films, I have either managed health and safety on an individual film or overseen the health and safety across EMEA.”


McSparron likes the fast-paced, team-oriented environment in film work. But show business egos can be a challenge in his safety work, he adds.


McSparron doesn’t get starry-eyed at the stars either. “Not at all. The running joke at Disney is that I do not watch the products I make. I have met many cast members; mostly, they’re just normal people.”


One memorable production for McSparron was working with actor Sam Rockwell. “I’ve had some very special moments with the cast, as we have often gotten quite close during filming, but I want to respect their privacy,” McSparron says. “I did enjoy working with Sam. He was everything you expected him to be.”


Another person on the team is Edras Barrera, senior pilot and head of operations at Helicopteros de Guatemala. He has worked with Black Wolf Helicopters since 2017. Sharpe says they use Helicopteros de Guatemala (HDGC) exclusively because of its safety credentials. Barrera has enjoyed working on three National


78 Nov/Dec 2023


Geographic film segments with Sharpe. “While a lot is ‘routine’ flying, the interesting part as a pilot is that we get the opportunity (based on experience, SOPs, and aircraft limitations) to fly outside the parameters of what may be considered normal flying,” Barrera relates. “So as a PIC, it allows us to thoroughly enjoy the production while knowing that all the due diligence and safety procedures have been formalized prior to engine start.”


Like all the others, Barrera is not mesmerized by movie stars. “Not at all. The TV people I have met are professionals and respect the job the helicopter crew provides. Without the helicopter and aircrew...the presenter cannot do their job, so they respect that. The only problems I encounter are from production crews and egotistical types...fortunately, we tend to work with the same production crews, so we all have mutual respect now. As aircrew, we ultimately endeavor to provide what the producer and camera operator need.”


Helicopters are critical for filming in the jungle, Sharpe says. While drones are gaining momentum to lower costs, “They can’t do the same thing; they can’t move the people. When used correctly, the jungle environment is flexible with the use of the helicopter. Especially like the Mayan stuff in the jungle, the drone doesn’t


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84