Sky not the limit for veteran Tokoroa YouTuber

Friday, 1 April 2022

69 year old Bruce Simpson runs two YouTube channels. He has more than 400,000 subscribers and over 140,000,000 views of his videos in total.

His YouTube videos have been viewed almost 140 million times and he's amassed more than 440,000 subscribers, but Bruce Simpson is not your typical YouTube sensation.

Top YouTubers are usually associated with gamers, foodies, musicians, or comedians - but Simpson's realistic videos of remote controlled aircraft taken from the now world-famous Tokoroa airfield are a massive hit with viewers around the world.

Simpson runs two popular YouTube channels, xjet and RCModelReviews, and his latest video clip 'Russian Helicopter - unexpected ending?', has been viewed more than one million times since it was posted less than a fortnight ago.

The footage of a remote controlled scale model of a Russian military helicopter taking off, manoeuvring and landing has fooled many people into thinking it was the real thing.

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He said its popularity was most likely the result of the current war in Eastern Europe.

Bruce Simpson is a successful YouTuber so he doesn’t need national superannuation.

'I have honed my techniques over the years using different camera angles, lighting, editing and other techniques to make things look as realistic as I can,' he said.

'You have to be clever to stand out amongst the others, so I use creative titles when I need to.'

Now in his 70th year, the Tokoroa-based retiree has racked up some rather impressive numbers and his hobby is also a useful source of income, earning him enough to allow him not to take a government pension.

But, just how much money does the former electrical and computer engineer make out of his hobby?

'Enough to pay the bills,' he said.

“I don't draw a pension, I haven't taken any money off the government in my life…it's a matter of principle.'

He's given up around $85,000 worth of national superannuation payments in the almost five years since he's retired.

'I am still able to support myself whereas many others can't.

'It seems to me therefore, that much better use could be made of the money that would otherwise be paid to me.

'We still have a problem with child poverty in this country and there are a lot of people worse off than me who rely on the state for support, so why should I be taking money I do not need?

'Let that money be used by the healthcare system or the welfare system for the betterment of those who need such services.'

Bruce Simpson at the Tokoroa airfield where he films the majority of YouTube content.

To put his YouTube numbers into perspective, the popular ‘How to DAD’ YouTube site has 1.2 million subscribers and 142 million views, and the official All Blacks YouTube account has 461,000 subscribers and 218 million views.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease three years ago, Simpson says he doesn't fly much any more, but his passion for the hobby has not waned and he never lacks for opportunities to get the camera out.

Every month, remote controlled jet enthusiasts from around New Zealand come to Tokoroa to fly and every weekend a keen group of locals come to fly their model aircraft.

'Some of the aircraft models cost well into the five figures, but I can't afford to throw that much money up into the air and hope it comes back down.

'For me, it's all about promoting the hobby as a fun thing to do, I just really enjoy it.'

Simpson said he's always been an early adopter of technology and is now building a small radar device that can be attached to model aircraft and drones to detect incoming aircraft and avoid accidents.

He started posting videos to YouTube in 2006, just a year after the platform was launched in 2005.

'I think I've got a much younger outlook on things than many people my age…I have made a lot of mistakes, but that's the best way to learn.'

In summer, he estimates he spends about four to five hours a day working on his content and one could be forgiven for thinking he was living the single life.

“No, my partner and I have been together for 43 years. She has her own passions, and she pursues those, so we get on really well.”

Bruce Simpson - YouTube channel stats:

xjet: Joined in July 2006. 97,201,790 views. 181,000+ subscribers.

RCModelReviews: Joined in March 2009. 41,508,908 views, 260,000+ subscribers

Totals: 138,710,698 views and 441,000+ subscribers