Who runs Big Jet TV? YouTube channel live streaming plane landing during Storm Eunice goes viral
Big Jet TV is a YouTube channel run by Jerry Dyer who live streams landing airplanes. The concept behind the channel might not come off as bright to most people who are not aircraft enthusiasts but that is only till one hears Jerry Dyer speak. His unfiltered, humorous, and enthused commentary often resembles that of a retired footballer excitedly reporting a goal.
Dyer's channel on Friday hit a record 200,000 live viewers after he started to live stream an aircraft struggling to land at the Heathrow Airport during the Storm Eunice. In the live stream, Dyer is heard complimenting the pilots on their skills and efforts in leading the planes to a safe and sound landing. Dyer has, over time, built a 'cult audience' that tune in regularly to enjoy his hilarious commentary.
READ MORE
'Delta Karen' to 'cat woman': Five airplane passengers from HELL in 2021
Vintage Luftwaffe World War II plane crashes into the Swiss Alps, killing all 20 onboard
On Friday morning, one of the flights that Big Jet TV live-streamed was the Air Algiers flight while it was approaching the Heathrow runway. A pool of people tuned in as Dyer yelled in enthusiasm on whether the airplane would make it to the ground or if it would have to abandon the mission and make a 'go-around'. “I think this guy’s gonna struggle. He’s all over the place. Here we go, here we go. Easy, easy. He’s down!” he was heard saying.
Up next after Air Algiers was Aeroflot Boeing 777 from Moscow for which Dyer switched to a funny political commentary. “Next in from Moscow, let’s give a big warm welcome – or whichever side of the fence you’re on – to the Russians, ladies, and gentlemen!” Dyer declared that the storm was the ultimate test for pilots.
“They’ve been through all these scenarios in the simulators. British Airways train their pilots hard and they do try their best to simulate these conditions. But it’s like anything simulated: you’re all in a nice clean, stable environment and you can have a cup of coffee with you. Inside that cockpit is massively intense. You’ve got the non-flying pilot reading out all the parameters, the altitude, the speed, all that kind of thing. You’ve got the pilot who’s trying to control the aircraft, manipulating the throttle, getting kicked around by the wind. When the winds are very intense you’re literally flying sideways … A big load of props has to go to these pilots and all the other people who are working in the industry as well,” Dyer said.
Jerry Dyer takes his live streaming job very seriously and does YouTube full time. His channel's live-streamed clips are often used by news outlets to contextualize the storm and offer countrywide coverage. Dyer, however, live streams for hours, saying things like, “Oh, they’ve got a big one coming, oh it’s a freighter. Oh mate, I can hear that coming over the bushes. That was crazy, man.” The two-person media business is supported by the director of operations Gilly Prestwood, an early fan of Dyer’s streams, who now provides technical support and keeps the broadcast on the road.