Do you need someone to steal a jet, catch a crocodile, or skydive in to extract venom from a King Cobra? Meet the Airplane Repo man with nerves of steel, Mike Kennedy.
A full-size action figure in his late 50s, Mike stars in Airplane Repo on the Discovery Channel.
Mike and his wife Valerie were at this year’s SUN ‘n FUN, signing autographs for fans.
The Discovery Channel’s Airplane Repo show features experts hired by banks to repossess high-value aircraft.
While most humans avoid danger, people like Kennedy thrive on the adrenaline rush.
“The scariest situation I have been in on the job was being face down on the tarmac with a rifle pressed against the back of my head while Colombian soldiers searched a King Air I had just stolen back from smugglers. I had no idea what might be onboard that airplane and the Colombians were convinced I was the smuggler,” Kennedy said.
With 20 years experience repossessing aircraft, Kennedy continues to add to his skill set.
He’s working on earning his helicopter rating. He is a certified ATP, with ratings that include ATP (Multi-engine land), and Commercial (Airplane single engine land, single engine sea). His type ratings include A/BA-3100, A/CE-560XL, A/EMB-120, A/HS-125, A/LR-60, and A/LR-JET.
He has become adept at wrangling customs paperwork, flight permits, and employing the art of stealth in recovering high-value aircraft from all parts of the world.
“The most valuable airplane I ever recovered was a $40 million Gulfstream,” he said.
His hobbies include performing motorcycling stunts, skydiving, weapons trading, extracting venom from snakes, catching crocodiles, and oh, by the way, he owns a leopard he calls Spot. He is as comfortable in a wingsuit as a businessman is in wingtip shoes.
“Valerie is pretty fearless too,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing — skydiving, flying, racing motorcycles, catching crocodiles, handling big cats, or extracting venom from a cobra — she is right there in the middle of it with me.”
What drives him to live life on the edge?
“I would like to be remembered as someone who didn’t want to miss out on anything,” Kennedy said. “If something interests me, I don’t want to watch someone else or read about it or see it on TV, I want to do it, and not only do it, but learn to do it well.”
Outside of his business and the show, Kennedy promotes a cause.
“Our biggest project right now is fighting poachers in Africa and bringing awareness to the crisis rhinos and elephants are facing every day,” he said.
At the current rate, rhinos will be extinct by 2025 and elephants will be soon to follow, he noted.
“Aviation plays a crucial role in the war, flying patrols, hauling supplies and equipment and transporting rangers and other vital personnel to remote areas,” he said.
My husband & I could & have watched marathon Mike Kennedy & Airplane Repo shows. We really enjoy all the gentleman that do this job.
Waiting for the next new episodes. We love this show. My husband will say, it’s Thurs, Airplane Repo Day!! Please keep this show going.
I need him to come catch a racoon that is living on my porch and has a hurt leg. Please help
I recently came across Airplane Repo and found the show to be addictive. I can’t think of any reality show where staging, scripts, etc. aren’t incorporated at some point. With that being said, these guys are amazing and undoubtedly risk their lives more time than not. Taking back very expensive items from losers who won’t pay their bills is a challenging job and they certainly step up to the plate. I’m female, don’t watch soaps and would much rather watch Airplane Repo over a lot of other nonsense that film is wasted on. I admire all of these guys for what they do. Keep a decent show on the air for once.
How would I get into something like this it looks like a risk 1and I would love to do this [email protected]
While what these guys do is in fact real there are a lot of scenes that are scripted to attract viewers . I am a pilot and I know alot of what is presented to viewers is bull !!! Still, this is a dangerous job and not many people like to confront other people with dept problems. Most of the time the owners already know they are coming and are very willing to work with the repo agent. What you see on tv is the very small percentage that isn’t willing to work with the agent or being paid to create drama for discovery channel !!!
I’m sure they cancelled it because everyone and their grandmother realized it was 100% fake. They’re not going to bring it back. The last episodes were created almost 3 years ago. Get over it.
Not. It is real as are the actors. Get over it.
We love this show….my husband is handy cap and disable no longer able to work. There are few shows he likes to watch, Airplane repo is what he loves to watch. He will DVR the show and we watch it together on my days off. He watches the re-runs during the day. We hope that Discovery does not cancel the show.
This is my favorite show on tv. Even with the rumors some of it is staged these repo guys are fantastic.
I hope they continue the show, it would be a shame to cancel it.
This is a great show! ! One of the few shows that my wife and I enjoy watching together! If the guys are willing, why not give it another year?
I agree with the previous positive comments. Was an exciting, interesting – never boring show. I’am 68 years young and while not a pilot I enjoy the flying parts but the repo of high end cars and boats are just as fun to watch.
I would like for the program to continue ?
My husband and I and who,e family watch airplane repo. Even if a little time has passed we watch reruns over and over. We are all so bummed it isn’t on except reruns. Please try one more season and maybe advertise it. Everyone I know who watches it found it by accident or word of mouth.
Love this show! Please bring it back. We even watched it way back when the guy who lives in northern Indiana Nick P…..? Was doing the show, that was nor even nearly as fun to watch but we all watched anyway.
Why not bring it back?
ive been watching reruns of this show all summer and am so bummed that it isn’t on any more….please bring this show back !!! Both my husband and I love it !!!
Us to please bring it back
I guess it will always be about the numbers and the bottom line, but I’m really going to mIss this show. I hadn’t heard it will not be renewed. I didn’t know about the show until a couple months ago and I haven’t missed one since. It’s so unique, and maybe that’s the problem. Maybe it fits a niche’ audience.
Thanks for all the great episodes. Guess I’ll have to look online, either at sites like Netflix and Hulu, or see if there are DVD’s for purchase. I sure wish another network would pick it up. If anyone hears good news about what I just wrote, please direct me to the site or the network. Thanks!
You, whoever you are, are not going to renew Airplane Repo…and you’re going to renew some of this other …crap… you’ve got listed to renew..really? Shame on you!
Airplane Repo! These guys are the best!
Really they continue to run crap but when we finally get some good shows they cancel them. We need s people’s network.
I think that’s the problem. Programs such as Naked & Afraid, snakes, or Alaskan Bush People(which is totally scripted) evidently appeal to people who stay on the internet all day(no job) giving their praise for this type of entertainment. I, on the other hand would prefer to use my brain on good shows. I absolutely love this show.
I LOVE THIS TV SHOW ITS AWESOME HOW YOU GUYS PISS THE OWNERS OF THE PLANE REPOS OFF FREAKING AWESOME!!!