Discovery Channel-'Shark Week'

We took a call from Discovery channel weeks ago needing a Helicopter and pilot with experience of doing aerial video work. We do lots of video work here but this job was a little different ! They needed a 4 seat helicopter with a video mount to complete filming for a show they are making to be aired on discovery channel next August during 'Shark week'.

Arrangements took weeks of planning and the crew completed other aspects of the filming including time in a shark cage off Chatham MA. We had been waiting for the perfect day and Chris at Regis Helicopters
was out of town so I took the flight . We had both been listed as pilots for the shoot as they had strict requirements on pilots including about 10 pages of release papers to sign !!

I arrived in Chatham at 11AM ready to catch the mid day sun and meet with the other pilot involved in the shoot, he was flying a piper cub and was the spotter plane for the day. The retired airline captain explained the frequency we would be talking on and it was agreed he would circle over any of the great whites he spotted. I strapped Nick the Oscar winning videographer into the Helicopter and briefed him on the safety of flight aspects ,He would be wearing a full harness whilst shooting with the wide screen HD camera.

We soon let the cub depart and got into the air. We were straight onto the sharks and found the cub circling over an 18 foot great white about 1/2 mile off-shore. We watched and filmed as the shark chased the small seals up and down the beach , it was like being in a movie ! you just don't get to see this everyday in Boston !

We continued to film until we lost sight of the shark and moved on to where the spotter plane circled over the next piece of action.

 The action soon slowed down as the tide came in allowing the seals to move off into deeper waters. Nick and the rest of the crew got some great footage and rewarded me with a great lunch at the Chatham airport , Our longest serving student JP Vario even joined us, He always has had a nose for free food !

Remember we now provide tours with our business partner out of Norwood and  Marlborough airports and flight training from Norwood airport. We will soon have our Beverly location open but are waiting for the helicopter to arrive before we can move in.

keep reading the Blog for news on our other partner www.bostonexecutivehelicopters.com gaining the 135 certificate they have been waiting for and providing helicopter charters in the newly refurbished Astar and Twinstar helicopters.

Thanks

BHH