Making a 90 foot Helicopter "Appear"
Sikorsky - CH-53K
For Sikorsky's CH-53K Roll-out Event, McMillan Group designed and managed the event including: environment, staging, lighting, special effects and the aircraft reveal video. This view shows the video graphic treatment of the reveal screen simulating a hangar door as part of the unexpected special effects.
McMillan Group designed the hangar event space. Shown here is the stage design with the large video presentation screen and an IMAG (image magnification screen) for the speakers.
The production helicopter had yet to take it's first test flight so the reveal effect achieved a simulation of flight performance with full-scale CGI animation (computer generated imagery).
As the hangar doors appear to open, a full sized version of the aircraft hovers then lands, transitioning from CGI to reality in a video cloud of dust.
With a lighting effect sequence, the actual CH-53K is revealed. Seven Point Audio Surround Sound makes the FX even more believable as the entire building shook with the sound.
This shows the final lighting que on the CH-53K helicopter using saturated Marine Corps red to represent and honor the US Marines as the first customer.
McMillan Group was responsible for the event design and executive production for the Sikorsky CH-53K roll out event ceremony to unveil this new helicopter and to represent break through technologies including unprecedented heavy lift capability and efficiency. This event celebrated the first production helicopter to the Marine Corps customer with the creative aircraft reveal we designed and managed including: concept, video, audio, lighting and special FX.
“We (Sergei, son of founder Igor Sikorsky and Elena Sikorsky) thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony in West Palm …the video, the unveiling of the CH-53K was sensational! One of the better Sikorsky events in our memories! Congratulations.”
Elena Sikorsky
