Up-and-coming YouTuber Eric ‘Airrack’ Decker has fooled the internet and one of Los Angeles’ biggest news channels by faking that he flew a jetpack at LAX airport.
Airrack has been making waves on YouTube throughout 2020, capitalizing on viral content and finding his way into the lives of the likes of Logan Paul and David Dobrik through sheer power of will and confidence.
In September the creator attempted to sneak his $100,000, 27ft yacht into the backyard pool of Logan Paul without him noticing. This time around, he’s achieved one of his greatest pranks yet, without actually doing a stunt in the flesh.
The creator and his team set about to trick the internet and news channels into thinking he was behind the mysterious sightings of a man flying a jetpack around LAX.
The plan was to start by making a 3D model of Airrack’s head, then a 3D model of an Iron Man suit. Next, they filmed fake footage at LAX airport, and paid their friend Mark to create “the most real fake video of all time.”
They then posted the video to r/wtf on Reddit to get the ball rolling, earning 2,700 upvotes within the first hour, and eventually hitting the top spot on the subreddit with more than 20,000 upvotes.
The next day, Airrack and his team were contacted by news stations including KTLA 5 news who offered to interview the creator. Airrack’s friend Mack pretended to be a man called Matt Cantrell, who’s interview about the fake-sighting was broadcast on KTLA 5 News at 10 pm that day, alongside the fake clip that the team had made.
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Fans were completely in awe of the stunt, with one viewer comparing it to legendary pranks of the past, “This is like Yes Theory when they pranked the internet with the Justin Bieber eating a burrito sideways.”
Another person commented, “How does Airrack not have 1 mill? These videos are bangers. He literally had the news eating out of their hands.”
