We just cannot show you everything live – it’s not legal, for a start – so certain things have had to be shot again.” We film things how they happen, but obviously people don’t want their faces shown. “First of all, look me up and you will see that I do this for a living,” he says bluntly.
Airplane repo full#
Whereas the earlier episodes starring Popovich were credited for their “ genuine and realistic” portrayal of aircraft repossession, the heightened drama of the first full season had some viewers claiming that portions of show had been exaggerated and even faked completely.Ĭage wastes no time dispelling the conspiracy theories which he claims are nothing more than myths. The rest of the show’s airtime is shared by aviation veteran Kevin Lacey (“one of the best mechanics I have ever seen and a great pilot”), a born and bred Texan, who up until recently, was employed as one of Popovich’s top repo men and Mike Kennedy, an ageing adrenaline junkie, whose consuming curiosity for aviation, is matched only by his fascination for exotics animals (“there’s not a single thing that man can’t fly I swear if you gave him a paper airplane, he would fly it.”) Is Airplane Repo fake or real? “Most of what you see is when he’s in protection mode, but he’s one of the nicest guys.”
Thompson acts as Cage’s bodyguard and often lends his investigative insight when tracking down an errant aircraft.Īlthough the pair were introduced by the producers behind ‘Airplane Repo,’ Cage says they “hit it off right away” and Thompson continues to be employed as a contractor for IRG.ĪLSO READ: What it’s really like to fly on a private jet On screen, Cage is often accompanied by Danny Thompson, a tattooed man mountain who spent 13 years as a bounty hunter and could easily be mistaken for a Hell’s Angel. “We had to look him in the eye and half challenge him until he calmed down.” Two pilots and a bounty hunter “When he realised his job was lost if we repossessed the aircraft, he came off the plane and gave one of our guys a two hand shot to the back as hard as he could and sent him flying,” he says. The co-founder of the IRG Group recalls with mixed memories an incident where he had been hired to recover three private jets belonging to a Floridian salesman that was “about as dirty and shady as you can get.” Things soon turned sour when Cage was confronted by a drug-addled former NFL footballer who was employed as the owner’s chief pilot. While Cage’s demeanour may have been carved by his experiences at JP Morgan and Chrysler Finance, he is no stranger to the dangers that come with the job, whether that’s being detained in Orlando or being led on high-speed boat chases by crazed Cubans. I walked through security for two blocks until I was very close to him and nobody stopped me.”ĪLSO READ: N ike’s sneaker-inspired Gulfstream G550 and nine other stylish private jets “A few years back, George Bush came to my home town. I have short hair, I can pull off a suit and I can carry myself in a different way.” Working from Orlando, but speaking from his Philadelphia home, where he is currently surrounded by four daughters and eight inches of snow, Cage says: “I don’t put myself in those situations. Boat chases and NFL playersĪt the helm of the show, Ken Cage, an ex-banker with a security and investigation background, says his clean cut professionalism has meant he’s been able to achieve success without resorting to some of the more guerrilla tactics used by other repossession specialists. Originally commissioned by the Discovery Channel in 2010, ‘Airplane Repo’ closely followed Nick Popovich, a burly business jet bailiff for hire, whose high-risk job has seen him spend a week in Haitian prison cell and narrowly escape a bullet.Īfter three successful episodes, the show returned for its first full season in July 2013, with a four-man cast – all specialising in different parts of aircraft repossession – replacing Popovich across 10 episodes.
Airplane repo series#
It is not surprising then, that ‘Airplane Repo,’ a documentary-style television series which gave a rare and candid look behind the scenes of the industry has been so hotly debated by veteran business aviation professionals and casual viewers alike. UPDATE: Airplane Repo returns for second season in August 2014
But beyond the champagne and celebrity image portrayed in the media, the private jet industry remains a secretive one. With their million dollar price tags and spacious cabins, private jets are often seen as the very pinnacle of fine living and luxury.
Airplane repo tv#
Ken Cage, private jet repo man and TV star, aims to recover Discovery Channel’s ‘ Airplane Repo’ from being cancelled as ratings and claims of the show being fake create an uncertain future. Left to right: Airplane Repo's Danny Thompson and Ken Cage on board a repossessed private jet.
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