Ocean Sky provide CIA jet for `Quantum of Solace`

19-Aug-2008 • Quantum Of Solace

Ocean Sky had to resolve difficult issues including insurance before clinching what it regards as one of the ultimate product placement coups - the use of its jets in the latest James Bond movie Quantum of Solace - reports
Eban Magazine.

Niki Rokni, director of sales and marketing, had convinced the film maker EON Productions at a series of meetings that Ocean Sky would be the ideal partner - but then, she says, the hard work began. "One of the major issues for us was insurance," explained Rokni. "The value of the aircraft we provided was in excess of $190 million, more than the budget for the film. EON said they'd never dealt with a company whose products were worth more than their entire budget. It took a lot of working out, but we got there with just a few days before filming was due."

Rob Elliott, director of flight operations, handled the practical arrangements and also put the Ocean Sky-owned Challenger through its paces for the film. It features as the jet belonging to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Elliott may even be seen on screen wearing his genuine company captain's uniform. "My children are certainly excited," he says, "but we'll have to see."

What surprised Elliott was the attention to detail and the huge amount of time it would take to prepare a single shot. "Typically, we might be waiting around for three hours for seven seconds of filming," he recalls. "They were very careful with the aircraft although where necessary I had to explain a few things. For instance, they wanted to use some liquid to stop reflection from the fuselage and I just said 'no chance'. They were fine about it."

The logistics of making sure the aircraft were available, and in the right locations, took weeks of painstaking preparation, he says. "We also really did invest time and care in making sure it was all safe, especially one landing in Panama at a place not used to our type of jets.

"We sent one of our senior captains, Andreas Kollberg, out there in advance and he came back with nearly 300 photographs and video of the runway. He also assessed safety hazards, which in this case included flocks of huge vultures with six feet wingspans."

Ocean Sky made arrangements for canon to be fired to scare away the birds from their roosts near the runway to give Kollberg a landing window. "There was never a question of taking risks, so we didn't." They even arranged for extra emergency service cover.

Despite the costs, Rokni has no doubts about the benefits to Ocean Sky of being placed visibly in Quantum of Solace. "We are in an age when it is estimated that more than half the world's population has seen a James Bond film," she points out. "It's the perfect association for us. We pride ourselves on offering elegance and cutting edge excellence, and this is all evident in the film. We could not be happier."