Seat wanted to make an entrance for its smallest SUV, the all new Arona. So it gave the people from Barcelona a sneak peak at the SUV hanging it from a helicopter 300 metres above the sea.
The car stands on a custom built, H-shaped platform for stability and safety during the flight. The pilot takes off unladen and releases the cable that attaches the platform with the Arona to the cockpit. A technician connects both anchoring systems and the car begins to rise, hanging 20 metres below the helicopter.
Shortly before taking flight, the privacy cover shielding the model is replaced with a red silk one. When Seat’s first crossover reaches a height of 7 metres, four specialists on the ground remove the cover so the car will be visible from the air.
In order to perform a smooth flight with the car perfectly stable, Seat technicians and engineers studied the weight of the model to ensure it would balance against the helicopter. This kind of flight with hanging cargo can only be carried out over the sea for safety reasons.
A second helicopter flies alongside to capture the best images. At a speed of 40 knots, around 80 km/hour, the new model flew over the Barcelona coastline for 50 minutes at 300 metres above the water, providing beachgoers with a sneak peek while enjoying the afternoon by the sea.
The Arona, Seat’s first compact crossover, had its international presentation last 26 June. The next stop: the Frankfurt International Motor Show.
