Safety Equipment

Safety is everything when working with aircraft. We’ve created an Aviation Communications and Safety Kit which is essential. The kit includes a Dittel Radio which is about the very best in portable ground to air communications (they use them on oil rigs to talk the helicopters in). When we plug in a high quality aviation headset we have clear ground to air communication over a long range with a long battery life.

In addition we have two more radios which we team up with light weight discreet headsets for use by the production. With one ear for set radio and one for ground to air it allows the Director / 1st / camera to be in the loop with what the aircraft is doing. Worn discreetly it also allows talent or stunt team to listen in where appropriate. Forget about a set radio working in an aircraft, we know people think it will, but honestly it’s useless.

Perhaps most importantly, as far as your risk assessment goes, we have a “Fast Find ELT” Emergency Locator Transmitter. Pull the red lever and it transmits its exact location (accurate 5m worldwide) to the emergency services. It allows an air ambulance / police helicopter / air sea rescue to home in. An expensive and absolutely invaluable bit of kit to never use. Finally we have a portable aviation GPS which allows us on recces to see if your choice of location sits within any controlled air space that we’ll have to get special permission against. Later it will give us an exact location to relay to a hero aircraft to find us if operating/shooting at an off airfield location.