Pilot Bruno and his wife Juliana attempt to capture the perfect aviation photo over New York City for a Times Square billboard.
What the video covers
Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.Preparation and Departure
Bruno explains that he and his wife, Juliana, have bought advertising space on a billboard in Times Square to display their best aviation photograph. The challenge is that they have not yet taken the picture. The plan involves Juliana flying in a doorless helicopter to photograph Bruno flying his aeroplane over New York City. This is not their first attempt at such a photo; two years prior, Juliana photographed him from a skyscraper as he flew past the Statue of Liberty. For this flight, they will depart from Linden Airport in New Jersey and fly along special flight routes past three iconic landmarks. Juliana expresses that she is scared. They are joined by a second photographer, Harrison. After taxiing to the runway, Bruno in his Grumman Tiger, callsign November Tiger 716 Echo Romeo, waits for the helicopter to take off and get into position before he departs.
Formation Flying over Manhattan
Once airborne, Bruno's first task is to get into formation with the helicopter. He notes that this is his first time doing such a flight. The initial part of the journey towards Manhattan is used to find the best position for the photographs. Juliana cannot communicate with Bruno directly; instead, she gives instructions to the helicopter pilot, who then relays them over the radio. The helicopter pilot handles all radio communications for both aircraft. They enter New York City's airspace at the Verrazano Bridge and fly up the Hudson River. The first major photo opportunity is downtown Manhattan. To give Juliana maximum time to experiment with angles, Bruno flies slower than usual to match the helicopter's speed. As they enter La Guardia's airspace, air traffic control establishes radar contact and advises them of numerous other aircraft nearby. After taking many pictures, Juliana captures a shot of the aeroplane over downtown that they consider a contender for the billboard.
Central Park and the Statue of Liberty
The flight continues north towards the second location, Central Park. As they approach, Juliana asks the helicopter pilot to climb so she can capture the aeroplane flying over the crowds in the park. Just as they are lining up for the shot, they encounter another helicopter that has slowed down, forcing Bruno to alter his course and causing them to miss the opportunity. They decide to circle back around Manhattan for a second attempt at the Central Park photo. On the second pass, with better lighting and no conflicting traffic, Juliana successfully captures the photos they wanted. Their final destination is the Statue of Liberty. The original plan for the helicopter to hover was not possible as it was too heavy with three people aboard. Instead, both aircraft have to orbit the statue together. This makes the photography much more difficult. After several attempts to get the altitude and turn radius correct, they manage to get the final shot just before the helicopter needs to return.
