The United Kingdom is being pounded Friday by the worst storm in 30 years—and the world is fascinated to see how pilots landing at London’s Heathrow Airport are handling Storm Eunice.
YouTube channel Big Jet TV, which broadcasts the landings alongside an excited color commentary twice weekly, has seen an explosion in viewers, with peaks of 230,000 simultaneous viewers on Friday.
It has, admittedly, been fascinating viewing. Pilots have struggled with the winds, with many wobbly landings at the world’s busiest airport, all cheered on by host Jerry Dyer’s unabashed love of all things aviation.
The channel already had a core group of fans, but the added drama of the storm, which sometimes forces pilots to return to the sky when they’re just a few feet from the tarmac, has resulted in a surge of new members. (To comment on the live feed, you’ve got to have a paid membership to the channel.)
It’s uncomfortable viewing, as well, as no one wants to witness a disaster. And Dyer never has, though earlier this year the channel caught a touch-and-go landing when the plane’s tail struck the runway.
Storm Eunice received a rare red weather warning (the highest possible level) in the U.K. Friday, with the storm blowing off rooftops and being classified as a “danger to life.” Wind speeds have reached 122 mph at the Needles, a part of the Isle of Wight, which was the highest gust ever recorded in England. In London, gusts at Heathrow have hit at least 70 mph. And the roof of London’s O2 arena was ripped open by the winds.
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