A little story about the DutchPilotGirl YouTube Channel!

Did you guys know how I started my YouTube Channel? 

Back in 2014, I realized many people were creating make-up tutorials on YouTube. I was looking for my first commercial pilot job (while working at a lawyers office to pay my bills). I was struggling, and thinking to myself: how is it possible that I am working my ass of, while there are people with plenty of time to create make-up videos online? What did I miss? 

I decided to instantly start a YouTube channel as well and called it ‘Mascaralicous’. I had to come up with a name that wasn’t already taken and had to do something with make-up and healthy food, in case you were wondering were the name came from! ;) 

It was a few years later that I realized I could also just upload a couple of videos I made in flight training. The boundary to make a video about something I wasn’t passionate about, was simply too high. At some point I started getting a few subscribers and had to change my name! 

Back then I spoke with Petter, Mentour pilot, about our channels. He had 10.000 subscribers and I had 5000, maybe even some of you were part of those first subscribers! He wanted to publish a video shot in a simulator and…with a female pilot. 

As I was the only female pilot with a YouTube channel back then, contact was made quickly. However, next to working a 9 till 5 job and sometimes volunteering to work in the weekends as well, I simply had no time to go to a simulator and record a video. So thats why that video didn't became a reality... yet.

Back then, I filmed my videos with a Logitech webcam and always had troubles with lighting, audio and video quality. I wanted to upgrade but didn’t have the money to do so. 

So I just kept uploading videos which I recorded while I was in flight training. At some point I noticed I really had to save up money if I ever wanted to grow and improve the quality of my videos. It was at the time I changed my online name to ‘DutchPilotGirl’.  

After a lot of doubts, I finally decided to add a donate button to my website. It felt, weird, to ask for support and it honestly still does… After a few days I woke up seeing a donation made from a person I didn’t know. Initially I felt overwhelmed, surprised and scared at the same time. Is this someone who wants something back from me? 

Why would someone donate 100 euros to a woman he doesn’t know? I exchanged a couple of emails and he told me he simply believed in the ‘DutchPilotGirl’ idea and loved the website. 

He was also the person who enabled me to upgrade my equipment. Because of him, the DutchPilotGirl brand is where it is today. The same counts for you guys, because of your generous support, I am able to improve and upgrade in ways I could otherwise never do.  

As equipment becomes outdated relatively quickly, I used the income generated by the Youtube Channel to slowly upgrade my equipment. A few months of savings and I was able to buy a better microphone. 

Then, I sold the initially donated equipment and bought new equipment. It is the reason why the quality of my content has been increasing over the years, step by step. 

Currently I am in a similar situation, without a donate button, but with a bunch of people supporting this channel, you! As some of you know already, I have spent the last few years working on a new pilot training platform. 

That platform costs a lot to build and the money you support me with, will always be invested in the best possible ways. Whether it is by outsourcing, buying new equipment or other tools, without you, all of this would have taken way longer or it might have been impossible all together! 

Thank you for your support and your willingness to connect with me and each other. 

I wish you a great weekend and hope to talk to you soon again :)

Big kisses and hugs from me,

Michelle