Every ordinary day, Nancy Bliven spends several hours observing 747 planes thunder along the runway at LAX. This activity alone wouldn’t stand out much – until you learn she resides over 2,000 miles away from there.
The 68-year-old retired computer consultant from Wixom, Michigan mentions, “I’ll play a YouTube channel that runs for 24 hours and leave it on.” He adds, “My cats seem to enjoy it just as much as I do.”
The retired computer consultant from Wixom, Michigan says, “I’m going to turn on a 24-hour YouTube channel and let it play.” He explains, “It entertains my cats nearly as much as it does me.
Bliven belongs to an expanding worldwide network of virtual airport enthusiasts, also known as aviation aficionados, who enjoy watching live streams from major airports. Imagine it as the transformation of air travel into a tranquil and captivating experience: high-definition planes taking off and landing, accompanied by comforting narration from amateur commentators who have turned this specific hobby into a thriving industry.
Her preferred channel? It’s Airline Videos, a YouTube powerhouse boasting over 800,000 subscribers. Three times weekly, its creator Kevin Ray livestreams the comings and goings of jumbo jets at LAX, along with other airports, incorporating air traffic control audio, striking visual graphics, and his own lively commentary which gives the content a sports-like feel – if you imagine ESPN focusing solely on wide-body Boeings instead of sports.
Other livestreaming channels have managed to attract significant audiences as well: For instance, Airliners Live, located at Manchester Airport in the U.K., boasts nearly the same number of live viewers as Ray’s feed. Big Jet TV, which became popular by broadcasting during a windstorm at Heathrow, counts over half a million fans among its followers. Lastly, HD Melbourne Aviation records takeoffs and landings from around the globe, posts them later, and has amassed a subscriber base of 600,000.
But none quite matches the polish — or the cult of personality — of Airline Videos.
Bliven points out that other platforms lack Kevin’s presence. His captivating and informative Sunday show offers an enjoyable experience that sets it apart.
From a young age, Ray’s affection for air travel was sparked. His grandparents often brought him to the airport in Lansing, Michigan, to greet arriving flights. “The scent of jet fuel upon entering the airport,” he reminisces, “was enough to captivate me.
Initially employed as a TV news cameraman, Ray embarked on his channel’s creation in 2019, starting off as a side endeavor. Fast-forwarding two years, he decided to leave his regular employment. “I yearned to elevate it,” he expressed. “What can I do to make it more engaging with visual effects, music, and similar enhancements?
The business is thriving. Airline Videos, the venture run from a rooftop at the H Hotel near LAX, has become his primary occupation. He chooses not to disclose the number of subscribers who purchase monthly memberships, varying from $1.99 to $49.99, but confirms that he’s making more than he did in local news. “Our main source of income is the memberships,” he states. Additional sources of income include donations through PayPal and YouTube’s Super Chat feature, which allows viewers to pay for their comments to be highlighted during the broadcast.
His fan group spans from casual onlookers to die-hard Marvel enthusiasts. Bliven, who subscribes at $24 per month, finds herself somewhere in the middle, but she went as far as traveling from Michigan to New York to participate with other Rayettes in a unique livestream event at JFK airport. Other fans tune in for therapeutic reasons. “There are people who have a fear of flying and watch because it helps alleviate their anxiety,” Ray explains. “I feel like I’m not just providing entertainment, but also offering comfort to many individuals worldwide.
The job prospects for creators like Ray are increasingly promising, as a significant shift in viewing habits has been observed. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan recently disclosed that viewers are now preferring to watch YouTube content on TVs instead of mobile or computer devices for the first time. This suggests that as audiences move away from conventional media towards creator-driven content, figures like Ray could potentially grow even more popular than they currently are among the broadcasting world.
Ray cautions that merely filming the sky doesn’t guarantee fame. The realm of space has become increasingly congested, as he explains, “Nowadays, if you go on YouTube, you’ll find livestreams from airports all over the world. It’s almost as if we’ve unleashed a flood.
You can find this article in the May 21 edition of The Hollywood Reporter periodical. To stay updated, consider subscribing.
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2025-05-24 20:25