Case Study

Firebird

Case Study

Microlease plc, the leading test equipment rental company, have been a Firebird sponsor-partner since 1988. Their initial objective was simple: to make Microlease stand out as a bold and innovative company, and especially to catch the attention of people in the electronics industry.

The first year was a 'testing of the water' on both sides, and the Microlease colours were carried on a single-seat Pitts S1-T flown by Firebird's Brian Lecomber. In that year the Microlease Pitts reached an audience of some 2 million, gained extensive coverage in the electronic trade media, and capped off the season by displaying at the Farnborough Air Show in front of a constantly-packed Microlease hospitality chalet.

In the light of this success the S1-T was replaced by the latest and most powerful of the Pitts Special range, the 260hp two-seat S2-B. The second seat added a new dimension to the promotion - the ability to take Microlease customers for the flight of a lifetime.

This corporate hospitality was an immediate success and has continued to grow in popularity ever since. The added value lies in the fact that it is unique: any company can take guests on conventional incentive days - but only on a Firebird Guest Day can you experience the most exclusive flight of a lifetime. And also try flying it yourself....

In 1996 the Pitts was replaced by the best of the new generation of aerobatic machines, the Extra 300L, and both the display and guest-flying programmes moved into even higher gear. As time went on Firebird developed a permanent on-board digital guest video system to record every guest's own flight.

At the end of 2000 the big decision was made - the Microlease display would go from a solo to a two-ship formation team, using a pair of brand new Extras. The step up coincided with Microlease moving into the European market, and in 2001/2002 the new team displayed and flew guests in 10 countries.

All told, Microlease-branded aircraft have now flown well over 700 displays and have carried more than 3,000 corporate guests - nearly 900 of them in 2001/2002, with the new team.

"We wanted something which would show us as completely different and dynamic", says Paul Rennie, Microlease CEO, "and that, precisely, is what we've got".

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