Airliners Live: 2024 In Review
Sam (MachTwo Photography)
Welcome to December’s Airliners Live Newsletter! This month’s edition is a little different, as it wasn’t written by Andy or Martin. Instead, I’ve been given the helm by Andy, my partner.
For those who haven’t seen me tiptoeing around behind the scenes, my name is Sam. I’ve been Andy’s partner for almost three years, and I’m also the mother of Little Airliners Live, Dakota—whom you might have heard Andy or Martin mention as she embarks on her crazy yet entertaining adventures.
The boys when they crossed one million YouTube subscribers.
As another year comes to an end, it’s natural to reflect on the past 12 months and what they’ve brought to both us and the community. It’s been an eventful year, with plenty of ups and downs in Airliners Live and our personal lives. Both Martin and Andy have accomplished a great feat by purchasing their own properties, where their families continue to grow. They’ve also reached an incredible milestone by smashing one million subscribers on YouTube. Please join me as we look back over the year and celebrate everything that’s happened—both big and small.
January
The first month of 2024 set the tone for the next 12 with the Big One! Many hardcore fans gathered around to watch the subscriber count tick over to seven figures for the first time. Martin and Andy were joined by the infamous Matt “Cam” Smith as they celebrated this long-awaited moment—one they never dreamed they’d see. I even managed to squeeze in time between work and school runs so I could be there for Andy and give him a huge hug. I missed the moment they hit 100,000 subscribers and kicked myself for it, so I was thrilled to witness this incredible milestone. It’s a memory that will remain with the team and our amazing supporters for the rest of our days.
February
The Winter TAS Aviation and Memorabilia Fair is always a personal favorite in the Brownbill household. I can confirm this because I’m usually the one most excited to see what treasures lie in wait at the fair, to catch up with friendly faces, and to spend a day under the wings of Concorde.
Plenty of the moderators behind the scenes at the TAS Fair
Most of the team attended this event, and Henry Tenby and Niels Dam made huge commitments to be there in Manchester. After the fair, we all relaxed together and then filmed the video, Testing if Passengers Can Land an Airliner Without a Pilot, which was great fun. Unfortunately, the team considered Niels and me too experienced to participate, so instead we spent time practicing our landing skills in whacky places. Dakota joined us later and did NOT appreciate the surprise bird strike I sneakily programmed for Niels!
Recording the intro for the "Testing If Passengers Can Land an Airliner Without a Pilot" video, which is available now on YouTube
March
An Airliners Live tradition has emerged in March: something I call “The Annual Workcation.” Over the past couple of years, Lanzarote played host, but in 2024, it was Tenerife’s turn to impress. It was my first time spotting at this airport, and I found it beginner-friendly, which made it even more fun thanks to the folks who joined us. Of course, Andy and I attended, accompanied once again by Matt “Cam” Smith and our resident life of the party, Jon Fezza. I hope you all enjoyed the livestream—we can’t wait to bring you another (not that we’re already planning the 2025 Workcation…).
Squad photo just after the Tenerife South live show
March also saw the inaugural flight of Jet2 at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which was a significant moment for LPL, its spotters, and the people of Merseyside. It was great to see Liverpool Airport’s Media Team celebrating with what felt like a party in the airport!
I even got an edible souvenir!
April
By April, I’d already heard plenty from Dakota after Christmas—it was her next birthday, and if I heard “I’ll be 4 in April!” one more time… But we made the most of a quick family trip to the Canary Islands for Dakota’s birthday. That wasn’t the only milestone this month, though.
Dakota admiring the view from her obligatory window seat.
Barton Aerodrome was getting busier, hosting Chinooks and Wildcats stopping by for quick fuel and Domino’s Pizza. These movements were exciting for the team, but the biggest move came with the new office!
Martin and Andy shifted from one side of Barton to the Heliport side, which doesn’t seem far on the map (because it isn’t), but it was a logistical nightmare given all the media equipment they’ve accumulated. The new office now offers more space for Airliners Live to work at Barton Aerodrome, and we’re excited to continue collaborating with the airfield.
Matt Smith helping set-up in the new office
May
May welcomed the first arrival of the Apache AH-64E into Barton Aerodrome. It had been a long time since an AH-64D visited, so seeing the E variant in person was extraordinary.
Me next to the Apache at Barton Aerodrome, in my RFFS uniform.
The team was kindly invited to film this experience while I was working at Barton, and Andy and I even managed to snap a quick photo in front of the impressive helicopter—despite my extremely messy hair (long hair plus downwash is not recommended in warm weather!). Barton Aerodrome was packed with spotters and curious members of the public hoping to catch a glimpse of this awesome machine. Being so close to it was an honor.
June
Interesting movements continued en masse at Barton Aerodrome throughout June, whether military or civilian. With warmer weather returning to the UK (anything above 20°C in this country qualifies), it was no surprise that the VIP picnics swung into full gear. Usually orchestrated by Tom & Anne (okay, mostly Anne), these picnics were a summer highlight for the team. Sometimes, VIPs even traveled long distances—by car or plane—just to say hello and enjoy good food, drinks, and laughs. If you’re in our Discord server, you can stay updated on what’s being organized and when.
July
July was hectic for the team, with the second (and last) TAS Aviation Memorabilia Fair, multiple 747 visits, and the arrival of Oriens’ PC-12 NGX at Barton Aerodrome. Just to add to Andy’s chaos, I changed my career path from Barton Aerodrome to conveyancing. The Summer TAS Fair is usually extremely busy, and this year was no exception. It was wonderful to see both new and familiar faces come together for a great time.
Airliners Live Team Group photo at The Aviation Society's Memorabilia Fair, Summer 2024.
Around the same period, Atlas 747s and one ATC 747 paid a nostalgic visit to Manchester. Who knows when—or if—we’ll see one there again? Meanwhile, back at Barton Aerodrome, the first-ever arrival of a PC-12 NGX took place. It was there for tours over the weekend, showcasing the aircraft to potential customers. Airliners Live was kindly invited for a tour and to interview both the pilots and Oriens team. It truly was a beautiful aircraft.
Our full tour of the Pilatus PC-12NGX at Barton Aerodrome is now on YouTube
August
Andy officially turned “old” (in his words) in August as he entered his third decade. Although it was a tough month for Andy’s household, we made sure his 30th birthday was a memorable one, despite some personal losses. He was treated to a BBQ party and a surprise flight on an Ikarus C-42, operated by Mainair from Barton Aerodrome. I tricked him into thinking we were going to the Trafford Centre but instead “accidentally” drove to the airport. He returned grinning from ear to ear.
The two of us, stood next to the Mainair Ikarus C-42, prior to Andy's flight.
August also brought two more 747s to Manchester, followed by a few days of classic British summertime weather—storms.
Crowds gather to see the Atlas 747 up-close at the Runway Visitor Park, Manchester Airport.
September
Military movements at Barton Aerodrome aren’t unusual, but the UAE C-17 Globemaster at Barton… well, that’s a joke—it was actually at Manchester Airport, and it was super cool to see. By this point, Matt “Cam” Smith was already accustomed to covering special aircraft and liveries on his shows, and the C-17 was no exception. Hats off to Matt for his hard work; he’s a prime example of the dedication behind the channel, from the presenters to the mods.
We also went away to Corfu for a few nights, a much-needed break after the challenges of August. During this trip, Andy discovered his signature scream on the waterslides—evidently, Dakota showed him no mercy when it came to the big slides.
The trip to Corfu was also possibly the last time we'd fly on a Jet2 757, in this case it was G-LSAE, a great flight, and very reminiscent of our first flight as a family onboard a fellow 757, G-LSAI back in 2022.
October
This month brought more storms (no surprise in the UK). Storm Ashley was one I was able to join the team for, and it was amazing to watch pilots handle wind shear and crosswinds with such skill.
Taken from the live show, a Virgin Airbus A350 landing in heavy gusts.
The winds battered the RVP commentary tower, and poor Andy, who was up on the roof, ended up with ice-cold hands. I can’t praise the pilots enough for their abilities in adverse weather, but Andy deserves credit too. Despite the 50 mph gusts and freezing temperatures, he kept the camera stable to provide the best footage at Manchester Airport. Andy, if you’re proofreading this, well done!
November
By November, the nights were truly longer, but the later sunrise and lower sun provided perfect opportunities for stunning shots (looking at you, Jon!). As the temperature dropped lower than the sun itself, the shows continued. Andy insists on mentioning that November is also my birthday month, and I was thrilled to receive an Alpine shirt—thanks for that, everyone! Airliners Live hosted a Black Friday Sale, which was very successful, and we look forward to hosting another in the future.
December
Ignoring Christmas for just a moment, December was busy as ever. We witnessed the arrival of Silver Aviation’s very first Pilatus PC-24 (the aircraft I’m sitting on as I type this). Silver Aviation kindly invited us to tour the brand-new aircraft straight out of the factory—“new plane smell” very much intact! They also gave us the unique opportunity to film the plane in flight to give a passenger’s perspective. As I sit here at 41,000 ft, I can’t help but marvel at how I ended up on this plane, and I’m excited to see what 2025 will bring.
Onboard Silver Aviation's Pilatus PC-24 T7-VITA - Video coming soon!
That just about covers everything Airliners Live experienced in 2024. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our VIPs and fans for their continued support and to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!
Also check out the YouTube 2024 Highlights Video too 👇
