Seriously, some stranger dies and people are weepy. People die every day. Flags will be flying half mast for some dude who was good at a child's game.
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Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter accident, 41
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Lanx
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Daezuel
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Sikorsky S-76 - Wikipedia
Actually holds 13 passengers and I'm not sure if that includes the 2 crew or not.
Daezuel
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4:30 PM PT -- L.A. weather was extremely foggy Sunday morning, and law enforcement sources tell us even LAPD air support was grounded because of it. Flight tracker data shows Kobe's chopper appeared to first encounter weather issues as it was above the L.A. Zoo. It circled that area at least 6 times at a very low altitude -- around 875 feet -- perhaps waiting for the fog to clear.
We know the pilot contacted the control tower at Burbank Airport around 9:30 AM PT, and the tower was aware the pilot had been circling for about 15 minutes. The pilot eventually headed north along the 118 freeway before turning to the west, and started following above the 101 freeway around Woodland Hills, CA.
At around 9:40 AM they encounter more weather -- as in seriously heavy fog -- and the chopper turned south. This was critical, because they turned toward a mountainous area. The pilot suddenly and rapidly climbed from about 1200 feet up to 2000 feet. However, moments later -- around 9:45 AM -- they flew into a mountain at 1700 feet. Flight tracker data shows they were flying at about 161 knots.
- So pilot error.
We know the pilot contacted the control tower at Burbank Airport around 9:30 AM PT, and the tower was aware the pilot had been circling for about 15 minutes. The pilot eventually headed north along the 118 freeway before turning to the west, and started following above the 101 freeway around Woodland Hills, CA.
At around 9:40 AM they encounter more weather -- as in seriously heavy fog -- and the chopper turned south. This was critical, because they turned toward a mountainous area. The pilot suddenly and rapidly climbed from about 1200 feet up to 2000 feet. However, moments later -- around 9:45 AM -- they flew into a mountain at 1700 feet. Flight tracker data shows they were flying at about 161 knots.
- So pilot error.
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Lanx
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tmz says the kobe-copter is a rental w/ a special agreement from the company
www.tmz.com
Kobe Bryant -- What Happens to the Kobe-Copter?
Now that his NBA career is over -- we were wondering ... what's gonna happen to Kobe Bryant's helicopter?
www.tmz.com
Arbitrary
Tranny Chaser
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Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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I fly in S-76's quite often. Flew in one on friday. Ours has 3 rows of 4 seats for the passengers plus the 2 crew. But, I don't think I've ever been on a completely full S76. The front row is too hard to get to, only small people can sit there and there's still an overall weight limit. 6 - 8 passengers (full grown adults) is a normal flight in the oil field. That appears to be what he was in, so I won't talk about how many the slightly larger choppers can hold. The smallest choppers we use (bell 305) can hold 5 passengers + 1 pilot.
The S76's I fly in are all old, I don't know if sikorsky stopped making them, or if they're just being phased out. Also, too bad his pilot wasn't instrument rated. Could have climbed over the fog and gone about his merry way.
Also, 161 knots is fast for what I've been in. I'm pretty sure the fastest air speed I've seen in an S76 is 120 knotts. Maybe they had a strong tail wind though. Or maybe our pilots are just limited because the company wants to save money.
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LachiusTZ
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Yeah I couldnt give less fucks that Kobe is dead.
The memes are solid tho, so thats nice.
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LachiusTZ
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You dont have the money to pay pilots to fly "cool" topgun shit.
And your right, the company wants to save money. So they are paying for it.
Kobe was "cool". So pilots prolly willing to do stupid shit. Or he could afford it.
Either way, its too bad. What are we going to do without a retired "throw ball through circle" guy? Fucking sucks. Not like we can just go find more people to throw balls through circles.
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LachiusTZ
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Hoss
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At least he got to see all the star wars movies before he died.
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Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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a commercial pilot that isnt instrument rated? that just seems stupid, cant legally fly someone more than 50 nm or at night then, and its dangerous. i wouldnt hire a commercial pilot w/o IRA
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Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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Fuck you faggot. There was nothing like that. You tricked me into scrolling really fast through 3 pages of crap.
I'd guess half of the pilots in the oil field in the gulf of mexico aren't instrument rated. If you fly for bigger companies like Shell you are (if the chopper has instruments). The Bell's I've been on don't have the option. I've been on S76's that had instruments and some that did not. But the smaller companies in aggregate do a larger percentage of flights. What the small guys do instead is have a contract with a bigger company with instrument rated pilots who can perform evacuations if needed. Because emergencies are the only times you need an IFR flight. Normally if the weather is bad, we just come back the next day. But then again, our pilots file flight plans and look at the weather.
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LachiusTZ
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