Exploring the uk
Helicopter Charters
Last year saw a rise in demand for our private travel services, and our calendars for helicopter charters have been as busy as ever. The demand was definitely real over the summer months, we provided the most charters we have ever completed. Events such as Glastonbury and Silverstone’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, broke records with the number of charters arriving and departing.
We are looking forward to this year’s events, as dates are already filling up.
In keeping with private leisure charters. In the early summer months of 2022, we successfully completed a private charter to LEGOLAND Windsor. This opened a door of wonderful opportunities. The LEGOLAND team contacted us after the incredibly successful arrival and departure of the guests, to inquire about future helicopter charters to the attraction.
No matter the requests from our clients, at GB Helicopters we do our utmost best to ensure we can exceed their wishes. So, contact our operations team if you want us to take you on your next holiday, sports or music event. They are the ones who truly make the magic happen.
GB on TV
Aerial Filming
In 2022, we covered an array of aerial filming for both live and pre-recorded entertainment.
Our annual partnerships continued with the likes of the BBC and Dragonfly working on the production of Ambulance series 9 and 10. Working alongside ITV and Raw TV GB Helicopters produced the aerial footage for Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport.
In May, football fanatics saw Manchester City win the UEFA Championships. GB Helicopters were following the victory winners and fans, providing live aerial footage of the parade in Manchester. As part of Her late Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, ABC Studios approached us. We had a journalist onboard the aircraft who was broadcasting live to Good Morning America with aerial views of London.
Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted returned to our screens after two fallow years. We were provided an aircraft for the former military agents to track the celebrity fugitives. Working again with the BBC and Studio Lambert we were excited to be part of the production of The Traitors starring Carol Winkleman. For this production, we flew over areas of the Scottish Highlands to allow the series to use aerial transitional scenes.
Although I’m a Celebrity returned to Australia last year, our relationship with ITV continued for the production of the People’s Postcode Lottery advert. Seen across December during the I’m a Celebrity ad breaks. GB Helicopters provided the project with a picture ship aircraft in addition to conducting the aerial filming.
Aerial Stunts
One of the most exciting ventures GB Helicopters took last year in regard to aerial filming, was becoming the first in the UK to own a ‘Special Operation Platform’. With the special operations platform, helicopter missions will be easier, safer, and more efficient. Allowing cast members to take a seat outside a helicopter, perfect for performing special forces operations. Both our H125 and AS355 aircraft can be fitted with the platforms.
The platforms made their debut featuring within RTE’s Ultimate Hell Week: The Professionals. The former special force agents completed their grand entrance attached to the platforms preparing to ambush celebrity recruits. This production was exciting to be part of, the use of the platforms had never been done by us before. We saw a gap in the aerial filming market for UK productions which can be revolutionary for both us and productions. Saying goodbye to CJI and special effects for helicopter missions our special operations platform provides for all.
On BBC One, Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars featured the use of our aircraft. We saw Gordon Ramsay appearing nonchalant as he perched on the edge of the aircraft before he plunged out of the helicopter into the bitter Cornish waters performing the aerial stunt as his grand entrance. GB Helicopters performed numerous heli-jumps on TV last year, from Celebrity Hunted, Ultimate Hell Week to The Traitors.
GB Helicopters’ services do not end with private charters and aerial filming; our aerial utility works projects had a variety of tasks.
Aerial Works Projects
In addition to helicopter charters, last year we worked closely with the events management team at Glastonbury. Flying one of our twin-engine aircraft rigged with a camera system, we filmed and transmitted footage to the ground team. The team then analysed the live footage of congestion to decide how and where to divert traffic to ease congestion.
Our aerial works projects didn’t stop there! Over in Wales, we were approached to conduct an aerial thermal survey. Using a high-specification 4-in-1-camera system rigged to our aircraft to conduct the thermal survey. We flew over and around the areas and documented sightings to assess the population of wild boars.
Overall, 2022 was a fantastic year for GB Helicopters, we continued to expand in each sector in which we provide our services for. As demand for our services has increased, GB Helicopters sees no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Keep an eye on our social media pages to keep updated on our latest projects.
