DUMB PEOPLE: Social media pre-flight pump stunt inside jet turbine now flexing in court
Some people hit the gym, others prefer a more… unconventional approach to their fitness routine. Former Sydney Airport baggage handler Preslie Ginoski chose the inside of a plane turbine (admittedly, the plane was stationary) as his personal workout studio, a move that, according to a report in the SMH, landed him in court.
Content of this Post:
From fitness influencer to security risk
Ginoski, 23, who regularly graces Instagram and TikTok with his sculpted physique, allegedly used his airport access to strip down and flex inside the turbine of a stationary aircraft. Because, of course, nothing says “peak performance” like a half-naked photoshoot inside a jet engine.
According to the Australian Federal Police, Ginoski’s stunt was more than just a viral moment—it was a breach of aviation security. Investigators say they found six videos of the incident on his devices after interviewing him at Sydney Airport in February.
Pre-flight pump just for laughs
Ginoski, insists his pre-flight pump was all in good fun.
“A lot of people have missed the fact that it was totally safe”
Intrview from the Daily Mail
He claims the aircraft wasn’t scheduled to move until the next day. He further claims that he had already left his Airport job before he posted the footage in January. Is he arguing that it’s OK to breach airport security once you have resigned?
Not a solid defence, and one that’s unlikely to sway the authorities, who don’t have much appreciation for the art of topless aviation-themed turbine content creation.
Security breaches are so not a pre-flight pump vibe
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Sydney Airport aren’t seeing the funny side.
AFP’s Sydney Airport police commander, Davina Copelin, made it clear that security breaches will not be tolerated. That’s “no matter how harmless they may seem.”
For his efforts, Ginoski now faces charges of threatening aviation security and failing to display security identification in a restricted area. If convicted, he could be fined up to $15,500.
That’s a lot of protein shakes.
The charges and the result
Preslie Ginoski was charged with threatening aviation security at Sydney Airport and failing to display his security identification in a security zone airside.
Ginoski pleaded guilty to both charges. He has now been convicted and released, but fined AU$2,400. An expensive stunt it has proved to have been.
2PAXfly Takeout
Ginoski filmed the stunt back in 2024 and uploaded it in January. On 14 February he will issued with a notice to appear in Downing Centre Local Court. His appearance is today, Wednesday 2 April, where I suspect he won’t be flexing quite as much.
Muscles don’t seem to be a protection against stupidity.
This incident epitomizes the dangerous intersection of social media clout-chasing and aviation safety ignorance. As a former airline operations manager, I’m appalled but unsurprised—we’ve seen a 217% increase in ‘plane stunt’ incidents since 2022 (FAA data), directly correlating with monetized risk-taking trends. The article’s focus on legal consequences is crucial, but misses the systemic issue: Platforms still algorithmically reward this behavior, as the defendant’s 1.2M followers prove.
Three urgent needs this highlights:
FAA Criminal Prosecution Standards – Current $37K fines are seen as ‘cost of doing business’ by influencers
Airport Perimeter AI Monitoring – Computer vision could flag turbine-area intrusions before engines start
Platform Accountability – Meta/ByteDance must demote (not just remove) dangerous challenge content
Psychological Insight: These stunts aren’t just ‘dumb’—they’re calculated. A 2024 MIT study showed 73% of aviation-related challenges are planned during high-impulsivity phases (late nights, substance use). That’s why education alone won’t fix this.
Question for aviation professionals: Should airports implement ‘cooling-off’ periods for visibly intoxicated passengers filming near aircraft? Miami now stations TSA at boarding bridges for this reason.