Yorkshire-based indie producer Air TV has launched its first dedicated YouTube channel as it expands beyond its linear broadcast slate.
The new channel, First Landings, is now live on YouTube and focuses on trainee pilots completing their first solo landings. The series has been filmed at Leeds East Airport, where the company is based.
Produced in partnership with The Yorkshire Aviation Academy, the series has been in production for the past five months. Flights are captured using a bespoke mini camera rig fixed inside each aircraft, documenting the build-up, landing and immediate aftermath of each student’s first unaccompanied flight.
Managing director Matt Richards said the company has been looking to develop a simple, repeatable format that foregrounded strong human emotion. “No pilot ever forgets their first solo flight, and now we’re able to share the anticipation, the concentration, the adrenaline and the immense pride every student feels when they tackle their first landing,” he said.
Student pilot Aine Shaw, one of the first contributors featured, described her first solo landing as “an unforgettable experience” and said taking part in the series allowed her to share the milestone with a wider audience.
Air TV plans to release weekly long-form episodes alongside Shorts and additional content across social platforms. A live stream from the airport is also due to be added to the channel next month.
The move marks Air TV’s first foray into digital-first commissioning. The company is best known for high-volume factual series including Bangers & Cash for UKTV’s U&Yesterday, Yorkshire Air 999 for WBD’s Quest and Warplane Workshop for More4. It also produces property and landscape titles such as Derelict Rescue, Dales for Sale and Cumbria: The Lakes and The Coast for Channel 5.
