Training exercise 150 miles from Aberdeen in the North Sea. The dummy had been previously dropped into the water before the SAR helicopter came around to "rescue". This Bond rescue helicopter ( G-REDP ) is part of BP's "Jigsaw" search and rescue provision for the north sea. It comes highly equipped including · Infra Red high performance airborne observation system - 360 degree, Infra-Red and TV cameras with zoom capabilities · A high-powered searchlight, with spread illumination and focused beam. · Fixed primary variable speed electric hoist with 75-metre/600 lb. cable. · Fixed back up hydraulic hoist · An additional portable liferaft to assist in rescues · DF equipment for WWPLBs · Loudhailer - for external communication with survivors and vessels

A photoshoot these days with a digitial camera is really an exercise in both deploying photographic equipment and supporting IT gear. I have my EOS utility tool set to save a copy of the shots on the card and shoot teathered whenever possible. This means any shot I take is automatically backed up onto the computer as I go (as long as I remain teathered). Before formatting the cards, I make sure that not only are the shots backed up onto the laptop, but the portable drive as well. The advent of Google Maps and Google Earth makes planning for location shoots ar lot easier. Although there is no substitute for actual on-the-ground souting, it is possible to reverse engineer shooting positions of postcards and/or narrow down location candidates quickly with Google Earth, Street View and aerial imagery from MSN Live