Jason Austell has been flying the skies of San Diego County for nearly 15 years. He’s currently traffic reporter for NBC 7/39 television in San Diego.

After graduating from San Pasqual High School in Escondido, Jason went to Montana for his start in broadcasting as a DJ at contemporary radio station. Two years later, he returned to his hometown of San Diego and was hired by a traffic service to fly in small airplanes and spot traffic problems for studio reporters on the ground. It was not long before Jason was broadcasting his own live reports on various San Diego radio stations.

While reporting traffic on local freeways, Jason also performed stand-up comedy routines at local clubs. That led him to a 5-year stint as a Traffic School Instructor for the Improv Comedy Club’s San Diego Traffic School. “One of the best jobs I ever had,” he explains. “I learned more about people and driving in those years than I ever could have in a helicopter.”

After six years of radio reports from airplanes, the opportunity arose to introduce gyro stabilized aerial photography to the San Diego television market. “These days we take for granted those smooth floating shots from the helo,” Jason says. “Back in the late 90s it was a whole new reason for viewers to tune in.”

Jason is the most experienced gyro stabilized aerial photographer in San Diego.

In 1998, Jason received worldwide notoriety reporting and photographing a high-speed police chase that ended violently in an Oceanside intersection. The crash and the story can still be seen on police reality shows around the world.

Today, Jason spends most of the rest of his free time as a residential real estate professional. “I represent San Diegans in one of the biggest investments they’ll ever make. There’s a tremendous satisfaction in knowing you’ve helped someone earn their part of the American Dream.”

Jason lives in Tierrasanta and attends The Rock Church at San Diego State. He enjoys time at the gym, surfing, inline skating, and playing ice hockey at local rinks. He is a sports nut and a huge fan of the NHL and the NFL.