YouTube presents AOPA with Silver Creator Award

AOPA has a long history of using videos to deliver the message of the joy of flying to members and aviation enthusiasts, beginning in 1999 when then-Air Safety Foundation Vice President of Operations John Steuernagle mounted what was called a “lipstick camera” into aerobatic performer Nancy Lynn’s Extra 300L while she was flying a routine. It continued with AOPA livestreaming its aviation events, and went on to AOPA’s weekly show, AOPA Live This Week, hosted by a succession of in-house moderators and featuring content captured by the photographers, two videographers, or Executive Producer Warren Morningstar. In a 30-minute package, the show combined coverage of magazine stories, advocacy reports, and interviews. The format was sunset in 2022, when developing technology and changing platforms demanded a different concept. Fly with AOPA, a regular show picking up from AOPA Live This Week, ran for 83 episodes and ended in June.

In 2010 AOPA established its YouTube channel, and rebranded it in 2023 as AOPA: Your Freedom to Fly. Staff producers post on average three videos per week, providing additional perspective on magazine and online features, as well as original topics and stand-alone storytelling by a team that has grown to three video producers working with AOPA Video Manager Josh Cochran.

According to YouTube analytics, more than 60,000 of AOPA's 102,000 subscribers have signed up in the last five years. AOPA has logged 37.5 million views, 1.9 million watched hours, and inspired 35,500 comments. Video producers sometimes accompany magazine editors and photographers in the field, but the stories they tell might have a different approach, or focus on different aspects than the written article. The team also covers all major fly-ins and produces pilot portraits, aircraft reports, and stand-alone videos on any given topic in aviation, such as flying with a person who’s never been in a general aviation aircraft, or discovering local airports and scenic routes to get there.

We asked the video team to reflect on their most memorable moments.

Cochran said, “For me, the most fun/memorable assignment was the formation flight during the Arsenal of Democracy flyover in 2020. Director of Photography Chris Rose and I shot an epic formation of warbirds out of the back of B–25J Mitchell Bomber Panchito. In the formation were other B–25s, North American P–51 Mustangs, Douglas C–47 Skytrains, Vought F4U Corsairs, and to cap it off at the end we had the only two flying Boeing B–29 Superfortresses in formation with the Mustangs. Unfortunately, the event was canceled due to weather, but we used the assets we’d gathered for a special show.”

Content Producer Michelle Walker said she had the most fun working on a YouTube Short with Carol Pilon, the owner and head wing walker of Third Strike Wingwalking, explaining her airshow wing walking routine. Posted in December 2023, the video garnered 1.3 million views.

“The Iditarod!” Content Producer Jamal Warner didn’t have to think long about his favorite shoot. He said that he’d never previously been to Alaska, let alone deep in the interior, working under extreme conditions in the cold. “I cannot work the camera with gloves on, so I would use chemical handwarmers in my pockets to keep my hands flexible, then film as long as I could, and warm up again.” He was also impressed by how ordinary the use of aircraft was. “They fly them like we drive pick-ups,” he said. The video had 29,000 views after it was posted in June.

“Choosing a favorite video is tough,” said Content Producer Brianna Cabassa, “but if I had to pick, it would be the Theresa Claiborne video I shot last year. Meeting and shooting with Captain Claiborne was incredibly inspiring and I’d consider it to be one of my most rewarding experiences during my time at AOPA thus far.” Clairborne is the first African American female pilot for the U.S. Air Force and flew for United Airlines. “United gave me access to shoot behind the scenes at Washington Dulles International Airport, which was super cool,” Cabassa said. Posted in February 2024, the video was viewed 20,000 times. A shortened version (reel) posted on Instagram was viewed 2.3 million times.

The letter accompanying the award and signed by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said, “So keep creating. Keep building. We can’t wait to see what you’ll do next and we’re here to support you along the way. And who knows? When you reach your millionth subscriber, we may just write to you and ask, ‘Do you remember your 100,000th subscriber?’”

Seems AOPA’s video team might get there faster than anyone thinks.