It’s been a year since AOPA launched AOPA Live as a way to share the AOPA Aviation Summit with members who could not make the show. At this year’s show, the association is honoring the videos that got the most number of views this year with its new Pilot Choice Awards.
Award categories include: Most Watched Video; Most Watched Educational Video; Most Watched Feature Video; Most Watched Safety Video; Most Watched Male Aviator Video; Most Watched Female Aviator Video; Most Watched Product Video; and Most Watched Video by Time.
“Safety clearly – and not surprisingly – was the overwhelming topic of choice, with safety-related videos leading the way in several categories,” said AOPA President Craig Fuller.
Most Watched Video: The single most-watched video over the past year was “Spin Myths,” AOPA Pilot editor Dave Hirschman’s interview with Bill Finagin. It was viewed more than 43,000 times. In the video, Finagin, an aerobatic pilot, airshow performer, and instructor, discusses some of the common concerns about spinning an aircraft and demonstrates recovery techniques.
Most Watched Educational Video: The most-watched educational video helped pilots with one of the trickier aspects of flying – the crosswind landing. It was produced by Flight Training magazine deputy editor Ian Twombly and was viewed more than 25,000 times. In it, Twombly demonstrates the two approach methods – the crab and the slip – and discusses the merits of each.
Most Watched Safety Video: Bruce Landsberg, president of the AOPA Foundation, which houses the Air Safety Institute, was responsible for the most watched safety video, detailing new taxi procedures. That video was viewed nearly 15,000 times. Landsberg outlines changes to the way Air Traffic Controllers issue taxi instructions to pilots.
Most Watched Video by Time: The video that viewers spent the most time watching was posted relatively recently, but its popularity is no surprise given its topic. The video recounts the detention of John and Martha King of the King Schools after the aircraft they were flying was incorrectly identified as being stolen, based on a security agency’s outdated intelligence. Viewers spent more than 4,000 hours watching.
Most Watched Male Aviator Video: Air show legend and aerobatic pilot Sean D. Tucker was the subject of the most-watched video about a male aviator. Tucker joined AOPA President Fuller on the stage of AOPA Live during this past summer’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to talk about his dramatic performances and the experience of being a pilot who flies at the limits of personal and aircraft performance.
Most Watched Female Aviator Video: The most-watched female of the past year was Jessica Cox, the young woman born without arms who has earned her sport pilot certificate, flying an Ercoupe using just her feet.
Most Watched Feature Video: Finally, the most watched feature video was AOPA Pilot editor Mike Collins’s story about landing on one of the most unique runways in the lower 48 – the ice runway at Alton Bay, New Hampshire.
Check out the videos yourself at AOPALive.org
Thank you for sharing this, what an amazing video!