Helicopter rappelling has usually been left to the military and armed forces with specialist training and experience. When we were approached by producers of the “Running Wild” TV series back in 2015 to fly Bear Grylls and celebrity guest Michael B Jordan, before they abseiled out of the helicopter. We were excited to be part of the action and aimed to push operator boundaries to achieve our clients wishes.
The helicopter abseil granted by the CAA was the first permission to be given for this kind of stunt within the UK whilst operating under an AOC.
While the cold, windy weather could not have been more perfect for the series producers. The weather added to the tasks already stringently laid down performance requirements. Having proven the ability to hover on just one functioning engine in the event of a failure of either engine, the CAA granted approval.
The abseil could not have gone any smoother. We were delighted to be a part of the chaos as both Bear and Michael rappelled down the wire. As they both dropped into the murky sea they were greeted with roaring waves crashing over them. The pair started their 24 hour adventure in style; Running Wild with Bear Grylls Season 2, Episode 7.
Since then, we are proud to have completed an array of helicopter stunts and aerial filming sequences across the TV sector. This has included a high volume of helicopter abseils, people jumping from the helicopter and people being flown on a longline underneath the aircraft with an additional filming aircraft capturing the action. The most notable stunt was for Harry Styles debut music video “Sign of the Times” which won Brit Award “British Artist Video of the Year 2018”.
If you are thinking of performing a helicopter stunt for your latest production, contact our operations team. They will be happy to discuss your requirements and options to make dynamic aerial sequences. At GB Helicopters we always maintain the highest level of safety on task.
For more information on helicopter abseils and aerial stunt work for TV and Film or contact our operations team on ops@gbhelicopters.com or call 0800 030 4105.
