Captain Barnes: interview about his roles in Bond films
VIDEO: Captain Pete Barnes, pilot of the crashed helicopter, describes his role in Bond films. This item was shot in 2002.
VIDEO: Captain Pete Barnes, pilot of the crashed helicopter, describes his role in Bond films. This item was shot in 2002.
VIDEO: Captain Pete Barnes, pilot of the crashed helicopter, was highly respected by his peers. He was well known an a pilot with the Air Ambulance Service, and was involved in countless rescue missions. We have compiled a short tribute film from ITV News pictures.
The Berkshire pilot of the helicopter which crashed in central London had thousands of hours of flying experience including work for films such as Die Another Day and Saving Private Ryan.
Captain Pete Barnes, from Mortimer near Reading, who died when the helicopter he was flying hit a crane on a high building and crashed onto a street in Vauxhall, had amassed around 9,000 hours of flying time - including 3,500 hours on the type of craft he was piloting today.
In a wide-ranging UK career spanning 18 years, he had done everything from flying air ambulances to working as a pilot on adverts, TV programmes and films including the James Bond film Die Another Day, Saving Private Ryan and Tomb Raider II.
In 2004 he helped to rescue a motorist from a flooded ford in County Durham, while working for the Great North Air Ambulance. He also flew the Newcastle Traffic & Travel helicopter as the Voice of Metro FM and worked as a helicopter instructor.
Mr Barnes originally worked as a ski instructor and guide in Europe after completing his business studies degree, before going into advertising. But he later moved to the US to train as a helicopter pilot, earning a US Commercial and Instructor's Licence flying helicopters.
It's been confirmed that the pilot of the crashed helicopter was Captain Pete Barnes from Mortimer near Reading. More shortly.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following this morning's fatal crash.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he also paid tribute to the "brave and professional" response of the emergency services to the crash in Vauxhall, central London, after a commercial helicopter hit a crane on a high-rise building.
Pilot of the helicopter which crashed in London was Captain Pete Barnes from Berkshire, according to sources. Captain Barnes had a distinguished career with over 25 years flying experience - over 10,500 hours in helicopters and 500 hours fixed wing.
The crane operator only survived the Vauxhall helicopter crash because he was running late and had not reached his cabin.
Read the full storyEmre Kaya and Tom Avis described the helicopter crash and the resulting fire.