Kobe Bryant dead

Was at Lakers-Mavs a few weeks ago and saw him sitting front row with Gianna. They talked to each other the whole game. This is so sad. Can't believe it's real
 
The wife said she would never get in a helicopter, she would rather deal with the traffic than go up in one of those things. She also cited that there are a lot of accidents that don't get reported in the media because they usually involve a small number of folks as opposed to a large jet. Some other celebs that died due to a chopper crash: Vic Morrow , Davey Allison, Bill Graham, & Stevie Ray Vaughn.
 
30 year old helicopters may be a bit cheaper, but.....

You have to wonder if all the privately owned ones are properly maintained. It seems like I heard every air hour translates to two hours of maintenance. It sounds like it's a part of everyday life for some Los Angeleans, and was for Kobe. More that anywhere else. I remember reading about even Yasiel Puig commuting to Dodger Stadium via helicopter as soon as he got his first big contract.
 
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30 year old helicopters may be a bit cheaper, but.....

You have to wonder if all the privately owned ones are properly maintained. It seems like I heard every air hour translates to two hours of maintenance. It sounds like it's a part of everyday life for some Los Angeleans, and was for Kobe. More that anywhere else. I remember reading about even Yasiel Puig commuting to Dodger Stadium via helicopter as soon as he got his first big contract.
Deon Sanders did as well when he was doing both sports in Atlanta.

This wsa the first real sports icon to pass away that my 14 yr old step son was into. We talked and talked about it for hours last night while watching the coverage. He says he and all his hoops teammates are rattled by it.


Been in a few choppers and yeah, ya always get an uneasy feeling in them!
 
Very sad indeed, but I'm curious as to what was so important for them to be flying in heavy fog. I heard on the news this morning that the police in the area had grounded all of their hellicopters at the time because of the fog.
 
I would never get in a helicopter in a non-emergency situation, but would be interested to see the crash/death rate per trip compared to driving. Driving is probably more dangerous statistically, but we feel more in control
 
30 year old helicopters may be a bit cheaper, but.....

You have to wonder if all the privately owned ones are properly maintained. It seems like I heard every air hour translates to two hours of maintenance. It sounds like it's a part of everyday life for some Los Angeleans, and was for Kobe. More that anywhere else. I remember reading about even Yasiel Puig commuting to Dodger Stadium via helicopter as soon as he got his first big contract.
It’s pretty normal for people to use those helicopters in California with the traffic
 
I would never get in a helicopter in a non-emergency situation, but would be interested to see the crash/death rate per trip compared to driving. Driving is probably more dangerous statistically, but we feel more in control

The helicopter trips of Iao Park, Haleakala, or Waimea Canyon/Na Pali are worth the risk - especially if you can get the seat next to the pilot and look though the floor. Still have to do the Grand Canyon flight. Angel Falls heli flight or hang glide not looking likely anymore, due to the political climate there. I should not have been so cheap on that first Aruba trip.

The $20 Myrtle Beach buzz-by, in the cheapest helicopters ever made - nah.

Daily/weekly commuting travel, probably not. I'd guess it starts out as a just-this-once, and can eventually become de rigeuer if one has Kobe money.
 
It’s pretty normal for people to use those helicopters in California with the traffic

Wealthy people, sure. As more people do it, more will want to, people will price shop, corners will be cut. Human nature comes more and more into play.

It's still an odds thing. All the easy safety stats compare miles/death of different modes of transportation. Nobody dies creepin' and beepin' in LA traffic unless it's by road rage, and most airline fatalities are near take-off or landing and not for the millions of miles at 600 mph. Basic stats are surely deceptive, and I won't bother with a deep dive there. A hunch is good enough for my passing interest.
 
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I would never get in a helicopter in a non-emergency situation, but would be interested to see the crash/death rate per trip compared to driving. Driving is probably more dangerous statistically, but we feel more in control

I was thinking the same thing, and according to this article it isn't even close. However several pilots on the news have said that the weather was too poor for helicopter travel because of low clouds and fog. Even then it still probably more dangerous to drive across LA in a car during bad weather.
 
FYI.

According to the US HelicopterSafety Team, the helicopteraccident rate for 2019 was 0.82 per 100,000 flight hours, with 24 accidents claiming 55 lives.
 
Deon Sanders did as well when he was doing both sports in Atlanta.

This wsa the first real sports icon to pass away that my 14 yr old step son was into. We talked and talked about it for hours last night while watching the coverage. He says he and all his hoops teammates are rattled by it.


Been in a few choppers and yeah, ya always get an uneasy feeling in them!

Were you in a jump seat with the door open ? Maybe it was the anticipated landing.....
 
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I was thinking the same thing, and according to this article it isn't even close. However several pilots on the news have said that the weather was too poor for helicopter travel because of low clouds and fog. Even then it still might not be safer to drive across LA in a car during bad weather either.


People on the ground claimed it sounded funny. Also heard early on in the wacky, unreliable coverage that there was a fire on board first. It will be interesting to hear if any flight recordings of distress calls come out later.
 
FYI.

According to the US HelicopterSafety Team, the helicopteraccident rate for 2019 was 0.82 per 100,000 flight hours, with 24 accidents claiming 55 lives.


How many of those hours were by medi-evac teams with ample health care funding and stringent self-imposed safety/maintenance/testing and upgrade protocols, or by police departments, and how many were private machines in at will usage ?

Not all helicopter hours are equal.
 
A terrible tragedy for his family and so many others who he affected during his short time on Earth
 
How many of those hours were by medi-evac teams with ample health care funding and stringent self-imposed safety/maintenance/testing and upgrade protocols, or by police departments, and how many were private machines in at will usage ?

Not all helicopter hours are equal.
Yeah, same with airplanes. I wouldn’t get on anyone’s personal helicopter or airplane.
 
Doors open, yeah. Banking sorta...sucked.

Also with the ramp open and just walked right off............
When I was a kid, I always wanted to go on the "cheap" helicopter rides at the Ohio State Fair, but I knew my parents would never go for it, for both safety and price. Five dollars was a lot of money back then.

Finally decided to go on the "actual" Bat-copter at the fair 20 years ago. I think it was $50 for a 25-minute ride circling around Columbus. Yes, it was unnerving. Kinda like the evac choppers in the M*A*S*H show. Just a glass bubble and one bench seat for me and a whippersnapper of a pilot - and a seat belt about an inch-wide that you literally tied together to hold you in.

No doors, just a huge opening on each side Like you said, banking during the turns was interesting - especially when he was turning to my side! But I'm glad I did it while I had the chance to. If something had happened, well, I knew I was maxed on life insurance for Mrs. Z and our boys. I would have made her a half-millionaire.
 
Yeah, same with airplanes. I wouldn’t get on anyone’s personal helicopter or airplane.

A medical physicist I was acquainted with had his own twin engine plane. I'd get on his. Same with an engineer's personal plane. Plus, planes can glide a bit.......

Retired mid-level sports star's plane or helicopter, probably not. Kobe, as a truly wealty person, could certainly afford maintenance, but might not have known what to look for in selecting an fbo. I wouldn't either. Or maybe he'd been with somebody a long time and was too loyal to be vigilant about conditions. Or maybe just the fickle finger of fate......
 
A medical physicist I was acquainted with had his own twin engine plane. I'd get on his. Same with an engineer's personal plane. Plus, planes can glide a bit.......

Retired mid-level sports star's plane or helicopter, probably not. Kobe, as a truly wealty person, could certainly afford maintenance, but might not have known what to look for in selecting an fbo. I wouldn't either. Or maybe he'd been with somebody a long time and was too loyal to be vigilant about conditions. Or maybe just the fickle finger of fate......
I’d say no thanks personally.
 
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