What is Airline Videos?
 
Airline Videos is an online channel dedicated to bringing high-quality video and livestreams of commercial aviation to viewers worldwide. It was started in March, 2019. Regular livestreams started in the summer of 2020. In August, 2021, Airline Videos became the full-time endeavor of its owner, Kevin Ray. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in videography and film production, mostly in television news.
 
On which services do you stream?

You can find our livestreams (and videos) on YouTube and Facebook.

Do you have a set schedule?

We stream almost every Sunday starting around 7am Pacific Time. We also stream at various times during the workweek.

Why planespotting?

For people that enjoy watching planes, it’s obvious! But, maybe you’re here wondering what the big deal is.

There are many reasons why people enjoy planespotting. Some enjoy the technical marvel, and some like seeing visitors from far-flung places around the globe. Some are moved by the ‘romance of travel’, and some just see a miracle in metal taking flight.

Whatever -your- reason is, you’ll find a home and like-minded friends in the Airline Videos community.

So your channel isn’t just for “AvGeeks”?

Definitely not! One thing we’re proud of is the way we bring this experience to all sorts of people. We want Airline Videos livestreams to feel like you’re spending a day next to the airport, just enjoying the activity. Sometimes, it can be exciting. At other times, it’s just nice to feel the sun and ocean breeze and listen to the ambient sounds of one of the largest metropolises in the world. Our goal isn’t to bring you every single aircraft that lands or departs, but to bring you the experience as a whole.

What are the rules of the chat?

We have one overarching rule: act kindly. There’s enough mayhem elsewhere in the world, and Airline Videos Live streams are meant for people all around the world to gather and enjoy together. We would prefer the use of English, just for common understanding. Mods have been given the discretion to maintain a peaceful atmosphere. If you engage in repeating yourself constantly, using all-caps or all-emojis, trolling, spamming, or just plain-old being rude, you can plan on being shown the door.

Can I be a mod?

We’re very deliberate in our moderator selections. While we appreciate the interest, when we need new mods, we’ll ask prospective candidates directly. But, we appreciate all efforts in helping maintain the friendly atmosphere in the chat.

Do you follow the chat on Facebook?

There is occasionally someone from the mod team on Facebook following the chat and answering questions. There’s a much better chance of your interaction getting our attention in the YouTube chat.

What cameras do you use?

Kevin primarily shoots with a Panasonic HC-WXF1 & HC-WXF991 Camcorder. Rudy is using his phone. Because of software limitations, Rudy is unable to zoom in on arriving aircraft.

You have an ethical pledge? What’s that?

We want to be clear in our commitment to our Airline Videos community. As our channel grows, we believe we have a responsibility to be transparent to our viewers and supporters who make our work possible. This reflects our core beliefs and not those of any other channel; this is about doing right by our viewers.
 
1) We will never film from private or restricted property without permission.

2) We will disclose all paid sponsorships.

3) We will never pay for any viewer engagement, including likes, views, and subscriptions.

4) We will not encourage or participate in any ‘tip challenges’. While all of your support is greatly appreciated and allows us to continue our work, we never want anyone to feel ‘challenged’ to support us. We also don’t want to turn this hobby we love into a money grab.

5) We will not rebroadcast the intellectual property of other businesses without their knowledge and consent.

6) We will not tolerate discriminatory language of any kind in our chat or comments. This includes language that is racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, etc. We value the diversity of our viewers of all ages from around the world.

7) We will not allow messages about politics or current affairs divide our viewers. Airline Videos is a channel where people can come together to leave all of that behind for a little while. Comments about politics, Covid, vaccines, etc. will be removed.

How can I support Airline Videos financially?

We rely on the support of our viewers to grow our channel. Thank you for considering a membership, tip, or merchandise purchase! Details on how to help us can be found here:

YouTube Memberships

Official AIRLINE VIDEOS Merch

PayPal

You’re out there for so long! Can I bring you food or a beverage?

First, thank you for thinking of us! As you can imagine, everything is pretty hectic during the stream and there’s just not the time to pause for anything more than a quick energy bar now and then. It would be a shame for delicious food and drinks you purchase to go to waste, so we’re asking folks to avoid bringing them. You are welcome, however, to come enjoy your lunch or a snack next to Kevin or his colleagues!

Do you only stream and film at LAX?

No. We’re proud of our home base at LAX, but we’ve also produced livestreams at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and San Diego International Airport. More will be coming, as well. As Kevin likes to say: we’re just getting started!

Have you considered streaming at my favorite airport?

Chances are, yes! There are some considerations to keep in mind, especially technical requirements, traffic levels, and legally-accessible sites that offer compelling video opportunities. Suffice to say, as the channel grows, there’s a good chance you’ll see Airline Videos streaming live from most major airports in the US (and hopefully some in Europe!).

Where at LAX are you streaming from?

We film from several locations around the airport. On the south side, we stream from Clutter’s Park on Imperial Hill. On the north side, we’ve filmed from the Economy Parking Garage as well as along Westchester Parkway. We’re also proud to have exclusive access to the 12th floor outdoor lounge at the H Hotel. Learn more about the H Hotel here:

H HOTEL WEBSITE

Who is Rudy?

Rudy is a fellow aviation geek, photographer, and videographer. In everyday life, he’s a teacher and student in pursuit of his Master’s degree. On social media outlets (except Twitter) he’s @LAPlaneSpotter.

Why don’t you show more landings?

Since its opening in 1930, LAX has been a perpetual patchwork of additions and enhancements. Because of this, clear and unobstructed views of the entire takeoff or landing process are just impossible from public locations, even from great vantage points like Clutter’s Park. But hey, if you can get us access to the roof of a hotel or into the control tower, let us know!

Why don’t you show more business jets?

If obstructions are a problem when showing 747s and A380s, you can only imagine the difficulties in filming small private jets, especially after landing.

All of the streams I’ve seen are from Clutter’s Park and across from In-n-Out. Why don’t you shoot from other LAX locations?

There are a number of criteria for streaming. Most importantly, we need to have the legal right to be in any location. Beyond that, the site needs to offer compelling views of different aviation operations. Lastly, it needs to be secure enough for our equipment. If you have any ideas for locations that fit these requirements, please send us an email!

These streams are epic. Don’t you ever go to the bathroom??

Without too many details, let’s just say Kevin spent years in television news with a zen-like focus on mastering both his sense of patience and control over his body.

What is this “arenav docker” that I hear all the time?

You’re hearing “RNAV DOCKR”. It’s an instruction given to flights departing from runway 25R and repeated (acknowledged) by the pilots of those flights. DOCKR is a navigation point just off the coastline and the starting point for departure procedures from the airport. RNAV, in short, means the crews use satellite navigation to find that point. There’s no way to use ground-based navigation aids to find that point. The controllers are instructing the crews to fly over DOCKR to start their departure procedure. When a flight departs from 25L, you’ll hear “RNAV HIIPR” and from 24L, you’ll hear “RNAV DLREY” for the same reason, as each runway has its own departure point. If you’d like to see what this looks like on an aeronautical chart, just search for “LAX DOTSS departure”