TV helicopter pilots
Sorry for the lateness in posting this thread but did anyone see “Top Trumps”at 19:30 hours on Channel 5 on Friday 28th August 2009?
Basically the concept of the programme was as follows. 2 presenters were tasked to choose two totally different helicopter types; the Augusta 109 Mark 2 and the AH64 Apache gunship, to establish which aircraft had the edge over the other, regarding they are two, very different aircraft.
One designed and built for war and the other designed initially as a mountain emergency rescue aircraft.
To be absolutely honest - the concept of the programme itself was pants, I'm not sure how one can compare the above as they are very different in design and have very different roles to perform.
However, here’s the good bit - I was really pleased to see for the first time in a long time, finally one of the leading and most famous british pioneering aerial helicopter pilot in the modern world (apart from Michael Malric-Smith) in front of the camera once again, and that was Captain Keith Thompson!
It was Keith Thompson and Michael Malric-Smith from thetelevision series Treasure Hunt that was my inspiration that first interested me into the rotary/helicopters world at such a very young age. It was then I was urged to gain work experience with the now defunct Aeromega Helicopters when it was originally formed and directed by Mark Barry Jackson and Kit Pemberton. Those were the days but I now understand MBJ is now chief pilot with Arena - so what a small film world it is!
Anyway, I am now in my thirties and living the rotary dream. The last time I saw Keith Thompson in front of the camera was on the tv programme called “You Bet!” back in the 80's and 90's where KT hovered a B206 Jet Ranger ,2-3 feet of the ground with a robotic hand on the right skid and picked up and poured a bottle of wine into a glass.... and guess what, he did the bet well within 2 minutes! I tried to find the footage on “You Tube” but failed. However, I did manage to find this footage showing Michael Malric-Smith also from Castle Air landing a Jetranger on a postage stamp!
As for me and ever since then I haven’t looked back and have constantly viewed on the tv the ever increasing portfolio of credits to Keith Thompson name to which he has worked on projects such as: Treasure Hunt, The Intercepter, The Flying Gardener, Coast and the very large majority of the aerial television/movie footage shown on tv/cinema today, including the opening segment for the BBC1 credit showing an A109 landing on top of a light house.
It’s been some time since I last saw KT on television and he really hasn’t changed at all, apart from a few silver hairs here and there and even wears specs around his neck. Apart from that he still looks like the same old Keith Thompson.
If there are are fellow Ppruners that have worked with either KT or MMS over theyears or know them personally whether whilst serving in the Royal Navy or in civilian aviation world - I'd be interested to hear a few facts or two?
Last edited by SECRET SERVICE; 3rd Sep 2009 at 21:44.