Backseat Stories is a video series
where I fly with incredible people
over places that matter to them.
Backseat Stories is a video series where I fly with incredible people over places that matter to them. Each episode takes that simple idea into the sky—pairing an honest conversation with a cinematic flight over landscapes filled with personal meaning. From action-sports icons and professional athletes to artists, innovators, and well-known personalities, the stories unfold naturally as we fly above the places that helped shape who they are.
By bringing together real people, nostalgic places, and unfiltered storytelling, Backseat Stories creates a connection that’s hard to find on the ground. Nothing scripted, nothing forced. Just genuine conversation, unforgettable views, and the perspective that comes from seeing a meaningful place from above. Each flight becomes a one-of-a-kind story about who someone is, where they’ve been, and what continues to drive them forward. There are plenty of studio podcasts out there—but conversations in the air, above the places that built us, can only happen here.
WHO I FLY WITH
Real people with real stories — from action-sports legends and pro athletes to artists, innovators, celebrities, and other cultural changemakers.
LIVE
EPISODES
Let Learn and Let Live
By Jody England
Flying with cliff jumper Jody England over Royal Gorge, D.L. Bliss, and Devils Gate, we talk progression, perspective, and the experiences that continue to shape his journey.
The Incredible Hulk
By Adrian Ballinger
Flying with Adrian Ballinger over the Eastside to the Incredible Hulk, we talk about life in the mountains and why this place still pulls him back.
Right Here At Home
By John Jackson
From Crowley Lake to Tahoe, John Jackson reflects on snowboarding and the terrain that shaped him—right here at home.
Magical Moments
By Sippy
From piano and ballet to dubstep stages around the world, Sippy talks music, life, and perspective from the sky.
From Punk To The Paranormal
By Joe Escalante
Joe revisits his punk roots—from The Vandals and Sublime to law, TV writing, and the mystery of Giant Rock and the Integratron.
Inside The Artist's Mind
By Greg "Craola" Simkins
Greg reflects on his graffiti roots, the journey from Torrance streets to pop surrealism, and the family-inspired world of The Outside.
Free To Fly
By Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner reflects on five decades of flying, the highs of Olympic glory, and the freedom found in living authentically.
Carried By Whitewater
By Scott Lindgren
Scott Lindgren reflects on a life shaped by whitewater, tracing his journey through struggle, resilience, and the river that carried him home.
Checking In From Above
By Bucky Lasek
Bucky Lasek takes to the sky to revisit legendary backyard ramps and reflect on a lifetime of skate, style, and flight.
Pushing Past the Line
By Lex Nelson
Lex Nelson shares her journey from firefighter to innovator, flying high while reflecting on grit, leadership, and happiness.
Life in the Line of Fire
By Brandon Jenner
Mike and Singer-songwriter Brandon Jenner take flight over Malibu, sharing stories of family, resilience, and wildfire recovery.
Moments That Shaped the Journey
By Trent Palmer
YouTube sensation Trent Palmer reflects on his youth, selling his Kitfox, and future aircraft plans during a scenic flight.
Where The Dream Started
By Lynn Rippelmeyer
Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer soars over her hometown, Valmeyer, Illinois, reflecting on her trailblazing journey and love for aviation.
Bruised Skater, Happy Angler
By David Gravette
Professional skateboarder David Gravette takes to the skies to showcase what "fly" fishing truly means.
Outshining The Dark on Lake Tahoe
By Roy Tuscany
Athlete and High Fives Foundation Founder Roy Tuscany takes flight to discuss injury, recovery, and the new surf programs launching on Lake Tahoe.
Humor and Heart
By Jason “Wee Man” Acuna
In this Backseat Story, Jason Acuña joins Pilot Mike Daniel over California to discuss skateboarding, his career, and making a difference.
Riding The Waves Of Insight
By Grant Washburn
Pilot Mike Daniel and big wave legend Grant Washburn fly over Northern California, discussing technology for tracking Mavericks' massive waves.
The Half Brain Project
By Jim Zellers
Jim Zellers shares his story of the first and only known snowboard descent of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.
HOW THE STORY TAKES FLIGHT
Every Backseat Story starts with the right person and a meaningful connection to place. Together, we identify a guest with a great story to tell and build a flight route around the places, landmarks, and landscapes that matter to them.
Before takeoff, we walk through the aircraft, complete a full safety briefing, and make sure everyone is comfortable and ready for the experience. Once in the air, the cameras roll and the conversation unfolds naturally. Flying over familiar places has a way of bringing stories and memories to the surface, creating a genuine connection between the person and the destination below.
After the flight, we bring it all together through a cinematic edit—combining the conversation, aerial footage, and supporting visuals into a story built to live across social, web, and media platforms.
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
Backseat Stories sits somewhere between documentary, podcast, adventure film, destination storytelling, and human conversation. By pairing cinematic aerial visuals with authentic, long-form conversation, the series brings a unique perspective to both the destination and the discussion itself—allowing stories, landscapes, and personalities to naturally unfold from above.
It’s a unique form of storytelling that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere. No one else is having these conversations from the sky in this way.
MEET THE PILOT
Mike Daniel is a pilot based in Truckee, California, who loves sharing the experience of flight with others. A backcountry pilot, designer, husband, and dad, Mike sees flying as more than a way to get from A to B—it’s a way to connect people, places, and stories.
With a background in action sports and a lifelong pull toward creativity, Mike brings a perspective to aviation that blends adventure, design, and a genuine love for the outdoors. Backseat Stories brings all of those things together, giving him a reason to fly with interesting people, hear their stories, and share the joy of seeing meaningful places from above.
THE AIRPLANE
Every Backseat Story is flown in N665CC, a 2022 CubCrafters Carbon Cub FX3—a modern backcountry aircraft built for adventure and powered by a Lycoming IO-360 engine.
With a top-of-the-line avionics panel, incredible visibility, and an intimate two-seat cabin, the FX3 gives guests a front-row seat to the landscape below. Its backcountry capability allows us to explore places in a way few aircraft can, while its beautifully designed cabin creates a comfortable and unique setting for conversation.
It’s more than the airplane we film in—it’s an important part of the Backseat Stories experience.
STORIES THAT MOVE DESTINATIONS
Backseat Stories gives destinations a different way to tell their story—through the people who know them best.
By pairing a meaningful local voice with a cinematic flight over the landscapes that define a place, each episode becomes an authentic piece of destination storytelling. We can highlight iconic landmarks, hidden gems, local culture, and the personal connections that make somewhere worth visiting.
The result is highly shareable content that celebrates a destination without feeling like traditional tourism marketing—giving people a reason to connect with a place before they ever arrive.
FOLLOW THE NEXT STORY
New flights. New people. New places.
Get new Backseat Stories and Destinations episodes, behind-the-scenes moments, and occasional updates from the sky.
