Jay Leno pops out of nose of Grumman HU-16 Albatross airplane flying over the Pacific Ocean
Published on Dec 25, 2025 at 2:39 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Dec 09, 2025 at 4:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
YouTuber, comedian, and former chat show host Jay Leno has gone to new heights by popping his head out of a Grumman HU-16 Albatross that was flying over the Pacific Ocean.
The automotive enthusiast did this for a mid-air stunt, with the nose of the Albatross opening from the inside for a member of the crew.
Leno performed the stunt for an appearance on a podcast hosted by Spike Feresten, and it was one way to grab attention!
While it might look a bit unsafe, Leno was perfectly safe the whole time he did it.
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Why Jay Leno popped his head out of the Albatross
Leno had popped his out of the aircraft ahead of an appearance on Fersten’s podcast.
The aircraft itself has a crew hatch at the very front, allowing a crew member to pop their head out.
Wearing his signature denim shirt, the comedian gave the pilots a thumbs-up as those on board the aircraft laughed.
Jay Leno also pretended to claw at the front of the Grumman before popping back in.
Of course, the crew was aware of the stunt, and Leno had conducted it safely and with supervision.
Leno actually did it to surprise friends on the aircraft while they were on a pleasure flight.
On the Spike’s Car Radio podcast, Leno says it wasn’t ‘that bad’ despite the rushing wind.
Why does the Grumman HU-16 Albatross have a front hatch?
There is a good reason for the aircraft having the hatch at the front.
The Albatross has been used in the search and rescue role by the US military before.
As a seaplane, it can land and take off on water.
A crewman could throw a tow rope or catch one from out of the hatch and bring the boat towards the aircraft.
Naturally, you would normally pop your head out of the aircraft when it was on the water.
It is a clever solution to avoid getting too close to people in the water and potentially endangering them with the aircraft.
It’s also a fun way to check out the ocean if you are out on a pleasure flight!
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
