. FNG or not, that's not a compliment to that side of the industry in my book but I digress.
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It says more about the influencer industry, I think. He could be pulling $10k++ a month from each sponsor if contracts with aviation businesses are similar to other industries. Plus YouTube monetization.
 
jordane93 said:
Sterile cockpit doesn’t apply to part 91, although it’s a good idea.
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Reg or no reg, I always keep my cockpit clean. I don't like clutter. I keep my car and house clean too,

(Perhaps I misread the post)
 
Sinistar said:
If I was him I would see if I could get Mindy along for more videos (like a regular).Plus she's a 182 pilot so she's already an amazing individual :)
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If you're a fan of Mindy, you can follow her adventures on Instagram @schmiiindy. She's graduated to the Baron and posts lots of good content.
 
Flying_Nun said:
If you're a fan of Mindy, you can follow her adventures on Instagram @schmiiindy. She's graduated to the Baron and posts lots of good content.
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Well that sucks. I gave up on Facebook and never did the other social media sites. Is it worth joining Instagram....hmmmm????
 
Sinistar said:
Well that sucks. I gave up on Facebook and never did the other social media sites. Is it worth joining Instagram....hmmmm????
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As with Twitter, you can view much of the stuff without an account.
 
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