Unusual Rigging were engaged by Watermark Productions to assist them with a spectacular launch for Virgin’s new Airbus A340-600, the longest commercial plane to be put into service.

An invited audience was given a presentation in a geodesic dome, which was erected in Virgin’s new hangar at Heathrow. At the end of the formal presentation, Unusual lifted the dome, not unlike the opening of a clam shell. The dome at 20 metres in diameter, 10 metres high and weighing 3 tonnes was built on top of a steel I-beam. Robin Elias of Unusual devised a system with four bridles on eight pick up points from the I-beam. Using two 2 tonne Lodestars on each bridle, the two front bridles were paired, as were the back two. Lifting the front two bridles at 4 metres per minute and the rear two at 2 metres per minute achieved the clam shell opening effect.

Prior to the event, much discussion was had about the clam shell lift. Not for the first time, the sanity of Unusual was in question but even this job was to defeat the calculators and computers of the structural engineers. The dome was built with a test rig to assess the deflection upon lifting. With minimal deflection, the go ahead was given to stage the event.

Once the dome was open, the audience enjoyed a performance from dancers and circus performers, including specialist performers on silk drops, rigged by Unusual. The performance area was enclosed by drapes and a Kabuki drop - all rigged by Unusual.

At the end of the performance, a giant zip between the slogan ‘Mine’s bigger than yours’ was pulled by Richard Branson to reveal the aircraft.