CASE STUDY: Airbus and Army Aviation Filming Project

Close up of an Australian Army MRH Taipan Helicopter in the air, photographed from above, showing both pilot's faces, shot from the ramp of another MRH

My Client’s Problem

Airbus wanted to promote the huge wins the MRH and ARH helicopters have achieved in the past three years. It can be difficult to get Defence approval to film for commercial purposes.

Airbus wanted to showcase the helicopters by telling the story of what they do, and the experts who use them.

‘Army is suddenly much more interested in Tiger. The videos have had huge traction’

‘Jen developed key relationships within the Army that made it possible to deliver this project. As a civilian, that’s impressive..’

My Solution

I developed key relationships within the School of Amy Aviation, who embedded me into their regular work schedule. I got to know the teams who use the helicopters and was able to tell their stories meaningfully.

Drawing on my expertise I created a risk management plan to deal with any safety and security risks. We developed an IP sharing arrangement where both Army and Airbus were able to access the footage and photographs.

The Outcome

  • Senior defence staff say the videos have significantly impacted the reputation of both the MRH and ARH within defence
  • I filmed at the Army Aviation Training Centre for 12 months, embedding myself in their day-to-day work
  • Both Army and Airbus have a cache of finished products they can use now, and a library of raw footage and stills they can reuse in future projects

ARH Tiger and MRH Taipan Helicopters Highlights Reel from the project

MRH Taipan Crew and Commanding Officer Interviews

MRH Taipan Helicopter Project Highlights

Side view of MRH90 (MRH Taipan) on the tarmac before take-off. Aircrewman is in silhouette, back-lit by the green lights on the MRH. The doors of the helicopter are open and you can see inside the cabin as it is brightly lit. The red and green lights on the base of the helicopter are casting light onto the military helicopter. The green tip lights of the MRH are visible, showing the rotor blades are turning.
At dusk you see the silhouette of an MRH90 military helicopter from the side. In front of the helicopter you can see an aircrewman with flight suit and helmet standing with their back to the camera. The red and green ground lights of the MRH are visible, casting a green and red glows on everything. The piano keys (white landing strips of the runway) are visible beneath the MRH. The green tip lights of the helicopter are visible and we can see that the rotor blades are turning, as there is a trail of light caused by the movement of the rotor blades through the air
MRH90 military helicopter, lined up on the piano keys (white runway lines) of a runway at Oakey Airport at dusk. Red and green lights on the body of the MRH cast a glow on the ground and the sides of the helicopter. The blades are stationary, and an Aircrewman wearing a helmet is walking toward the helicopter, preparing to remove the ground power unit from the machine before it takes off.
Interior of a military helicopter MRH90 Taipan lit entirely by green light, showing two aircrewmen attached to the airframe by high tensile lanyards. They are seated and have helmets on, with night vision goggles attached to them. One sitting on each side of the aircraft.
Side view of MRH90 (MRH Taipan) at dusk on the runway at Oakey Airport, showing red and green lights on the side of the aircraft's landing gear. Ground Power Unit (GPU) is still attached. Rotors are turning, and green tip lights are visible, showing the movement of the blades through the air. Cockpit light is on. No crew are visible in the shot.